The study found that what parents do is pivotal for their children's development. Regardless of socio-economic background, children did better when their parents engaged in such activities as reading to them and conversing with them and having children's books in the home.

Why the role of a parent is so important to a child's development?

Promotes the child's mental, linguistic and emotional development. Helps the child exhibit optimistic and confident social behaviours. Healthy parent involvement and intervention in the child's day-to-day life lay the foundation for better social and academic skills.

When can parents most influence their child's development?

Formal cultural consensus analysis of responses met criteria for strong agreement that the period for greatest impact of parenting on a child's development occurs at adolescence, at a median age of 12 years.