“Kids are kids . . .And moms are moms; they know what’s good for kids . . . Moms are moms; they know what’s fun for kids.”
TBT: Kirk Cameron, Moms, Summer Fun & Kool-Aid!
read more
Tag: parents
Keep Your Family Safe This Summer!
It’s summertime and a variety of activities fill the schedules of kids and families. The warm weather brings more opportunity for fun outdoors, but also the potential for accidents. Here are a few safety rules to keep you and your loved ones safe as you enjoy the summer.
5 Books for the 4th!
Reading together builds closer relationships plus language and literacy skills for the youngest people in our lives!
Father’s Day Celebrates Heroes
This adorable father/son superhero team’s photo went viral last year, gathering almost 1.7 million comments in just two days, according to the Huffington Post. One commenter pinpointed why the image struck such a chord: “A good dad is always a hero to their kids. Capes just let the world see it a little better.”
Sixpence Engages Parents to Close the Achievement Gap
At-risk children under age 3 in Nebraska currently face long odds to gain access to high-quality early childhood learning opportunities. Estimates are that only 1 in 10 at-risk Nebraska children have access to early learning experiences that close the achievement gap by age 3.
Celebrate Arbor Day and Nebraska’s Pioneer Spirit
Today is Arbor Day, a holiday pioneered by Nebraska’s J. Sterling Morton in 1872. Morton started the holiday to beautify Nebraska’s prairies, which naturally lacked trees. Morton recognized that trees would help Nebraska farmers create windbreaks and conserve soil, as well as make the state appear less desolate to investors and others passing through.
Toxic Stress and Its Sources
Toxic stress in families with young children is rarely the product of a single cause, but a confluence of factors that contribute to a breakdown in familial bonding. The presence of outright abuse or neglect, domestic violence, substance abuse or depression in the family are, of course, obvious signs of that breakdown, and effectively undercut the parent-child bond as a crucial source of emotional stability for young children.
High-Quality Early Childhood Education Matters: Nebraskans Know It, Now Congress Acknowledges It Too
When kids get to be kids—explore their environment, interact with their parents and caregivers, and learn through play—they flourish with curiosity and happiness. Like the little boy in the picture who is peeking for ducks, flowers and maybe even a frog as he explores the National Garden at the U.S. Capitol, children enjoy and grow in environments that are safe and full of enriching educational opportunities.
Which is Best for Babies: ‘Baby Talk’ or Complex Sentences?
Speaking directly to babies and toddlers in rich, complex sentences like this one will help them build language and vocabulary skills by connecting words and meaning, and learning through context, said Stanford researcher Anne Fernald at a symposium last week.
First Five Nebraska Priority Bills Focus on Giving Children a Great Start
It is in Nebraska’s best interest to ensure that our children enter kindergarten with the experience they need to become successful students. A child’s first five years are critically important for healthy brain and social/emotional development, and First Five Nebraska is committed to supporting legislation that helps children get the start they need to grow into confident, capable, productive citizens.
‘Word Gap’ Leads to Slower Learning
Researchers tell us that by the time children from low-income homes enter kindergarten, they have heard 30 million fewer words than their more affluent peers. The result of this word deficit is a smaller vocabulary, which leads to slower learning. Children learn words spoken directly to them, and the more words they hear at a very young age, the better prepared they’ll be when they start school.
Play It Forward
Families that play together build strong relationships. Whether it's reading together, playing board games during cold, blustery days or playing outside in the summer, interacting with young children helps build the strong neural foundation and social-emotional skills they'll need to succeed in school and later in life.