Here is a quick look at some headlines from this week impacting the lives of kids 0-5 and their families. The purpose of these stories is simply to inform, and they do not necessarily reflect First 5 Kern's areas of support or efforts towards these issues.
Follow First 5 Kern on social media for more kid-centric information.
Now for the headlines........
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GOVERNOR NEWSOM ENDS LEGISLATIVE SESSION WITH CHILD-RELATED BILLS AND VETOES
California will not require school districts to offer at least one full-day kindergarten class. Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed
Assembly Bill 197 on Sunday, explaining, "While I
support increased access to full-day
kindergarten, I cannot sign this bill as it would impose new costs outside the budget."
California will become the first state in the nation to mandate later start times at most middle schools and high schools
under legislation signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday, a
proposal designed to improve educational outcomes
by giving students more sleep. The new law, however, is not without controversy, after drawing opposition from some districts.
Elsewhere in schools, Newsom signed SB 265, designed
to cut the recent trend in schools of "lunch shaming."
The
bill will require that all public school students
have a "state reimbursable" meal provided by the school "even if their parent or guardian has unpaid meal fees."
Newsom vetoed a paid leave bill that would have required all school districts, charter schools and community colleges
to
provide at least six weeks of full pay
for pregnancy-related leaves of absence. The governor noted, "this bill will likely result in annual costs of tens of millions of dollars that should be considered as part of the annual budget process and as part of local collective bargaining."
Senate bill 142 was signed by the governor, expanding breastfeeding rights of employees.
The new law reiterates current state law th
at a lactation room shall not be a bathroom and shall be in close proximity to the employee’s work area.
It adds the requirements that the room
must be shielded from view, free from intrusion, and must be safe, clean, and free of hazardous materials, contain a place to sit and have access to electricity, among other details.
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HOW THE BABY FOOD INDUSTRY HOOKS TODDLERS ON SUGAR, SALT AND FAT
There’s been a boom in unhealthy foods and beverages for children six months
to 3 years old, packaged for convenience and often promising to make children stronger and smarter. Dietary supplements said to boost the immune system. Squeezy pouches boasting 3 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber. There were
four times more product launches in the baby and toddler
food aisle in 2018 than in 2005, with a huge surge in new toddler foods and drinks, most of which are extremely high in sugar.
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HOW AMERICA'S CHILD CARE SYSTEM IS DRAINING THE U.S. ECONOMY
Nearly 2 million parents had to leave work, change jobs or turn down a job offer because of childcare obligations
in 2016, according to an analysis by the Center for American Progress (CAP). In this
expansive feature, TIME explores
how America’s rickety childcare infrastructure is a drain on parents, but even more of a drag on the U.S. economy, costing it $57 billion every year in lost earnings, productivity and revenue. The burden of childcare beleaguers the productivity of citizens, as well as pushes more of them onto taxpayer-sponsored programs such as SNAP, WIC and welfare.
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SPANISH OR ENGLISH: EARLY LANGUAGE SKILLS ARE UNIVERSAL
A new study has found that children who had strong early reading skills in their native Spanish language
when they entered kindergarten experienced greater growth in their ability to read English from kindergarten through fourth grade. Plainly stated:
children who had stronger Spanish reading skills
upon entering kindergarten did better across time, even than their Spanish-speaking peers who were more fluent in speaking English but less proficient in reading Spanish.
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THE END OF TATER TOTS FOR LUNCH?
For those who survived the era in which fish sticks and tater tots passed as a good day in school cafeterias
, a visit to a contemporary K-12 lunchroom in Oakland is illuminating. Tables abound with fresh fruit choices, heavily used salad bars and freshly made entrees such as chicken tikka masala with rice. School nutrition crusaders in California are
trying to fix what they call broken school food services
for the current generation of students, not only by providing more nutritious lunches but also by taking advantage of some surprising cost savings that come with fresher food.
RELATED: Japan manages a rare feat for a developed country when it comes to feeding its children -- high scores for nutrition
but very low obesity rates. One major key? School lunches. A
landmark report by the U.N.'s children
agency UNICEF released Tuesday shows Japan topping the charts for childhood health indicators, with low rates of infant mortality and few underweight children. But it also manages the lowest incidence of childhood obesity among the 41 developed countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and European Union.
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ADDITIONAL STORIES FROM THIS WEEK...
The #Dadvocate Movement is organizing for a trip to Washington, D.C. next week, and have attracted
some high-profile guests and even a sponsor for their Dads Day of Action.
This article in Forbes focuses on
Alex Ohanian - Reddit co-founder and husband to Serena Williams - and his mission to make sure dads are a part of the conversation when it comes to paid family leave.
While many mothers may experience difficulties with both breastfeeding and their mental health
after giving birth, few may be aware that
the two might be linked
. Jerilee Claydon is a psychotherapist and parenting educator and despite her wealth of experience and expertise, she was shocked at the impact that stopping breastfeeding had on her mental health.
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First 5 Kern was established in 1998 when California voters passed Proposition 10, which levied a 50-cent tax on tobacco products. Revenues generated from the tobacco tax are used to fund local programs in the areas of health and wellness, early childcare and education, and parent education and support services that promote early childhood development for children ages zero to five.
For more information on First 5 Kern and the agencies we support, please visit
www.First5Kern.org
and follow us on social media.
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Special thanks to
Vecteezy
for assistance on graphics
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