Children who receive early support are more successful. Is that true?

Educational myth 14:

Children who receive early support are more successful. Is that true?
Children who receive early support are more successful. Is that true?

That's what the expert says:

«Whether a child is successful depends on many factors: on the characteristics that the child brings with them, on the environment that we provide and on role models. Child development itself cannot be accelerated. Instead, it is important to recognise what a child can cope with and in which situations it is overwhelmed and needs support. Society is based on an outdated development model which states that the child can be controlled from the outside. However, development is an extremely complex process that is controlled by the child in close interaction with the environment. Development is a mixture of what the child brings to the table and what the environment provides. There are many studies that show that parental influence on a successful school career is rather small.»

Professor Oskar Jenni ist Kinderarzt und leitet seit 2005 zusammen mit Bea Latal die Abteilung Entwicklungspädiatrie des Kinderspitals Zürich. Er ist verheiratet und Vater von vier schulpflichtigen Kindern.
Professor Oskar Jenni is a paediatrician and has headed the Department of Developmental Paediatrics at the Children's Hospital Zurich together with Bea Latal since 2005. He is married and the father of four school-age children.

All parenting myths at a glance:

Parenting knowledge instead of parenting myths!
You can find all the myths in our dossier: 15 parenting myths

Read the answers to 15 parenting myths here:

  • Good grades should be rewarded with money
  • Withdrawal of mobile phones as a punishment makes sense
  • A child with a lot of freedom becomes more responsible
  • Only children are spoilt and can't share
  • Kids who fight become criminals
  • Arguing with your children makes them quarrelsome
  • Children should not be forbidden to do anything, otherwise they will become little rebels
  • Lots of toys make a child feel loved
  • Children of divorce are incapable of relationships
  • Defiant children need tougher parenting
  • You can no longer educate 13-year-olds
  • As parents, you should also be your children's best friends
  • A child should receive a smartphone from Year 1
  • A slap in the face has never hurt a child
"150 questions - 150 answers on parenting, family and school". In the 132-page guide, 51 experts have their say. New subscribers receive the booklet free of charge. A single issue costs CHF 14.90 plus postage; you can order it here.
"150 questions - 150 answers on education, family and school".
The 132-page guidebook features 51 experts. New subscribers receive the booklet free of charge. A single issue costs CHF 14.90 plus postage; you can order it here.

More educational knowledge on the subject of early intervention:

  • Mr Jenni, can parents influence a child's success at school?
    When children start school, parents and teachers should adjust their expectations to the child's abilities, says Oskar Jenni, Co-Head of the Developmental Paediatrics Department at Zurich Children's Hospital. After all, children are at different stages of development. A conversation about individualised teaching, school psychologists and learning problems.
  • Gifted - so what?
    Highly gifted pupils are taught at Atelier Plus in Arth-Goldau SZ. They are intelligent, inquisitive and sociable - but above all they are completely normal children. A visit to the classroom.
  • Help, my kindergarten child already wants to read and do maths
    Whereas first grade used to be the place where children learnt to read, write and do arithmetic, today one in three children can scribble little letters, recognise numbers and read letters even before that. Should parents encourage this?
  • 18 questions about school and learning
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