To submit comments, or to suggest items for this newsletter or First5LA.org, contact Katie Kurutz, public affairs officer, at kkurutz@first5la.org or (213) 482-5902.
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Click events below to view full listings.
Program Evaluation: Focus Groups and Surveys
June 28, 2010
from 8:30am - 12:30pm
Parent-Provider Contract for Family Child Care Providers
July 8, 2010
from 10:00am - 2:00pm
First Annual Community Resource Fair
July 10, 2010
from 10:00am - 2:00pm
Assisting Mothers to Successful Baby Led Latching
July 16, 2010
from 9:00am - 4:00pm
U.S. Department of Education Reading Institute
July 19-21, 2010
day long/half day
Clinical Updates for Health Care Providers
August 3, 2010
from 9:00am - 4:00pm
All for the Love of Kids, 15th Annual Awards Dinner and Fundraiser
August 4, 2010
from 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Women in Conversation: Celebrating Diversity
August 17, 2010
from 8:30am - 3:00pm
Breastfeeding and Beyond
September 16, 2010
from 9:00am - 4:00pm
Save the Date for Strive to Thrive: Building Systems that Care for Birth to Fives
February 3-4, 2010
day long
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First 5 LA Begins Strategic Plan Implementation
The First 5 LA Commission recently approved a "roadmap" for implementing our ambitious 2009-2015 Strategic Plan. This Implementation Plan outlines how we will approach funding. More »
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National Fruits and Vegetables Month
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Fruits, Vegetables, and How to Tell Them Apart
Knowing the difference between a fruit and a vegetable can be helpful as kids learn about various food groups, but sometimes adults don't even know how to tell them apart. Here are some guidelines. More »
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Involvement Opportunities
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Research Advisory Committee Call for Nominations
First 5 LA is seeking nominations for individuals to serve on the 2010-2012 First 5 LA Research Advisory Committee. For more information on how to submit a nomination click on the following link. More »
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Hayley Roper-Fingerhut
From the U.K. to UCLA, Hayley Roper-Fingerhut has always taken an interest in the human psyche and helping those in need. Learn about her role in First 5 LA's community selection process. More »
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New Budget Plan Would Shift CalWORKs and Other Programs to Counties
State lawmakers recently unveiled a new plan that would shift a number of state programs to counties, among them is CalWORKs, the state's welfare-to-work program and its accompanying child care. More »
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Home Safety Month
As the childhood obesity epidemic grows, I often question parents who put too many restrictions on kids who want to explore their world. When I was a kid, safety meant coming home before dark and not running with scissors, and although I sometimes wonder how my siblings and I survived, I also think we learned a lot and stayed physically active.
By no means am I downplaying the very real crime and other dangers that exist in too many neighborhoods in L.A. County, and I firmly believe that one of parents' primary responsibilities is to keep their children safe from harm. But I do feel that today's media focus on crime has resulted in a hyper-vigilance in too many parents about potential safety hazards for children. This has resulted in parents imposing tighter and tighter restrictions on what kids are allowed to do. And while this approach may appear to keep children safe from harm, I fear that it could hurt their emotional and physical development in the long run.
So for National Home Safety Month, I'd like to emphasize the importance of a balanced approach when it comes to enforcing safety rules for kids. Setting guidelines and enforcing boundaries is important, but allowing kids to explore and have fun in their environment is also important. Striking the right balance between these two isn't easy, but it can be critical. The goal is for children (and adults!) to be aware and confident in their surroundings. We should not be perpetually afraid of what could happen, but we should be prepared if something does.
For guidelines on how to take appropriate precautions, I like the SafeKids.org website. Their "tips" page allows users to organize safety tips by age and "risk area," including home safety. When reading about the potential hazards though, try not to fall into the trap of thinking all of these things will inevitably happen to your child. Children pick up on fear, so if a parent is overly anxious it could create emotional problems for the child.
In essence, let your kids explore safely and be prepared but not anxious.
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