Promoting Self-Regulation Skills and Healthy Eating Habits in Early Head Start

Home visitors teach parents about children's self-regulation skills and healthy eating habits. The home visitors then teach parents how to sensitively scaffold the development of their toddlers' self-regulation skills in the context of cooking and snack preparation lessons. Prior research shows that self-regulation skills in early childhood predict long-term health indicators, such as BMI. Prior research also shows that children who are involved in the preparation of healthier foods are more likely to eat them.

Home visitors will continue to deliver usual practice Early Head Start home visits that follow a standard curriculum and are tailored on an ongoing basis to meet individual family needs.