Each week, nearly 11 million children under age 5 are in some type of child care setting for an average of 35 hours. It’s a statistic that gets mentioned often in conversations about the importance of child care in every community across the United States, and with good reason. Working families understand the need to not only have their children in a child care setting that will keep them safe and out of harm’s way, but also to ensure that in the years where the most critical development occurs that they are in a setting that promotes early learning.

With so many families looking for safe, but affordable child care, one thing is certain; Families need effective and efficient policies that work for working families.

It’s Memorial Day Weekend and a time to celebrate and remember those who died in service to our country – over a million men and women who have died since the Civil War protecting our people and democratic values – not “democratic” as in political party, but the big “D” – Democracy – a government in which power is vested in the people – a representative democracy with free elections to affect nationwide policies.

Media, school and adult conversations. What do these items have in common? All of these sources are opportunities for your child to hear and/or learn about disasters. The stories your child hears may prompt worry and questions. Are you prepared to handle these concerns and questions? Here are some tips on how you can help your children cope with such emotions.

Los medios de comunicación, la escuela, y conversaciones de adultos. ¿Qué tienen en común estas cosas? Todos estos recursos son oportunidades para que su niño escuche y/o aprenda acerca de la reciente trajedia del terremoto en Haití. Las historias que escuche su niño le pueden causar preocupación y preguntas. ¿Está preparado enfrentar estas preocupaciones y preguntas? Aquí hay algunos consejos en cómo usted puede ayudarle a que su niño se enfrente a estas emociones:

This past week, the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, held a press conference at an early learning center in Washington, D.C.  to announce new rules to promote the health and safety of children in child care.  She said that in the absence of legislation to reauthorize the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG), the Administration is proposing to revise current regulations to better promote the safety and healthy development of children.

Fact: Reading even five books is enough to prevent a decline in reading achievement scores over the summer.

That’s right – five books!

It’s easy to slip into summer without thinking about school. After all, it’s vacation time. But there are a few easy ways to work in a book. Or five.