ChildMark Blog

Early childhood education lowers crime

2011-07-21T21:05:00-07:00

Really? Well, two programs show strong evidence that it does. One study showed that children that did not participate in an early childhood program in Chicago were, by age 18, more than 70 percent more likely to have been arrested for a violent crime. Researchers estimate that the program will have prevented 33,000 crimes by the time children reach age 18. By age 24, they were 24 percent more likely to have been jailed than participants. Participants, however, were 47 percent more likely to have attended a four-year college. Another study showed that children that did not participate in a 3-4 year old program were five times more likely to be chronic lawbreakers by age 27. Participants were almost twice as likely to have completed an associate degree by age 40. Doing quality formative activities with your children will have a lifelong affect on them. The thing to keep in mind is that all the things you do and don’t do with your child may have a lifelong affect on them. So choose the things you do wisely. You can read more in this article http://www.news-leader.com/article/20110717/OPINIONS02/107170318/ ChildMark.com

Economic Impact of Early Childhood Investment

2010-03-15T18:45:43-07:00

The video highlights the importance of investing in early childhood. The impact of spending time and money on children in their development years will do more than at any other time. Is it more important to save money for your child’s college years or to help their development years (0-5yrs)? You be the judge.

Help Tell Millions of Parents Instantly If Their Child is ‘On Track’ - Pepsi Refresh Project

2010-02-01T06:45:07-07:00

Help ChildMark tell millions of parents instantly if their child is ‘On Track’. The Pepsi Research Project is awarding millions of dollars to fund great companies that are helping make the world better. And you are in control. That’s right. The public will vote to determine who gets the funding. ChildMark was awarded a spot and needs your help. This funding will take ChildMark to millions of children and parents. You can vote once a day each day until Feb 28th. Please click below and vote now because every child deserves a chance to reach their potential Click here to Vote Now! http://www.refresheverything.com/childdevelopment

Barack Obama’s Case for Early Childhood Education

2008-12-29T01:45:07-07:00

During the presidential election, Barack Obama outlined the case for early childhood education, mentioning that programs need to be “significantly expanded” and hinted at what programs might look like under his administration. Obama spoke directly of the impact he wishes to have on the children saying, “Children aren’t stupid, if they show up at school and start feeling that they are behind, over time that leads them to push away from education.”

Daily Toothbrushing with Your Kids

2008-12-12T05:50:02-07:00

A recent study by Johnson & Johnson listed the following as the top excuses that children have given their parents to avoid brushing their teeth: As parents we know the value of routines for our children. Children thrive on established routines because they enjoy the predictability of knowing what is coming next or what to expect. It is important to establish a good daily toothbrushing routine as early as possible with your child as this provides a valuable tool for reinforcing good oral hygiene. Just as we teach our children the importance of washing hands, brushing their teeth is just as important. There are some great tools available that we can give our children to make brushing a little easier. There are toothbrushes available that light up or flash for 60 seconds letting your child know when he is finished brushing. Other brushes play music or buzz for one minute. Oral rinses color the child’s teeth and have to be brushed off letting your child know that she is finished when her teeth are white. There are also toothpastes where the cap flashes as well. Monitor your child closely. Teach him the correct way to brush his teeth and then watch him do it. Buy a book that shows a child brushing his or her teeth or even a video (or just watch this video we found below). Periodically watch him again to make certain that he is doing it correctly. It is imperative to let your child know that twice daily toothbrushing is non-negotiable. Take your child to the dentist two times per year. The dentist will reinforce good brushing habits as well. As always, one of the best ways to instill good habits in your children is to be a role model yourself. This is the key to getting “buy in” from your child. Consider making daily brushing a family affair, make it fun and keep it happening. OTHER STATS: - 49% of parents cited “not brushing teeth” as their child’s worst habit - 1 out of 3 parents said that their kids lie about brushing their teeth - 1 in 4 parents admit to negotiating or bribing their child to brush their teeth

Five Tips to Baby Proofing Your Home: 0-12 Months

2008-12-09T04:03:41-07:00

The Consumer Product Safety Commission or CPSC (http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/pubs/pub_idx.html) reports that ‘2.5 million children are injured or killed by hazards in the home each year.’ Most of these injuries can be prevented by taking the proper precautions and baby proofing your home. Although it can be a little confusing on where to start, here are five tips to follow when baby proofing your home: 1. Start Low Get down on all fours and crawl around like a baby. Sound strange? This is actually one of the best ways to see what needs to be baby proofed in your home. Look for ways that your baby can get into trouble and start your baby proofing project from there. 2. Cut the cords Blind cords are something that every child wants to play with. Cutting these cords or using safety tassels can help prevent strangulation. 3. Covers and bumpers One of the mainstays of baby proofing your home will be items such as outlet covers, door knob covers and bumpers for those sharp or dangerous edges. Be generous with what you cover. 4. Latches and locks Another key component of a successful baby proofing system is locking cabinets with poisonous chemicals or doors that can be used as an escape route. Cabinet latches mean that baby cannot get to cleaning products or anything else in the cabinet. Locks on doors mean that the little one will stay inside. 5. Gates Safety gates can be used for a variety of needs. They can keep baby in the room or keep baby out of a room. Gates are a necessity for stairs and any place else that poses a hazard for your child. Properly baby proofing your home can insure that your child does not become a statistic. Start today and don’t worry about going overboard because you can never be too safe when it comes to your child.

Can Your Baby’s Brain Be 90% Wired At The Age of 3?

2008-09-05T16:03:06-07:00

Ok, I was recently at a seminar on child brain development. Yes I know, but It’s just the kind of thing I like to do on weekends. Is that weird? Anyways, there was a great presentation showing us a bunch of recent research showing that a child’s brain is 75% wired by age one. Yeah, I know, I was a little surprised myself. By age 3 it is 90%. One of the key messages of the whole presentation was that the earlier the brain achieves development the better. So what does that mean to you? Here’s just one example. One critical aspect of development and a key to learning later in school (and life for that matter) is Attention. The brain’s ability to use its energy to pay attention can be developed as early as one year old. This ability is influenced by the brain’s capacity to be both relaxed and alert at the same time. So, how as parents can we encourage the development of attention? If there were just one thing you did in a child’s first year it would be to give them ample ‘face time’. Something as simple as letting your child gaze into your eyes while you communicate (talk, smile, laugh, etc) is extremely beneficial and also critical to the development of their attention ability. Now, I know every parent talks and plays with there kids (to some degree anyways). But if you only knew to what extent it was benefiting your child, you would be doing it every chance you had. Seriously, it’s that big of a deal. It will wire-in the skills your baby needs to listen when he is older and it really matters. So go now, quit reading this, get off the computer and go talk to your baby. You won’t regret it. Best, Jeff

5 Ways to Stimulate Your Baby’s Eyesight

2008-09-01T16:50:57-07:00

Unlike hearing which is fully developed at birth, your baby’s eyesight won’t be fully developed until around six months. Initially, your baby can only see about eight to fifteen inches away. This is just far enough for him to see the face of the person holding him. He prefers bright contrasting patterns (like black and white checkerboard) and sees light and darkness. Babies can see color from birth but have difficulty distinguishing similar tones like blue and purple for example. Playing games with your baby to help his eyesight develop in turn helps him take in the world around him. Learning about his world, is how his brain grows and develops. 0 to 1 Month Babies do not have the innate ability to focus their eyes together. It is common for newborns to cross their eyes or even for eyes to roll backwards. While it seems unsightly, and a little scary if you’re not expecting it, it’s perfectly normal. Focusing is a learned skill. One way to help your baby learn to focus, is by passing a rattle or other brightly colored object in front of his face. Chances are good that he’ll find the rattle fascinating, and follow it from side to side. 1 to 2 Months This is the perfect age to break out those board books. Books that have bright primary colors for your baby to look at are just perfect for him to begin to understand different colors. Your baby will likely show a preference for brighter reds, oranges, blues and greens at this time. He will also be working on perfecting those object tracking skills. Another game you can play to help him is locking eyes with his, and then moving backwards. He’ll want to stare right into your eyes. 2 to 3 Months Floor time is an important part of infant development. Add to your baby’s time on the floor by putting brightly colored objects in front of him for him to reach out and grab. Continue to introduce textures and colors. You may also find that your baby enjoys “tummy time” when there are toys around. 3 to 4 Months At some point around now, your baby will begin to develop depth perception. This helps him to understand that not everything is equidistant from him. Until he develops depth perception, he may randomly grab things but once he understands distance, he will grab things like earrings or jewelry much more easily! To help encourage his understanding of depth perception, hold objects in front of him for him to grab. While he won’t be crawling yet, he may also show an interest in “going after” something on the floor. Note also that if your baby is still crossing his eyes, you should mention it to your pediatrician. Your pediatrician may want to do a follow up with a pediatric opthamologist. 4 to 6 Months At some point around six months, your baby should have about 20/20 vision. He will begin recognizing differences in patterns as well as differences in colors. To stimulate your baby’s brain--play “peek a boo” with a favorite object. For example, take your baby’s rattle and hide it behind a blanket and then pull the blanket off saying, “Peek a Boo.” This is sure to delight but it also helps your baby begin to understand object permanence. Likewise, you can show only part of the baby’s rattle (or favorite toy) a little at a time. As he realizes what it is, he will show preference for it. A Note About Vision Screening Your baby’s eyesight should be checked in the hospital. However, if you notice that his eyes are crossing well after his third month or that as he gets older he seems to show no preference for a toy or object after seeing it, mentioning it to your pediatrician is a good idea. Stimulating your baby’s eyesight not only helps his vision develop but it helps him learn about the world around him. Try it, it will do him good! Best, Childmark