On Thursday, March 30, 2017, around 6 p.m., a fire was reported under a section of I-85 in Atlanta. The fire ultimately caused a section of the interstate to collapse around 7 p.m., stranding motorists for hours and creating a more than five mile backup of traffic. The mayor has described this event as a ‘transportation crisis’, and this section of the I-85 will remain closed for the foreseeable future. On Thursday evening Governor Nathan Deal declared a state of emergency and vowed to allocate resources aimed to reduce traffic disruption. Luckily no one was injured in the collapse, a testament to the great work of the fire and police departments who responded to the incident and quickly evacuated the area.

Being a child of a father serving in the U.S. Air Force looks glamorous (aside from being called an “Air Force Brat”)! I got to travel the world and see things most other children didn’t get to see. For instance, I lived in Italy for 3 years! My triplet sisters, Celeste, Courtney, and I were only 5 years old. and my older brother, Dennis, was 10.

Child Care Aware® of America and Child Care Works have joined with CLASP, NWLC, NAEYC, NAFCC, NBCDI, YWCA, and ZERO TO THREE for national call-in day for child care.

Placing your child in another person’s care can be a difficult and emotional decision. When looking for a child care program, your most important consideration is the safety and well-being of your child. Knowing your child will be cared for in a healthy and secure environment that has appropriate safety measures in place is a top priority. Before making a decision about a child care provider, visit several programs and ask questions, including those related to emergency plans.

Did you miss our child care policy briefing on March 23, 2017 for Congressional staffers on the issue of child care? Visit our Facebook page to see a recording of the live coverage.

Approximately 45 congressional staffers attend the event when CCAoA discussed the state of public investments in child care and early childhood development programs and what Congress can do both maintain and improve them. This briefing also discussed importance of federal child care programs like the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), as well as provided insight into how child care is critical to families, providers, and local businesses.

The most recent data shows that millennials are having children later in life than the generation before them. According to a study by Goldman Sachs, the median age for millennials to get married has increased from 23 to 30!

As I get older, I am bombarded with the following question: “When are you going to have children, Mia?”  It happens in every single family conversation! I usually shrug off the question and say that I’m just not ready. The truth? I am a struggling millennial, and between paying off my student loans, paying off my car, paying for insurance, and paying for the occasional meal out, I just can’t afford children. At least not right now.