The black child has no toys, remains inactive for hours, and thus enters a terrifying state of head shrinking from which it is impossible to recover. In 1950, such claims linking brain deficits to inadequate childcare seemed uncontentious.

In July 2004, discussions began about how to raise the intellectual potential of certain parts of the world, particularly the Global South. From the colonizers of the past to the economists of the future, there has always been an interest in brain development, especially that of brown and poor children. In 2008, the UN launched the Nurturing Care Framework for the Global South, focusing on two key areas. First, parents play a crucial role in a child’s brain development during their first year. Second, nurturing care is essential for sturdy brain circuits. Better parenting can enhance a child’s brain, which in turn helps the child succeed. If we improve a generation of children in this way, entire countries can see economic growth. The idea is: if we change the beginning of the story, we can change the whole story.

What could possibly be wrong with changing the beginning to make the future brighter? Who could argue against teaching parents how to engage with their children? Who wouldn’t want to help poor people chase their dreams? These questions make sense only if we start with two interrelated assumptions: first, that there is something fundamentally wrong with how parents in the Global South raise their children; and second, that issues like poverty, low income, and wars can somehow be traced to individual deficits. These assumptions suggest that the problems of poor people in the Global South are their own fault, due to their “faulty” brains.

Does a child’s household have at least one book and at least one toy? If parents respond negatively to either question, they are deemed in need of adequate care. However, the kinds of questions asked should depend on the culture. In some cultures, children are free to play outside with cousins and friends, so a more appropriate question might be: do parents allow their child to explore outside? This approach might work for the elite living in the South, but the focus on the brain is ironic because brain-based claims are often elusive. There is no single path to achieving a thriving brain, and it’s time we acknowledge this.