When you are at work, school or other events, child care providers are there for your children, providing quality care and critical early education. Without their hard work and dedication, our lives would look very different.
Celebrate and thank the early childhood educator in your life every day, but especially on the day set aside especially for them: National Provider Appreciation Day on May 12.
Here are a few quick and easy ways you can show your gratitude:
The current professional development (PD) biennium comes to an end on June 30, 2023.
This means all administrators, lead teachers, assistant teachers and family child care providers working in Step Up To Quality star-rated programs must have completed 20 hours of Ohio Approved training.
Read More about Providers: Biennium Deadline is Approaching »
The data collected from a February 2023 4C for Children survey of local child care program administrators shows little change in the local child care landscape from similar data collected by 4C in 2021. Classrooms are still shuttered and a staffing shortage continues. These outages are resulting in more than 4,000 infant, toddler, preschool and school-age children in Southwest Ohio and the Miami Valley combined who can’t access quality early learning.
Read More about Survey Results Show Little Change in Child Care Landscape »
The U.S. Census Bureau Household Pulse Survey reported in August 2022 that nearly 870,000 women have left jobs to care for one or more child under 5.
In a recent blog post featured on the Workforce Innovation Center, 4C for Children president/CEO Vanessa Freytag shares current child care trends like this and how these trends are impacting local businesses.
Read More about Child Care Issues are Impacting Businesses »
Children dig it! Earth Day, tabbed this year on April 22, is an opportunity to celebrate our planet and learn about ways to protect it. You and your family can celebrate Earth Day by diving into nature, learning about the Earth’s importance and discovering ways to conserve it.
Here are some simple tips to help protect our natural world:
Read More about Parenting Hot Topic: Embrace Earth Day in Ohio »
Finding an open child care seat is a struggle for local families. And finding qualified staff for child care programs in order to expand capacity is a struggle for local child care providers. When combined, these struggles have created a child care crisis in this region. 4C for Children in taking action by launching the unique Child Care Careers Program.
Recently, Local 12 News highlighted 4C for Children’s new program to rebuild the workforce in the community. In doing so, families and parents like first-time mother Roxana Holland will find it easier to find child care for children.
Read More about Supporting Families, Recruiting Child Care Providers »
Public libraries provide families with a welcoming environment to learn, connect with other families and find community resources. Libraries also help families prepare for school success, even before the child enters kindergarten. The bonus is public libraries are free resources.
Inside a library you’ll find books, media and activities that help children begin their literacy journey and promote a lifetime of learning. Read More about Parenting Hot Topic: Lean into Literacy and Local Libraries »
February is for flossing—not the dance move but the dental hygiene activity! This month is National Children’s Dental Health month.
Poor dental health can lead to pain and infection that may cause problems when eating, speaking, playing, and learning. Children who have poor oral health often miss school more and receive lower grades compared to other children.
The good news is cavities are preventable! Daily dental hygiene routines at home and regular visits to a dentist can help. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), parents can support young children by developing good dental habits. Read More about Parenting Hot Topic: Talk About Teeth »
Can you believe 2023 is already here? Have you thought about a New Year’s resolution that you can stick to? Consider this: helping your child excel at reading. This is a goal that you and your child can tackle together.
Studies have shown that when children are read to regularly it helps improve vocabulary and communication skills and develop a lifelong love of reading. Plus, the more time you and your child spend together strengthening their love of reading, your relationship will also grow stronger.
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Read More about Parenting Hot Topic: Reading Can Be a Resolution »
Stress is an expected part of life as a parent. Parenting comes with a high level of stress and it’s not always possible to be calm and stress-free around your children. As parental stress builds up, it can start to affect how you interact with your child and how they feel. Learning to relieve parental stress can give you the patience, energy and perspective to be the parent you want to be.
Read More about Parenting Hot Topic: Managing Parental Stress »