Is There a Critical Period for Parent Bonding?

Newborns from many animal species engage in some form of bonding with parents due to repeated early contact. This process is called filial imprinting in birds and is thought to occur within a “critical period” early in life. Numerous studies show that failure to imprint or bond within the critical period is quite disruptive and cannot be easily overcome even a few months later.

We suspect there is a critical period for parents (and, by extension, their students) to imprint, bond, or otherwise attach to schools. Given that at least two years’ worth of families have not been on-campus for the usual school rituals and events, we wonder whether the ties that bind them to particular schools will be weaker, perhaps even nonexistent?

It is for now an empirical question, but we will very soon have data on whether students newly admitted in the March 2020 - March 2022 interval show evidence of less connection; e.g., more likely to switch schools and less committed to financial support. School leaders should rethink how to give these parents new opportunities to bond now that most in-person events are possible.