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Scrawled by a child’s hand on orange construction
paper, the words read: “Dear Katrina survivors, I hope you find a home. I
know I would be veary sad if I loost my house and toys. We are thinking
about you.”...more
Bredesen ready
to use lottery money for his preschool plan
Date: Jan 14, 2005
Source: Knoxville News Sentinel
By: Matt Gouras, Associated Press
Gov. Phil Bredesen said he plans to
funnel some lottery money into his preschool education initiative when he
unveils his budget to lawmakers in the coming weeks.
Bredesen has made a statewide prekindergarten program one of his top
priorities for the year, and there had been speculation that lottery money
would eventually pay for a program with a final price tag of hundreds of
millions of dollars...more
The
National Pre-kindergarten Study: National study finds many pre-K
teachers underpaid; others lacking required credentials.
Current topic: Prepared
for Kindergarten: What Does "Readiness" Mean?
Day Care Centers Breeding Ground for Allergens
(2005)
(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- New research shows day care
centers in the South are a significant source of indoor allergens.
Researchers from the National Institute of
Environmental Health Sciences studied 89 day care centers in two counties in
North Carolina and found significant allergen levels in all of them.
That’s a cause for concern given the number of hours children spend in
child care. According to the United States Census Bureau, 63 percent of
children under 5 years old spend nearly 40 hours a week in day care.
Researchers uncovered detectable levels of seven
common allergens from fungus, cats, cockroaches, dogs, dust mites, and mice
in each facility tested. Concentrations were the highest for allergens from
cats, dogs, and the fungus known as Alternaria.
David A. Schwartz, M.D., director of the NIEHS,
says, “Because children spend a significant portion of time in day care
settings, it is important that parents understand the risks of allergen
exposure and know where these allergens can be found.” Previous studies
have shown being exposed to these indoor allergens increases the risk of
asthma and other allergic diseases in kids.
One interesting finding, say researchers, is that
dog and cat allergens were found in every one of the facilities, but no dog
or cat was living in most of them. They say it’s likely that pet allergens
are brought in on kids’ clothes.
Researchers also point out that carpet harbors more
allergens. They found significant differences between areas that were
carpeted as compared to those that were not. Concentrations for five of the
allergens were lower on non-carpeted surfaces.
The levels of allergens in the day care centers
were similar to levels of allergens found in Southern homes. Samuel Arbes,
Ph.D., from the NIEHS and lead author of the study, says, “The
similarities in allergen levels between the day care centers and Southern
home living rooms means children and the day care workers may be getting
prolonged exposure to allergens. More research needs to be conducted to
determine the effects of allergen exposures outside of the home.”
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who
offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
Talk
with children. Find out what scares them; try to reassure them.
Most of all, keep your ears and eyes
open. That's what America's teachers have been asked to do since the
terrorist attacks of Sept. 11. They're supposed to make our kids feel
secure, even as they look for "warning signs" of students or
others who might breach our security. Priest, therapist, news anchor, cop:
Teachers must now play all of these roles, all of the time.
Missouri
requires chickenpox vaccines before daycare, preschool Date: 07 16
01 11:14 JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Starting soon, Missouri children will have
to be vaccinated against chickenpox before they can attend many licensed
daycare, preschool or Head Start ...
A
popular perk for parents: backup child care For many working
parents, when a day care center suddenly closes or the nanny phones at 6
a.m. to say she can't make it in, the delicate balance between work and
family can topple like a stack of blocks.
EPA
to Parents: Puff Outdoors
The nation's top
environmental regulator has issued a challenge to parents who smoke: If you
must light up, do it outside and give your kids' lungs a break. Smokers
should take their habit outside, away from
their kids, says new government campaign.
SIDS
and child care "Many
child care providers still may be unaware of the importance of supine (back)
sleeping and may place infants prone (face-down), when they usually sleep in
the supine or side position at home, for reasons of infant comfort,"
the researchers wrote.
Television
and Child Development. By Judith Van Evra. Television has often been
criticized for portraying the world unrealistically, in either overly
positive ways or in excessively negative and stereotyped ways. Whether or
not television reflects our social system accurately, however, it is an
important contributor to that system, and it is a major socializing force in
children's lives. Article Online Source: Children Youth and Family
Consortium Electronic Clearinghouse.
More
parents are leaving their children in day care than ever before.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 65 percent of women with
children under the age of 6 were part of the labor force in 1998, compared
with only 44 percent in 1975. And more women working means more kids in day
care. At least 5.8 million children under age five are in out-of-home
child-care facilities, according to the Urban Institute's 1990 National
Child Care Survey.
It's no surprise, then, that as the number of
kids in day care rises, so does the number of illnesses among those
children. However, even though many studies have shown a link between day
care and a tendency toward illness in early life, doctors say the bigger
picture is not yet clear.
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HAPEL HILL, N.C. -- A national directory of institutions offering programs
for early childhood teachers has been published by the National
Center For Early Development & Learning (NCEDL) at the University of
North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Council for Professional Recognition (CDA),
a Washington, D.C., nonprofit corporation.
This
State Fact Sheet provide descriptive information on the condition of
vulnerable children in all fifty states and the District of Columbia using
indicators of child protection, health, child care, education, violence, and
income support. The fact sheets also highlight the benefits and
cost-effectiveness of investing in children to improve their health, safety
and well-being.
NEWS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
PUBLIC PLAYGROUNDS PLACE CHILDREN AT RISK
Washington, DC -- Hard surfacing, equipment
that is too high, openings in equipment that can entrap children, and swings
that are too close together pose serious threats to children at a majority
of public playgrounds surveyed across the country, according to a survey
report, Playing It Safe, released today by U.S. Public Interest Research
Group (U.S. PIRG) and Consumer Federation of America (CFA).
Guidelines
given to parents and providers for keeping kids in day care
healthy - February 15, 2000
Report:
Hidden dangers to children on many U.S. playgrounds WASHINGTON (CNN)
-- The majority of public playgrounds in the United States pose hidden
dangers that result in injuries to tens of thousands of children each year,
two consumer watchdog groups said Thursday.
CHAPEL
HILL, NC -- The prevention of respiratory infections in child care centers
remains a public health challenge, according to an article in the fall,
1998, issue of "Early Developments" published by the Frank Porter
Graham Center at UNC-CH.
WESTPORT, Conn. (Reuters) - Personal care company Playtex
Products Inc. (NYSE:PYX - news) on Thursday said it is voluntarily recalling
about 1.8 million Classic Patterns Cherubs and Soft Comfort latex pacifiers.
The reason behind the recall, the company said in a statement, is since
the latex is aging faster than normal, the nipple can detach from the shield
and cause choking in babies.
© Copyright 2001, All rights reserved Posted by Cyndi
Beauchemin on Wednesday October 17, 2001
Dispelling the myths about Home Daycare
By: Cyndi Beauchemin
Each day millions of women search for a home based business that not only
meets their needs, but that of their family. Many of these women overlook
Home Daycare as an option because of the myths regarding this challenging,
yet rewarding home based business.
Myth #1
Home Daycare is Babysitting
For those who deem offering childcare as merely babysitting, think again.
Childcare is a business, that requires the owner/operator to: set rules and
polices; organize their day; create a business plan; use written contracts,
authorizations and agreements; offer activities, a nurturing environment,
meals and meet the basic needs of the children in their care.
Myth #2
Operating a Home Daycare takes time away from the Providers children
Parents across the United States seek out Part-Time Care, Mother’s Day out
availability, Drop-in Care, etc. The provider needs to choose a schedule and
the services he/she wishes to offer and maintain those hours.
Running a home daycare offers the owner, not only the ability to focus on
his/her own children full-time, but also offers an invaluable service to
other working parents.
Myth #3
There are no skills required for operating a Home Daycare
At a minimum, a Home Daycare Owner/Operator must posses: a love for
children, patience, and the ability to run a business.
In addition to these skills, each states has requirements that must be met
before licensing and/or registration is granted.
At a minimum, these invaluable skills include First Aid CPR, Safe Food
Handling Practices, and Child Abuse Prevention, which not only enhance the
providers ability to provide quality childcare, but also gives guidance and
knowledge in rearing their own children.
Myth #4
Home Daycare takes too much time
Many believe that operating a Home Daycare requires the business to be in
operation 24/7. A successful Home Daycare Provider will set specific hours
of operation, to allow time for her family.
Home Daycare can be a huge time commitment, but by using the proper tools,
for organization, time management and setting specific hours of operation,
the time involved is not much different than with any other home based
business.
Myth #5
Home Daycare income wouldn't replace existing salary
Many women feel “stuck” in their current position, when they would
prefer to be at home with their children, for financial reasons.
Use the following scale as a guide when calculating, how much you are really
contributing to your family’s income, by working outside of the home.
From your Gross monthly Income, Deduct - Daycare Expenses, Dry Cleaning,
Gas, Meals, Business Clothing, Other work related expenses and Taxes, the
amount left over equals your actual Net monthly income.
In most instances the Net Income can easily be replaced with the income
generated from a Home Daycare Business.
Only you can determine if the Net Income shown is keeping you from where you
want to be…at home.
Cyndi Beauchemin is the mother of two and a former Daycare Provider,
residing in the State of Oregon.
In her efforts, to promote quality childcare, Cyndi created the Daycare
Starter Kit and Recordkeeping System, to assist providers in setting up and
running an in home daycare program.
For more information about starting a home daycare, visit http://www.daycarehotline.com
Posted October 14, 2001
More parents are leaving their children in
day care than ever before.
According to the Bureau of Labor
Statistics, about 65 percent of women with children under the age of 6 were
part of the labor force in 1998, compared with only 44 percent in 1975. And
more women working means more kids in day care. At least 5.8 million
children under age five are in out-of-home child-care facilities, according
to the Urban Institute's 1990 National Child Care Survey.
It's no surprise, then, that as the number
of kids in day care rises, so does the number of illnesses among those
children. However, even though many studies have shown a link between day
care and a tendency toward illness in early life, doctors say the bigger
picture is not yet clear.
"There is little question that day
care before the age of two predisposes children to illnesses of the upper
and lower respiratory tract," says Dr. Juan Celedon, an instructor in
the Department of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and a research fellow
at Brigham and Women's Hospital. "But we don't yet know the long-term
impact of illnesses in early childhood, and that's a very important
question. It's possible that some of the infections may be (harmful) and
some may be protective, but that is largely unknown."
Until the research can demonstrate which of
these illnesses are detrimental, there are basic health guidelines that all
day-care facilities should be following to protect young children -- whose
immune systems are still developing -- from dangerous illnesses.
Any child-care facility should ask to see
the child's immunization records, says Ralph Cordell, Ph.D., an
epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Likewise, you should make sure that all people at the day care have been
properly immunized. If your child is at a child-care home (located at the
provider's residence and usually with 12 or fewer kids), check up not only
on the provider but also on anyone else living in the house, asking to view
the records yourself.
The child-care center should also provide
parents with its policy, in writing, on keeping sick kids out of day care,
says Cordell. Children with diarrhea or respiratory infections should not be
around other kids. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends keeping
children who have fevers out of day care. (The National Health and Safety
Performance Standards have a looser recommendation: Children with fever
should only be kept out if they also show some other sign of illness.) Find
a provider whose policy you can agree with and who takes the kids' health
seriously enough to write it down, says Cordell.
It may also be worthwhile to talk to your
child's caretaker about their enforcement of these policies. A March 1999
Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine study reported that children
in child-care homes were more likely to be sick than those in child-care
centers. Researchers attributed this in large part to the fact that while
both types of day care had similar exclusion policies, providers in
child-care homes were more lenient in accepting mildly ill children at the
beginning of the day.
Good old-fashioned cleanliness can go a
long way in keeping a child healthy. First, make sure the day care has
proper hand-washing arrangements. "The more sinks the better,"
says Cordell. "Ideally, there would be one sink within arm's reach of
the diaper table and a second one that's used for kid hand washing in the
room." The sink used to wash dirty dishes should also be completely
separate. Also, the day care should require parents to wash their children's
hands right after dropping them off, which will significantly decrease the
number of germs spread.
In addition to keeping your child as
healthy as possible, you want to ensure your child's basic safety at day
care. Make sure that background checks have been done on all providers and
on anyone in a day-care home. You should also ensure that the day care has a
secure system in case someone else needs to pick up your child, says
Cordell. For example, look for a system that authorizes only certain family
members or close friends to retrieve your child when you are not able to. If
you have an infant, make sure that the providers put the babies to sleep on
their backs, which can decrease their risk of sudden infant death syndrome
(SIDS).
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