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.

This week, the New Republic ran an article, “The Hell of American Day Care: An Investigation into the barely regulated, unsafe business of looking after our children.” The article reviewed the condition of child care in America today and highlighted the Texas child care program where a fire killed four of seven young children being cared for by Jessica Tata in February 2011.

Children today are exposed to a wide range of events involving violence, disasters, terrorism, death and loss. Children are often a witness to, as well as a victim of such events. In observing print and electronic news reports and the reactions of family members, friends, educators, acquaintances and peers, children are often confused and frightened about the impact such occurrences will have on their lives.