December 13, 2019
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 (@First5Kern) for more kids news, as well as information about our funded programs and initiatives.

Now for the headlines........
FRESNO PARENTS & PRESCHOOL TEACHERS LEARN TO TEACH MATH THROUGH STORYBOOKS

A group of California parents and preschool teachers are overcoming their fear of math and discovering new confidence to teach it to young children through an unexpected source: storybooks. This EdSource article explains how a series of activities designed to teach math concepts inspired by children’s books are being piloted in Fresno as part of the California Statewide Early Math Initiative, which aims to improve how preschool teachers and parents teach and talk about math concepts with young children.
THE WHITE HOUSE SAYS HIGH CHILD CARE COSTS KEEP AMERICAN PARENTS OUT OF THE WORKFORCE

The White House's Council of Economic Advisors issued a new paper  that finds that making child care more affordable could help up to 10.4 million parents chose to enter the labor force or increase their work hours. As of December 2016, there were 3.8 million nondisabled, working-age parents with children under age 6 outside the labor force, and another 6.6 million such parents with children under age 13 working part time. 

RELATED: President Donald Trump promised this week to expand child care and time-off options for working moms and dads . Trump spoke at the White House as legislation edged closer to becoming law, which will grant federal workers 12 weeks of paid parental leave. “We now have a historic opportunity to enact long overdue reforms," Trump said. "It’s time to pass paid family leave and expand access to quality affordable child care for those not employed by the federal government."
SCREEN TIME HABITS START AT A YOUNG AGE

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under the age of 18 months have no screen time, other than video-chatting. At 18 to 24 months, they recommend only high-quality programming, and at the age of 2 to 5, they recommend only one hour a day. They also recommend that a caregiver watch with them and explain what they are seeing.

Despite these recommendations, children are developing TV habits that greatly exceed these guidelines. And not surprisingly, the increased use of screen time is affecting our children’s development.
SHOULD WE WORRY THAT AMERICAN CHILDREN ARE BECOMING LESS CREATIVE?

Between ubiquitous digital screens, declining art and music in schools and educational pressures , are children in the U.S. using their imagination enough? Full of great links to other articles, books and videos, this perspective piece in the Washington Post is worth the read for anyone interested in fostering a more creative spirit in youngsters .
700 NEW MOMS DIE EACH YEAR IN THE UNITED STATES. COULD MEDICAID HELP?

The United States ranks as one of the most dangerous developed nations to become pregnant and give birth, especially for women of color — and data shows the life-threatening risk doesn’t end once mom and baby have left the hospital. Bipartisan legislation that is currently working its way through Congress aims to help lower those risks by ensuring that women have access to care longer after giving birth, given the high incidence rates of potentially fatal postpartum health challenges.
COULD OBESITY ALTER A CHILD'S BRAIN STRUCTURE?

Childhood obesity may be linked to changes in brain structure that might result in impulsive kids who struggle with problem-solving, a new study reports. U.S. News and World Report breaks down the study , which found that overweight and obese children tend to have a thinner prefrontal cortex, a part of the brain associated with decision-making and problem-solving. The study included over 3,000 9- and 10-year olds from 21 locations across the country.

Authors of the study, however, warned about reading too much into the findings, which focused on the problem solving role of that area of the brain. "We don't want people to think if kids are obese, that they have a problem with their brain or that they're stupid. It doesn't have anything to do with their intellectual capability."
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...about First 5 Kern
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.
Special thanks to Vecteezy for assistance on graphics