A myriad of studies on the power of a mother’s voice reveal that it can dramatically increase levels of oxytocin, the social-bonding hormone, lower levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, and can soothe children in stressful situations, says the article “How Babies Know Their Mother’s Voice — Even in the Womb.” One study, for example, showed that playing a recording of their mother’s voice when babies sucked on a pacifier shortened their hospital stay while improving their oral-feeding skills.

According to another article in the Australian web magazine “Body+Soul,” researchers gave a group of school girls a challenging math test, which had to be completed in front of strangers. Afterwards, they had a third of them watch a film, a third spoke to their mom on the phone and another third were comforted by their moms, in-person. The findings showed that the social-bonding hormone, oxytocin, quickly increased, and the stress-producing hormone, cortisol, significantly decreased in the girls who spoke or saw their mothers. One researcher said it can be nearly as effective as getting a hug from mom.

Another study conducted by the Stanford University of Medicine showed that children’s minds become highly engaged hearing their mother’s voice versus a stranger’s, states the article “The Importance of a Mother’s Voice.” It showed, for instance, that regions involved with social function and emotion lit up like Christmas trees when kids heard their moms talking. Essentially, what research reveals is the importance of mothers spending quality time with their kids compared to giving them an electronic device.

If the power of a mother’s voice has a positive effect just by being heard, it can make even more of a difference when combined with helping their children learn how to read. Our award-winning family literacy program, The Latino Family Literacy Project will help moms, and dads, too, for that matter, to establish a regular family reading routine with their kids. Teachers can attend an online webinar to start the program at their school.