The Princess of Wales has said that if a parent could do just one thing for their child, it should be “to prioritise love”. In an essay reflecting on her recent trip to Italy to learn about the Reggio Emilia approach to childcare, Catherine speaks of the importance of “quiet and unconditional” love, rather than grand gestures, and the need for children to spend time in nature and be creative, rather than on screens.
She writes: “If we can surround children with nurturing, loving environments, we can help them build the human capabilities they need to thrive in the world today.” Catherine, who has been campaigning to raise awareness about the importance of early years education for over a decade, travelled to Reggio Emilia last month in her first official overseas trip since her cancer diagnosis.
The small Italian city was chosen because of its unique approach to early childhood, which emphasises children’s relationships, learning through play and views youngsters as equal members of society.