En un mundo complejo, los niños de hoy dia estan expuestos a una variedad de eventos chicos y grandes que implican violencia, desastres, terrorismo, muerte y pérdida. Los niños son a menudo testigos, así como víctimas de, tales acontecimientos. Observando reportes de noticias electronicamente al igual que en imprenta y las reacciones de miembros de familia, amigos, educadores y conocidos, niños usualmente estan confundidos y asustados sobre el impacto que tales ocurrencias tendrán en sus vidas.

Con la temporada ocupada de gripe, es importante recordarse porque la higiene de las manos es tan importante. Al mantener las manos limpias uno puede reducir el contagio de los microbios. Usted puede practicar esto en la casa, pero también puedo hablar con su proveedor de cuidado de niños para asegurarse que ellos tengan políticas sobre el lavado de las manos. Lo mas seguido, que su hijo escuche el mensaje, y lo mas probable que el o ella practiquen  buenos hábitos de la higiene de las manos.

Last week a front page story in the Washington Post shared the tragic death of 3-month-old Camden Lafkin in a Virginia child care program.  The child care provider and Camden’s cause of death are under investigation.  What is known is that the program was unlicensed. (Virginia does not require an individual to obtain a child care license unless the provider cares for six or more children in the home – seven or more if the individual is caring for her own children since they are exempt from the official count of children in the home).

A front page Washington Post story on Sunday, March 10, “After a baby’s death, a Virginia mother fights for stronger child care standards,” shared the tragic story of 3-month-old Camden Lafkin’s death in a Virginia child care program.  The child care provider and Camden’s cause of death are under investigation. What is known is that the program was unlicensed. 

(Virginia does not require an individual to obtain a child care license unless the provider cares for six or more children in the home – seven or more if the individual is caring for her own children since they are exempt from the official count of children in the home).

This week in Washington, President Obama shared his vision for strengthening early learning throughout America.  In the President’s State of the Union address and also in a visit to a preschool program in Decatur, Georgia, the President talked about the importance of early learning settings and the reality that there is a direct relationship between early learning settings and school readiness, school performance, and increasing high school graduation rates.  Ultimately, this leads to stronger families, better paying jobs, and stronger communities.

Last week, for the fifth year, Rep. Jill Schupp (D-Creve Coeur) in Missouri introduced a bill to save children’s lives. The bill is called “Nathan’s Law,” after a 3-month-old infant in Missouri who died in a child care program.