Barefoot is best

An article in today's Star Tribune discussses the growing popularity of stylish shoes for baby and toddlers. But what's best for growing piggies? No shoes whenever possible and ones with flexible soles. The article also outlines what to look for when buying for baby.

And, if you want to see where other Twin Cities parents go for shoes check out the Cribsheet blog for a list of favorites.

Creating a baby genius

I'm not a parent yet, but have scanned my share of baby registeries to know that it usually contains a Baby Einstein product. Is this bad? Not at all. The boom to recognize the importance of learning from birth is an ideal we were founded upon and hold dearly. However, how much is too much when it comes to teaching our kids, and can a "product" really make a baby smarter? Adrienne Martini explores the subject of "Baby Geniuses" on Babble.com, a magazine and blog devoted to new parents.

We'd believe that it's the love and attention from parents that helps baby excel. What do you think -- do educational products make a difference in how smart kids are?

(By the way, have a fun and safe Independence Day!)

Farewell to our colleagues

Be well, do good work, and keep in touch. ~Garrison Keillor

This quote is fitting today as we say thank you and bid farewell to several of our colleagues – Chuck, Brad, Erik, Mai, Sara and Tim – who, through their work at Ready 4 K, improved the futures of thousands of our youngest Minnesotans. We will miss each of them and wish them luck on their next endeavors.

Parenting Q & A

With the Summer solstice occurring today, summer has officially begun. This means you're probably planning or packing for a summer getaway. As we all know, family trips are a great way to make lasting memories. Whether you're taking an 8 hour flight to another continent, or simply driving an hour north to visit your cabin, the last thing you want to listen to is your children chant "are we there yet?". This episode in Vicki's Parentin Q & A podcast series will give you strategies and suggestions for making the most of traveling with your children.


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MP3:> Parents as Teachers: Getting rid of the "Are we there yets?"

Early Childhood gaining momentum in Congress

While we here in Minnesota have been working hard to promote policies in our state legislature, early childhood issues are getting attention on the federal level. Sen. Clinton (NY) announced a pre-kindergarten proposal last month as part of her presidential campaign. This proposal would give $10 billion to give every 4-year old access to a pre-kindergarten experience. Currently, Sen. Clinton is drafting a bill to introduce later this year based on her proposal.

Also, Sen. Casey (PA) has introduced a bill, S. 1374, known as the "Prepare All Kids Act of 2007". From the bill summary, this act will assist states in making voluntary high quality full-day pre-kindergarten programs available and economically affordable for the families of all children for at least 1 year preceding kindergarten. The bill includes funds for infant and toddler programs, extended day and extended year programs, as well as eligibility for community-based programs such as Head Start and child care. Read Sen. Casey's remarks for more detail.

After you'd had a chance to read the bill, I'd love to read your comments. What do you think about the idea? How could it work in Minnesota?

At the water cooler...

Getting Minnesota's youngest citizens fully prepared for kindergarten doesn't just make logical sense, it makes a whole lot of business cents too. According to the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank, an investment in early education for at-risk kids can yield up to an 18% annual rate of return. Now you can help spread word of the importance and value of early childhood education in your place of business with these free posters. Or if nothing else, they'll give you something to talk about at the water cooler!

PDF:> View larger poster - boy
PDF:> View larger poster - girl
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Show states the money

Looks like Minnesota isn’t alone in the struggle to put dollars behind statewide early childhood initiatives. According to the June 6 Education Week article, “States Press Ahead on Preschool Programs,” across the nation Governors and policymakers have good intentions, but when it comes down to deciding how much to spend, where the money will come from or how it will be distributed delays abound.