We've all heard the parable that no one nearing the end of life wishes he or she had spent more time at work. Here, at The Urban Child Institute, we have a similar parable, but we say no one nears the end of life and says: "I wish I hadn't given so much attention to my children."
The Urban Child Institute's message—that brain development in children ages 0-3 is critical—is straightforward. It's the dissemination of this message that gets more complicated. Enter the Technology Department.
If we were publishing a visual dictionary, we know what we would put beside the word, "trusting." It would be the picture of a young child. Nothing is more important to infants and toddlers than relationships with nurturing, loving people, both inside and outside the family. In fact, that is how they define the world and what it has to offer.
When we speak about kindergarten readiness, we often prioritize the critical cognitive skills, like simple memorization or early steps of math.
According to traditional wisdom, the best place to start is at the beginning. When it comes to tackling some of the most pressing issues facing the city, this advice is no less pertinent. So when People First, a non-profit initiative of Memphis Fast Forward, took on the challenge of improving education and talent retention in Memphis, they started at the very beginning — before a student is even born.