The first 1,000 days of a child’s life, from the beginning of pregnancy to around the age of two, are a crucial period for their development.
The brain develops at an extraordinary pace, and the experiences during these early years help lay the foundation for health, learning, and behavior.
But when we talk about a child’s health, we are not talking only about medical check-ups, nutrition, or weight. Physical and emotional development are built together. The way a child is cared for, protected, and nourished matters, just as much as the way an adult responds when they cry, feel frightened, or need help calming down.
This is also the perspective behind the concept of “nurturing care,” promoted by the World Health Organization: health, nutrition, safety, responsive caregiving, and opportunities for early learning are all interconnected parts of the same whole.
During the first months of life, medical support is essential. Screening, developmental monitoring, and access to neonatal and pediatric care can make a significant difference when situations arise that require specialized attention. At SANADOR, care begins during pregnancy and continues after birth through dedicated medical services for both mother and child.
But caring for a child extends far beyond the medical office. It happens every day, within the relationship between a child and their parent: in the way we respond, set boundaries, provide safety, and help them understand their emotions. That is why it is worth asking not only, “Is my child healthy?” but also, “What does my child need to feel safe, understood, and connected?”
Increasingly, this conversation is shifting from “How do I make my child behave?” to “What is happening for my child, and how can I be there for them?” And at ParentED Fest, parents will have the opportunity to explore these questions alongside experts who have helped transform the way we understand child development and the parent–child relationship.
For the first time in Romania, Isabelle Filliozat, psychotherapist, author, and one of the leading voices in emotional intelligence-based parenting, will come to Bucharest to speak about emotions, relationships, and children’s real needs. Filliozat has more than 40 years of experience in the field of emotional intelligence and parenting and served as Vice-President of France’s Commission on the First 1,000 Days.
That is why SANADOR and ParentED Fest are continuing, in 2026, a collaboration that began with the very first edition of the festival. On October 17–18, at Aula Magna, Politehnica University of Bucharest, we will bring together Isabelle Filliozat, Erica Komisar, Dr. Dan Siegel, and other international experts for a broader conversation about child development – from early relationships and emotional regulation to adolescence and the challenges of the digital world.
Not to tell parents how to be perfect, but to offer them something far more valuable: context, information, and practical tools to help them better understand what lies behind their children’s behaviors. Erica Komisar explores attachment, separation, and early emotional development, while Dr. Dan Siegel brings the perspective of neuroscience and the development of the mind through relationships.
Because the first 1,000 days are not about doing everything perfectly. They are about building, step by step, the foundation a child needs to grow up healthy and secure.
ParentED Fest 2026 – October 17–18 – Aula Magna, Politehnica University of Bucharest
