Healthy Emotional and Behavioral Development: A Guide for Parents

A team of professionals (and loving parents) designed The Greatest 8 to help you give your young children the key skills they need for a life of mental wellness.

Everything you do as a parent or caregiver leads to your child developing resilience, communication, awareness, problem-solving, and the other key skills shown on this page.

We make it simple. We’ve tailored the eight essential skills into one weekly tip – 25 words or fewer – based on your child’s age. We might remind you to sing to your baby or dance with your 2-year-old. A text might discuss saying ‘no’ or dealing with bad moods (yours or theirs). Expect an occasional healthy recipe or fun outdoor activity.

And if you want more on any topic, you’ll always have the resources of this website.

The Greatest 8 is a program of the Washington County Coalition for Children in collaboration with partners from the University of Rhode Island Psychology Department, Brown University School of Public Health, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island.

The Rhode Island Foundation and the van Beuren Charitable Foundation provided initial funding. The Hassenfeld Institute for Public Leadership and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Rhode Island have also been essential supporters.