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THIS WEEK'S
HEADLINES
NEWS IMPACTING CHILDREN 0-5 AND THEIR FAMILIES
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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 share information, and do not necessarily reflect First 5 Kern's areas of support, opinions 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...
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American mothers are in crisis. Is anyone listening to them? |
In early September, as the school year inched closer, a group of mothers in New Jersey decided they would gather in a park, at a safe social distance, and scream their lungs out.
For months, as the pandemic disrupted work and home life, these moms, like so many parents, had been stretched thin — acting as caregivers, teachers and earners at once.
They were breaking. As are mothers all over the United States. (New York Times)
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Romney's bipartisan
child benefit plan would support children
U.S. Senator Mitt Romney’s newly proposed Family Security Act would give parents of children under 6 a $350 check each month, while parents of kids aged 6-17 would receive $250.
The fact of bipartisan support for child-benefit checks is a heartening sign that the United States may finally be moving closer to the systems of public family support that every other wealthy democracy has adopted, and which protect children’s wellbeing far better than our own. (The Hill)
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New bill aims to help families who struggle to afford diapers
In the United States, 1 in 3 families struggle to provide enough diapers for their children ― often forcing them to choose between food and the vital child care item.
Sometimes, it even keeps families from sending their kids to day care. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) introduced a new bipartisan bill on Monday that aims to ensure every family can afford diapers: The End Diaper Need Act of 2021. (HuffPost)
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You don't have to be funny: how to use improv while parenting |
One recent afternoon, my 6-year-old daughter declared she was bored.
Thinking fast, I informed her that I was now a robot, and that she could push my “buttons” (on my chest) and see what happened. With every press, I flung out an arm. Or made a robot sound.
It would be premature to say I had won the war on boredom, but I had emerged victorious in battle. And I owed it all to improv. But improv is more than just a cure for boredom — it can be a way of parenting, one that can help us be more patient and attentive, and help our kids be more resilient and open with us. (New York Times)
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EARLY CHILDCARE & EDUCATION
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Child care providers will get more financial help from California |
Members of California's child care union who have continued to operate during the pandemic will get additional financial relief from the state under a new labor agreement.
The tentative pact, which still requires legislative approval, includes a one-time $525 stipend for each child enrolled in a subsidized child care program, additional closure days for COVID protocol, and more.
The stipends will be funded through the federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Act and cost an estimated $144 million. (LAist)
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When the animated bunny in the TV show listens for kids’ answers — and answers back
Can artificial intelligence help children participate with, and not just consume, media? And can AI conversations make shows more educational, especially for those kids least likely to have a grown-up watching with them? That’s what experts at the Digital Learning Lab and PBS hope to find out—with help from an animated bunny. (EdSurge)
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Governor says Calif. school reopening deal could come this week
Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature are getting close to a deal on reopening elementary schools and hope to announce a final plan this week, the governor said Tuesday morning.
A key sticking point has been vaccines, and teacher unions argue schools shouldn’t require teachers to return unless they’ve been offered the vaccine. Newsom says that won’t be possible because there are simply not enough shots available. (SacBee)
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Childhood diet has a lifelong impact |
Eating too much fat and sugar as a child can alter your microbiome for life, even if you later learn to eat healthier, a new study in mice suggests.
The study by UC Riverside researchers is one of the first to show a significant decrease in the total number and diversity of gut bacteria in mature mice fed an unhealthy diet as juveniles.
"We studied mice, but the effect we observed is equivalent to kids having a Western diet, high in fat and sugar and their gut microbiome still being affected up to six years after puberty," explained UCR evolutionary physiologist Theodore Garland. (Science Daily)
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Study: Diabetes complications in young children target the brain
Brain volume, verbal IQ, and overall IQ are lower in children with Type 1 diabetes (T1D) than in children without diabetes, according to a new longitudinal study published in the journal of the American Diabetes Association.
The nearly eight-year study compared brain scans of young children who have T1D with those of non-diabetic children to assess the extent to which glycemic exposure may adversely affect the developing brain. (EurekAlert)
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Independent Play In Kids Aged 4-6 Encourages Brain Development
Independent play is when children play alone with little to no reference to what adults or other kids are doing. Play is essential to kids’ development as it contributes to social development, physical development, brain and learning development.
“Independent play is a key contributor to the healthy social development of children. In fact, introducing and encouraging independent play before the age of five is of the utmost importance (for) the developing brain.” (Moms)
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10 Ways to promote children's literacy at home |
In a coronavirus world, many families are worried about their children falling behind academically. School availability has varied widely across the country and many families are choosing to or having to take a much larger role in their children’s education. At the foundation of it all is literacy. Promoting literacy at home can have a huge impact on a child’s learning.
While teaching a child to read can feel daunting, there are actually a lot of really simple ways to encourage a positive relationship with reading. Here are some easy ways you can boost your child’s literacy skills, whether they’re learning in-person, virtually, or at home. (Book Riot)
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Lifestyle changes in pregnant women affected babies' genes |
A study led by researchers at Lund University in Sweden showed a connection between lifestyle intervention in pregnant women with obesity and epigenetic alterations in the baby. The study is published in the journal Diabetes.
An international collaboration between researchers in Sweden, Denmark and Spain investigated whether children's genes were programmed differently if a pregnant woman with a BMI over 30 underwent lifestyle interventions.
The study involved 425 pregnant women, all of whom have a BMI over 30, which is defined as obesity. (EurekAlert)
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Breastfeeding mothers produce COVID‑19 antibodies
Breastfeeding women who have COVID-19 transfer milk-borne antibodies to their babies without passing along the SARS-CoV-2 virus, according to a new study.
Researchers analyzed 37 milk samples submitted by 18 women diagnosed with COVID-19.
None of the milk samples were found to contain the virus, but nearly two-thirds of the samples did contain two antibodies specific to the virus. (WSU)
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10 Things a pediatrician would never keep in their baby's nursery
Some of the cutest things inside a nursery — stuffed animals, artwork, colorful mobiles — may pose dangers families might not initially consider.
Dr. Syeda Amna Husain, a pediatrician, lactation consultant, and mother, said parents should take babyproofing step-by-step.
"Try not to overwhelm yourself, but start thinking about what your child could get into." (Insider)
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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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