What is it about animals that draw us to them, and sometimes in excessive measures?  Most curious of all is that our affinity toward animals begins in early childhood as infants and young children.  We tuck our little ones in to bed at night with all sorts of stuffed animals, such as teddy bears.  Even the vast majority of children’s books use animals as their characters.  A  New York Times article by Jon Mooallem, entitled “The Wild Kingdom of Childhood,” stated that “Almost from birth, children seem drawn to other creatures all on their own.  In studies, babies as young as six months try to get closer to, and provoke more physical contact with, actual dogs and cats than they do with battery-operated imitations.”

Children growing up around animals tend to be more compassionate and empathetic.  When children care for an animal, it teaches them to be nurturing and allows them to be nurtured as well.  Ascione (2005) stated that “empathy is believed to be a critical component of pro-social behavior, a term that connotes kindness, helping, cooperation, nurturance, and unselfishness in our relations with others.”  He further asserts that these qualities of empathy are more likely to develop if children experience being cared about and cared for by others.  Some of the greatest caring a child can receive is the unconditional love of a pet.  When a child experiences the love of a pet, it teaches them self-acceptance and self-love.

For children who have pets, the effect is even greater because of the interactions that occur on a regular basis.  Children with pets have higher self-esteem, are more physically fit, less lonely, more caring, more extroverted, less fearful, and less preoccupied.  Maybe it’s the non-verbal communication that exists between a young child and an animal that helps them to understand cues such as feelings and body language.

Interactions with animals help boost creativity as well.  Children will anthropomorphize animals putting them in the roles of people, just like they see in their story books.  They will engage in creative free play with stuffed animals and pets.  With animals, they let their imagination run wild for there is no judgment put upon them and that allows a child greater creative freedom.  Creativity is a highly valued skill set in the work force these days.  According to a recent survey of 1,500 chief executives conducted by IBM’s Institute for Business Value (IBV), CEOs identify “creativity” as the most important leadership competency for the successful enterprise of the future.  So, let your child’s imagination run wild – literally.

The irony is that during early childhood, youngsters tend to be very animal-like themselves.  Children under the age of six tend to be very self-centered, ego-centric, and not overly attuned to the feelings and emotions of others. A child’s relationship with animals whether they are a pet or not helps children to be ready for school and life as their interactions help build skills such as creativity, self-esteem, fitness and communication.  Somewhere along the way animals impact our children’s development and on some level, we as parents perceive that, otherwise we wouldn’t be decorating nurseries with animal themes, buying stuffed animals and taking our children to zoos and game farms.

Dana Friedman, Ed.D., President of EYI

It has always been true that richer children surpass their poorer peers in grades and test scores, participation in extracurricular activities and leadership positions, as well as high school and college graduation rates.  This is true regardless of race or ethnicity.  What is news, however, is that this achievement gap is growing substantially and the solution may not rest with schools, but with families.

A New York Times article by Sean F. Reardon, called “No Rich Child Left Behind,” revealed a number of disturbing patterns in the achievements of poor and rich children:

• The gap in math and reading scores between poor and rich students over the past 50 years has grown by 40 percent.
• The gap between the top 10 percent and bottom 90 percent of students on SAT scores has grown from 90 points to 125 points since 1980. (This is almost double the gap between black and white students.)
• College completion rates grew 18 percent over the past 20 years for affluent children, while only increasing 4 percent for poor students.

Before 1980, the affluent did not have a big advantage over the middle class and the real disparity in education was between the middle class and poor children.  “But the rich now outperform the middle class by as much as the middle class outperform the poor.”  More importantly, the number of poor children has increased dramatically, with almost a quarter of all children growing up in poverty today and another 45 percent being raised in low-income families.  As the incomes of the rich have grown, so have their educational gains.

The conclusion, however, is the gap in achievement is not because poor children are doing worse or that their schools have failed them.  Neither is it because the gap between blacks and whites or Hispanics and non-Hispanics is growing; in fact, the gap has been narrowing slowly over the past 20 years.  The gap is growing because wealthy parents are investing more time and money in the preschool years and their children are more ready to take advantage of elementary school.  For instance, the amount of time spent with children among college-educated parents is increasing twice as fast as the amount of time spent by less educated parents.  Another study found that children from high-income families increased their time in enrichment activities by 150 percent between 1972 and 2006, while time in these activities by children in low-income families grew by 57 percent.  The Times article concludes with a sad reality:  “We blame failing schools and the behavior of the poor for trends that are really the results of deepening income inequality and the behavior of the rich.”

The most helpful insight to draw from these patterns is that increased parent involvement and greater access to early childhood enrichment can lead to greater school success.  Preschool and parenting should be the cornerstone of any educational reform initiatives.

After weeks of planning, Screen-Free Week is finally here!  Organizations across the country are gathering pledges from parents to reduce the amount of time that children spend watching TV or playing with computers, cell phones and video games.  As a working mother, I understand the panic that typically sets in when a parent thinks about foregoing a DVD or iPad.  But, keep in mind that the goal is to try to reduce screens for one week – to become more aware of how much time your family spends on screens and to be Screen Smart, i.e. find a greater balance between technology and other activities that are more beneficial to a child’s healthy growth and development.  And remember, we are talking about entertainment-based media; it’s okay to use the computer or phone for work, homework and keeping in touch with family members.

Here on Long Island, our elected officials have seized the day and are promoting Screen-Free Week to their constituents.  On Thursday, April 25, CA Technologies hosted the launch of Screen-Free Week where three legislators — State Senator John Flanagan, Assemblyman Charles Lavine and Legislator DuWayne Gregory — presented the recently-passed Legislative Resolution to The Early Years Institute proclaiming Screen-Free Week as an annual event in New York State.  All three commented on what life was like when they were growing up and spending most of their days outside playing with friends – with no cell phone, technology or hovering parents.  Senator Flanagan commented, “It is so important that we constantly encourage our children to look past their computers and video games to experience all that life has to offer.”  Assemblymen Lavine added, “The Resolution helps us emphasize the benefits gained by families and children by disconnecting from screens and engaging in one-on-one conversations with family and friends as well as helping them to become good citizens.” Legislator Gregory stated, “Screen-Free Week is a great opportunity to bring families together by putting away the electronic devices and spending time connecting on a social level with one another.” 

In honor of Screen-Free Week, local organizations will host many exciting events and activities for families across Long Island.  Councilwoman Vivianna Russell is working with Supervisor John Kaiman from the Town of North Hempstead to promote a series of activities at the “Yes We Can” Community Center in Westbury including a family ping pong tournament, intergenerational game show night and a family craft night.  Legislator DuWayne Gregory will host a Story Time Reading at the Wyandanch Youth Center.  The Nassau County Museum of Art will provide free admission to families that bring their Screen-Free Week pledge with them.  The Child Care Councils of Suffolk and Nassau as well as the Long Island Head Start Association are promoting Screen-Free Week to early childhood programs.  The Port Washington Child Care Partnership has organized activities throughout the community in cooperation with the PTA, library and local book store.  Libraries in Westbury, Hauppauge, Middle Country, and Port Washington are all hosting brain-stimulating events throughout the week to celebrate Screen-Free Week.  And, many of the environmental centers that are part of our Long Island Nature Collaborative for Kids (LINCK) will be hosting special activities out in nature during the week.

For a complete listing of all the ways that communities and organizations are creating alternatives to screens that are more conducive to building family relationships and stimulating little brains, please visit:  www.eyi.org/screenfree.  And while you’re there, why not sign-up to Take the Pledge!

Trish Manzi, Director, EYI’s LINCK

Have you ever decided that you “need to get some air”?  You know, that point when you need to step away from someone or something and take respite in the great outdoors to find your center again.  As we sit in the park or under a tree, the fog in our head clears away.  We leave that spot feeling calmer, less stressed and better able to focus.

That breath of fresh air among the trees is proving to be very healthy indeed.  Research is catching up with what we already know:  a little time amongst greenery such as plants and trees has a calming effect that decreases stress and improves health.  According to an article in The New York Times by author Gretchen Reynolds states, “That people living in urban communities tend to be over stimulated by the noise and hectic life of the city.”   The results are increased cortisol levels, poor memory, anxiety and aggressive behavior.   This behavior has led to a new term, brain fatigue, which is not limited to adults as it affects our children as well, if not even more.

According to Frances Kuo, professor of natural resources and environmental science and psychology at the University of Illinois, people living in areas devoid of greenery show higher crime rates, more illegal activity, loneliness, less supervision of children and poor parenting. Children are more disruptive and the elderly suffer from greater health problems when the community lacks safe outdoor spaces.

Nature is not biased; it has a positive impact on all ages.  So why not make nature a family thing?  We can use nature to combat this urban malaise known as brain fatigue.  Access to nature and green environments yields better cognitive functioning, more self-discipline and impulse control, and greater mental health overall.  Our children will do better socially, academically and psychologically.  A good dose of “greens” can help a family grow closer as they engage in outdoor activities together.

As we get ready to kick off Screen-Free Week on April 29, this is the perfect time to fill up on a healthy dose of greenery.  It’s a time to commit to reducing your screen time while increasing your green time.  Sign-up to Take the Pledge today at www.eyi.org/screenfree.  Try our searchable, family-friendly database, Pickapark.org where you can find approximately 700 parks on Long Island that are open to the public.  The database is searchable by zip code, and amenities such as playgrounds, bathrooms, wide pathways, and water fountains.  It’s the perfect way to find your family’s ideal location to “get some air,” hit the reset button and be calm and relaxed.  The best part of all is that you’re doing it as a family.

When my children were younger and wanted to use their bodies to express anger or hurt, I remember always saying, “You’re your words.”  I now realize this is the advice we should be giving parents as well as children.  We’ve known for some time that children from wealthier families enter Kindergarten with more words than their less affluent peers.  Recent research, based on the seminal study by Betty Hart and Todd Risley published in 1995, makes a direct link to the number of words spoken by parents and the vocabulary of children in later years.

The original research studied 42 families with babies on a monthly basis where researchers recorded an hour of parent-child interaction.  It took six years to transcribe and analyze all the tapes.  The study revealed staggering differences among children from different socioeconomic backgrounds:

• 600 words per hour – heard by children whose families were on welfare
• 1,200 words per hour – heard by children from working-class families
• 2,100 words per hour – heard by children from professional families.

Hart and Risley concluded that poor children heard 30 million fewer words at home than children whose parents were professionals.  Most importantly, the more words children heard by age 3, the higher their IQ and the better they fared in school. 

A new technology called LENA – Language Environment Analysis – allows children to wear clothing with a special pocket for a voice recorder that works for hours.  The analysis by computer takes about six hours, not six years.  Researchers using LENA are providing workshops to nannies and parents about the importance of talking to babies and how to use the recorder.  One study of 17 nannies who attended a workshop and were monitored once a week for six weeks increased the number of words they used by 32 percent.  Another study of parents showed similar results, but also revealed some of the effect was due to getting feedback on how many more words they are now using.  The New York Times wrote about the first large-scale study to use this strategy will begin in Providence, RI with $5 million in funds they received from winning the competitive grand prize in Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Mayors Challenge.  They will do home visiting to 2,000 families each year.

As we approach Screen-Free Week, and parents keep asking “What will we do instead?” tell them to use their words.  And, you might want to mention the research also found that words heard from television did not help increase vocabulary, it actually diminished it.  For more information on Screen-Free Week and to sign-up to Take the Pledge today, visit:   www.eyi.org/screenfree.

One of the most important benefits of Screen-Free Week is becoming consciously aware of how much time we and our families actually spend with screens.  It is important for adults to be mindful of how they spend their time because their actions not only affect their own well-being, but are on display for their children to see and emulate.  If parents are tethered to screens when their children are young, you can bet that when those children become adolescents, they will be preoccupied with screens as well.

Our youngest parents – the millennials, born after 1980, are digital natives themselves and are more likely to be connected to screens.  Research shows that 90 percent of millennials use the Internet and 75 percent have a social profile, compared to 50 percent of Generation X and 30 percent of Baby Boomers.  In addition, 83 percent of millennials sleep with their cell phones, compared to 50 percent of Baby Boomers.  Their preoccupation with media has affected their own relationships with each other.  Ever hear of an e-nup?  These are like pre-nups – prenuptial agreements, except the agreements that couples make are not about dividing assets, but about using technology when they are with each other.  One couple’s agreement profiled in a Newsday article by Peter Goldmark said, “The person wanting to use the phone/computer needs to use intentional communication to obtain the permission of the other people present. If our daughter is present, we need to explicitly make sure that the other parent is willing/able to serve as primary caregiver.”

These connections are so important because they have tremendous effects on our health.  By mapping the human genome, we have learned how our social connections with one another leave a physical imprint, much the way exercise affects our bodies.  In short, the amount of time you spend with others ultimately affects your biological capacity to connect.  In a March 24, 2013 article in the New York Times, Barbara Fredrickson talks about her research looking at social connections and the impact on cardiovascular systems.  “Your brain is tied to your heart by your vagus nerve…By and large, the higher your vagal tone the better. It means your body is better able to regulate the internal systems that keep you healthy, like your cardiovascular, glucose and immune responses.”  The conclusion is that “the more attuned to others you become, the healthier you become, and vice versa.”  This means that if we do not “regularly exercise our ability to connect face to face, we may eventually lack the biological capacity to do so.”  These connections actually alter how our genes are expressed within the cells of the immune system.  “New parents may need to worry less about genetic testing and more about how their own actions – like texting while breast-feeding or otherwise paying more attention to their phone than their child – leave life-limiting fingerprints on their and their children’s gene expression.”  It looks like being screen smart is actually a form of health promotion for both the child and the parent.

Let the countdown begin!   As we quickly approach Screen-Free Week (April 29^th to May 5^th), there are growing concerns about our children and their connections with technology.  It is a relationship we must embrace, but its role is evolving from entertainment to education.  Those of us who are digital immigrants and grew up without being “plugged in” have maintained some balance with the outside world – because that is what we are used to.  Children growing up today lack that balance because they rarely have unscheduled, impromptu play and spend scant hours outside.  What distinguishes this set of children from previous generations is that they are the first to have parents who ALSO grew up as digital natives with limited time engaged in critical problem-solving, inventing and negotiating – or play.  Advances in technology provide greater opportunities to help children learn so they are likely to spend increasing amounts of time with screens.  That is why it is our collective responsibility to assure that children also spend time away from screens in activities that are more beneficial to their health and school success.

To help create such a movement, The Early Years Institute is proud to host our third annual Screen-Free Week Campaign.  We are working with community groups across Long Island to bring awareness to parents about how much time children are spending with screens and remind them about healthier alternatives.  We are thrilled to be joined by schools, BOCES, libraries, pediatricians, Head Start centers, child care programs, and community centers to spread the word.  The towns of Westbury and Port Washington have mounted their own campaigns.  We are particularly proud to be working with the Town of North Hempstead under the leadership of Supervisor Jon Kaiman and Councilwoman Viviana Russell.  They are planning activities during Screen-Free Week at the new Yes We Can Community Center in Westbury.  We are also grateful for our presenting sponsor, CA Technologies who has provided financial support for EYI’s Screen-Free Week public education campaign. 

During the next four weeks, this blog will report on a series of issues related to Screen-Free Week – school readiness, literacy, obesity, the importance of play, and parents as role models.  We will also bring news of activities occurring across the country as shared at the recent conference sponsored by the national host of Screen-Free Week, the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood.  Please visit www.eyi/screenfree for fact sheets, family audits, school policies and lots of ideas for being screen-smart.

Most people have heard – probably countless times – family stories about how their parents met, how their relatives came to America, and what Uncle Charlie blurted out at Thanksgiving.  It turns out that the connection to these stories is extremely critical for children’s development and resilience.

Several studies were summarized in a New York Times article called, “The Stories that Bind Us.”  In trying to understand his own family’s dynamics, author Bruce Feiler asked, “What is the secret sauce that holds a family together?”  He learned that developing a strong family narrative is paramount.  Dr. Marshall Duke, a psychologist at Emory University, was investigating the dissipation of the family while his wife worked with children with learning disabilities.  They both came to the conclusion that, “The ones who know a lot about their families tend to do better when they face challenges.”  The Dukes and a colleague, Dr. Robyn Fivush developed a measure called “Do You Know?” which asked children 20 questions about their families, including: Do you know where your grandparents grew up? Do you know the story of your birth? Was there something terrible that happened in your family?  In 2001, they asked about 50 families to tape their dinner conversations and then compared the results to psychological tests given to the children.  They discovered: “The more children knew about their family’s history, the stronger their sense of control over their lives, the higher their self-esteem and the more successfully they believed their families functioned.”  Their “Do You Know?” scale was the best single predictor of children’s emotional health and happiness.  They then had an unusual opportunity in that the events of 9-11 occurred months after they collected their data.  They went back to the families to reassess the children and again found that “those who knew more about their families proved to be more resilient, meaning they could moderate the effects of stress.”

The researchers concluded that this benefit occurs because children feel a sense of belonging to something larger than themselves, i.e. their families.  They have what Dr. Fivush calls a strong “intergenerational self.”  There is precedent for this in other fields such as business, where Jim Collins, author of “Good to Great,” emphasizes the need to capture the “core identity” of the business enterprise in order to be successful.  Sociologists also refer to “sense-making,” which is a narrative that explains a group’s purpose.  Additionally, the military provides recruits with the history of service to help build close bonds.

At EYI, we strongly believe in creating language rich environments.  Some of this obviously comes from reading books to young children. But an even easier and less expensive way to increase vocabulary, while instilling in children the connectedness and grit they need to weather challenges, is to just tell stories about the family.  Uncle Charlie’s antics may actually be more meaningful than you thought.

“Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made.”

                                                                                                               Otto von Bismarck

There was a moment a few weeks ago when a colleague actually thought the “tipping point” had occurred for early childhood education.  The President of the United States and more than half the governors in the country had all addressed the need for increased investments in pre-K and early childhood education.  It was exciting to hear and to contemplate what might be.  There’s just one little wrinkle.  No one has yet committed any funds to make the rhetoric reality.

The New York State Legislature is working this week to amend the Governor’s budget.  There are hopeful signs for increased funding for home visiting.  Yet, despite the strong recommendations for pre-K from the Governor’s Educational Reform Commission, the Governor’s proposal for $25 million to expand pre-K in high needs districts is in jeopardy.  It has been passed by the Assembly, but not the Senate.  There is a preference among some Senators for the proposed pre-K funds and another $50 million in competitive grants for education to be spent providing tax relief to school districts.

 There is no doubt that districts are struggling, particularly on Long Island, but this is not the time to load on future costs for schools.  By that I mean, for every child who comes to Kindergarten unprepared, the more the district will have to spend to help that child achieve grade level reading later.  A quality preschool experience can lead to school savings that include less expenditure on special education, teacher pay, maintenance and remedial education.  According to Clive Belfield of Columbia University, “The cost saving per additional preschooler is estimated conservatively at $3,700 over the K-12 period… This cost saving is equivalent to 60-80% of annual per-child expenditures in public pre-school programs.” 

 In short, it is not penny-wise and only pound foolish to delay any further the funding of early childhood education – whether it is home visiting, child care subsidies, or pre-K.  And to even contemplate these programs without demanding quality is wasteful.  It’s what makes the process of policymaking so unattractive.  A little like sausages.

All aspects of school readiness ultimately connect with literacy – for both the child and the family.  The use of words is so critical to one’s ability to communicate and understand the world.  It is also critical for later reading comprehension.  So much of EYI’s efforts are about creating language-rich environments in the home, school and community.  We are building libraries at the new community center in Westbury and at the Consulate of El Salvador in Brentwood.  We have created a training program for pediatric residents that recommends strategies for doctors to use at well-baby visits encouraging parents to read, rhyme and sing to their babies.  We promote Screen-Free Week so there is less time spent with screens and more time spent reading, engaging in conversation and playing outside with other children.

There is a role for everyone in the community to help instil a love of words and reading.  Research by Tanya Wright of Michigan State University and Susan Neuman at the University of Michigan, found that not enough words are being used in Kindergarten and words that are used are not very challenging, e.g. “funny” instead of ”hysterical.”  They also found little focus on making sure children grasp the meaning of words.  Wright says low-income children may start school with 10,000 fewer words than other students, but are only exposed to reading programs that teach as few as two vocabulary words per week.  She says more than ten vocabulary words should be taught every week—not just in reading class, but across all subject areas including math, science, and social studies.  The concern raised by the study is that Kindergarteners aren’t learning enough to ensure long-term reading comprehension.

The best way to increase children’s vocabulary is through reading.  A new study from the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research has found a causal effect between the frequency of reading to a child and his or her development.  The longitudinal study followed the reading skills of more than 4,000 children, aged 4 to 5 years in 2004, through to age 10 to 11.  The study found that the more you read to children from an early age, the more positive the effect on their reading and thinking skills.  They proved that children 4 to 5 years old who are read to three to five times a week have the same reading ability as children who are 6 months older and are read to no more than two times a week.  If they are read to six or seven days a week, they may be almost a year ahead of other children who are not being read to.  Reading to small children was also found to have a positive effect on the development of numeracy skills.  These effects were found in children regardless of parental income, education level or cultural background.

The message about the importance of using words and telling stories must be reinforced to all members of the family as well as business, government, and community agencies.  Literacy interventions aren’t very expensive, but the collaboration of agencies and saturation of the community require sophisticated orchestration.