Formal schooling is usually thought to start at 5-6 years of age, but of course learning begins much earlier. Shaping brain networks related to language, arithmetic and self regulation begins in infancy. Experimental studies reveal how brain networks change with early experience and how these changes influence learning during the school years. Bilingual training has important consequences not only for language but also for attention and self regulation. Parenting quality interacts with genetic differences to influence the attention and behavior of the child. These new findings support important roles for parents and society in the success of children. Video in English, introduction and acknowledgments in Spanish. This is the first talk of the Brain Talks series organized by the BCBL.