We live in difficult times: domestic violence, terrorism, gross exploitation by various governments and financial institutions, ecological destruction, global warming………the list goes on. 

We now know from major advances in developmental neuroscience that if there is significant abuse or neglect in the first three years of life, the results can be catastrophic. 

If we could only get those first three years of life right, a huge range of negative behavioral consequences would be reduced to more manageable levels……less violence, less terrorism, more empathy and compassion, more energy to apply to positive ends.

Compared with other health problems, the burden of child maltreatment is substantial, indicating the importance of prevention efforts to address this high prevalence.

How can we ease and amend all this? What we need are programs to nurture the nurturers. 

When the author was being mentored by Aboriginal elders in Central Australia, they had to exchange dreams. The author dreamt about a Dreamtime ancestor whose task was to nurture the nurturers. But his domain extended to the entire planet. 

Wati Kanyilpai, the Dreamtime ancestor, begins his global journey from Central Australia. He looks after all nurturers, both human and animal, especially the mothers who nurture their infants. But his nurturance extends to anyone or anything who cares for other beings. 

What we need are Ministries in Early Childhood Nurturance. Departments that can identify mothers/fathers at risk and in stress, as well as programs to protect and nurture them. 

This capacity to nurture the nurturers, to look after all the beings who already look after other beings, is a vital task if we are to save this suffering Planet.