Intergenerational Struggles
Nearly half of parents surveyed report disagreeing with a child's grandparents about discipline, betimes, manners, and a number of other choices. Sometimes these arguments escalate to the point where grandparents have limited or no chance to spend time with the children. We have some tips on how to limit these conflicts for the good of the child.
The Unspoken Wedge Between Parents and Grandparents (The Atlantic)
Family Feud: Half Of Parents Squabble With Grandparents Over Parenting Choices (Study Finds)
Resources
Nearly half of parents surveyed report disagreeing with a child's grandparents about discipline, betimes, manners, and a number of other choices. Sometimes these arguments escalate to the point where grandparents have limited or no chance to spend time with the children. We have some tips on how to limit these conflicts for the good of the child.
Cycles of Evictions
There's never a good time to face an eviction. But if a mother is pregnant when she's evicted from her home, there can be a long lasting and devastating impact on the child.
Resources
Study: Evictions During Pregnancy Tied to Adverse Birth Outcomes (Stat News)
Maryland Emergency Rental Assistance Program (MD Dept. of Housing and Community Development)
Guidance for Rental Tenants Affected by COVID-19 (MD Dept. of Housing and Community Development)
Sweet Relief
The latest Federal relief package includes $39 billion for child care. That is really good news! But child care advocates have been calling for investments since the Nixon administration. When will regular substantive investments finally be made?
Resources
Handle with Care
In 2018 Governor Hogan announced the Handle with Care program. This state-wide initiative has the goal of mitigating the effects of trauma on children and increasing knowledge of the issue. This is a wonderful support for K-12 students and would be made even more effective with the inclusion of child care providers in the plan to support children from birth to age five.
Resources
Heavy Metal Baby Food
Heavy metal is awesome. But not when it’s in your baby’s food. According to a Reuters news report, U.S. congressional investigators found “dangerous levels of toxic heavy metals” in certain baby foods. With some planning ahead you can make sure your baby’s diet avoids metal but still rocks!
Resources
Heavy Metals in Baby Food: What You Need to Know (Consumer Reports)
High Levels of Toxic Heavy Metals Found in Some Baby Food: U.S. Report (Reuters)
Bilingual Babies
Being bilingual connects one to their culture and family of origin. It opens up a world of travel and exploration. It also opens up a wealth of employment opportunities that single language speakers don’t have access to. Whenever possible, teaching our children more than one language makes their world richer and unites the larger world just a little bit more than it was before.
Resources
Bilingual baby brains: Never too early to expose kids to 2 languages (WJAX)
Raising Bilingual Children (Linguistic Society of America)
History Happens Now
It’s been one year since the first COVID-19 case was diagnosed in Maryland. Despite the risks, child care providers have remained open and caring for children as long as their government, their health, and their bank accounts would allow it. Some child care providers in Maryland have died from COVID in service to our children. Others got sick or risked illness to make sure parents could go to work. Most risked their livelihoods at great personal expense because they believed the maxim “we are all in this together.” Now they need help.
Resources
Caring in Time of Pandemic: Will Maryland's Child Care Survive? (MFN)
Child Care Provider Support Act
What if the child care that your family relies on was suddenly gone? It could happen if help doesn't arrive soon. The Child Care Provider Support Act could help save child care in Maryland from the financial destruction caused by COVID-19.
Resources
Maryland Needs Time to Care
We all need time to care—for new babies, for aging parents, for loved ones with health needs, or for healing ourselves. But are legislators listening?
Resources
Almost There
2020 is finally almost over. We can make 2021 the year put in place better supports for parents, children, and child care providers so the next time disaster strikes they will have the help needed to thrive.