When I think of early childhood education, I always think of it in my worldview and how it affects me on my level... on my home turf.  I think that we are all very insular in our thinking of early childhood development and don't tend to really consider very far outside of our own programs.  I remember reading on one of our assigned websites to view a statistic about how many children have access to secondary education and the percentage was so low that I, for a moment, felt that it had to be incorrect.  I then realized that if that statistic had only included the United States, the percentage would have been very high.  However, the statistic was WORLD WIDE.  I rarely consider things on a world wide level.  Learning about early childhood education in the world taught me:
.  The

1. That I am really very small and the world is very large.  My day and my life is such a tiny little sliver of what goes on in the world.  My program and the children in my program are just one little, very tiny, piece of early childhood education across the world.  We are not the entire world; we are just a small part of it.

 

 

 

2. That not all programs around the world look like mine.  Not all classrooms look like the classrooms that I picture in my head.  Not all children have supplies and shiny, pretty classrooms.  Many children never even get to see the inside of a traditional, United States cookie cutter type classroom.  I feel that I had never before even considered that education is not just a given around the world like it is here.  It is not a requirement or a right, like it is here.

I have always pictured this...

 

 

But not this...

 

3.  Something must be done.  Early childhood development programs have been shown to be the fundamental building block to future success.  We must work to ensure that every single child has access to this building block to success.  Early childhood education programs should be a right.  It should be a requirement.  It should be something that every single child has access to without question.  This means every single child in the WORLD.  We must work to see that this happens.

 

 

 

My goal is to start to make the steps and to put myself in the position to start working to make this a right and a possibility for every single child born to this world.

 

 

     This week, I looked into the UNESCO website to get a look at who they are and what they do.  I literally knew nothing about this organization, so I felt that I needed to start at the very beginning.  I didn't even know what the acronym stood for.  I learned this week that UNESCO is the United Nations Organization for Education, Science, and Culture.  The headquarters for this organization is located in Paris and there are fifty field offices around the world.  In the USA, there is an office in New York. 
     UNESCO does many different things for many different sectors involving education, science, and culture.  However, this organization also addresses early childhood care and education specifically.  UNESCO advocates for early childhood programs and works to ensure a holistic program that addresses development, health, nutrition, security, and learning.  It's goal is to work to see that all young children have the ability to develop to their fullest potential. 
     UNESCO works to gain access and equity in early childhood programs by expanding and improving early childhood programs especially for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged populations of children.  UNESCO works worldwide to first help the countries recognize the importance of early childhood education, and then to mobilize the resources to provide early childhood education.  UNESCO's stance is that all countries should view early childhood education as part of a basic education.  The greatest difficulty is not convincing countries of this, but in mobilizing the resources to provide it.
     We often see the way that early childhood education works in our country, but seldom think of how it is provided in other countries.  The UNESCO site helps one to get a worldwide picture of early childhood education.  There is even a calendar of events that gives dates and locations for meetings and conferences regarding early childhood education all across the world.

     I have spent the last few weeks looking deeper into the NAEYC website.  I still haven't received a newsletter from the organization, even though I have signed up for it several times.  I spent some time this week looking into the links on the NAEYC website that take me to outside places.  I think that my favorite link is the one that helps me to find accredited programs.  This is such a great tool, especially for parents.  It can help them to find programs that they can be sure follow certain expectations and guidelines.
     I mentioned before that although my program is NAEYC accredited, I really didn't fully know what that meant to me or to my families.  I felt that exploring the NAEYC website could give me a better knowledge of this and that it would help me, not only for this class, but for my job also.
     While exploring the site this week, I did find information that helped me in both areas.  NAEYC has 10 standards and accreditation criteria that must be met by all programs that wish to be NAEYC accredited programs.  These 10 standards were updated in 2006 to not only address programs serving children birth though kindergarten, but also to make sure that standards were more evidence based on what early childhood programs need to be in order to be most effective.  Reading through all of this really helped me to make a connection of equity and excellence and how the NAEYC standards help to ensure both.  The 10 standards address 10 different areas: relationships, curriculum, teaching, assessment of child progress, health, teachers, families, community relationships, physical environment, leadership and management.  Reading through these helped me to understand that if all programs started following standards such as these, it could create a united force that would all be on the same page of providing equity and excellence to children.  These standards and criteria help to ensure best practices in our field.

This week, I explored Harvard University's Global Children's Initiative.

     Harvard has partnered with different programs in different countries to help with the Early Childhood Education Initiative.  Their site talks about how there are gaps in education and health care for those children in the lower socio-economic brackets.  They state that the early childhood years are critical building blocks not just for school readiness, but for lifelong health and success.

They have partnered with a program in Brazil 

and with a program in Canada 

and with a program in Mexico   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In each of these programs, the goal seems to be very similar.  Harvard's Global Childhood Initiative helps to bring science to policy.  It trains scientist of how to measure gains and apply them to early childhood education.  It trains policy makers on how to apply the science to programs and policy to ensure that the children are getting these critical building blocks to lifelong success.

I gained many insights from reading this.  One, I didn't realize that other countries were not already on the same page as the United States with regard to early childhood interventions for health and education.  It was a bit of a surprise to me that Harvard was working so hard on spreading this initiative to other countries.  Also, with some of the reading this week, I just had an insight on what this means for children who are not lower income children.  A lot of work had been done here in the U.S. to ensure that low income children have access to health care and education.  All of the children in my center have Medicaid and can go to the doctor for the slightest case of the sniffles.  They all also have access to a wonderful education because they meet the low income qualifications for our program.  Children from higher income families have access to health care and education because their families can afford to provide these things for them.... but what about all of the children in between?  What about the children that don't have Medicaid and their parents can't afford to take them to the doctor?  What about the children who don't qualify for free educational programs, yet their parents can't afford to pay for them to go to another early childhood educational program?  What happens to these kids in the middle?  Does Harvard have a plan or an initiative for them?

     I have signed up again for NAEYC's newsletter.  We will see if the third time is a charm!  I did more exploring this week on their website.  I was specifically looking with poverty, research, economics, and policy making in mind.  I really didn't find any easy tabs for poverty related information.  There was an "issues" tab that had obesity and things like that listed, but not poverty.  However, when I typed the word poverty into the search bar, the site gave me several articles written in regards to poverty and early childhood education.  There was a lot of research and information available to me through the search bar.
     There is a public policy tab and I did find a lot of quick and easy links under this tab.  There were subheadings such as take action and advocacy resources.  There a person can find just about anything that they would like to know about current policies related to early childhood and how they can get involved.  Although there is information on research, economics, policy, etc. it all seems to be left completely separate and there isn't a lot of information that ties all of these areas together.
     I know that NAEYC is a wonderful organization and our school is even accredited by them.  I feel like it's blasphemy to even say this, but the more I explore their site, the more put off I am starting to feel towards it.  It seems like so many places on the site are wanting money from me.  I get excited about something I see and it turns out that it is something that is sold by NAECY that one must buy.  I get interested in information and once I get into it, I can't go any further without purchasing a book or a booking a conference or something.  I know that there is a lot of great stuff, especially under the parent tab, but I sometimes feel more like I am being sold to, rather than gathering free information that can help the early childhood field.

     I have sent out over twenty emails to early childhood professionals outside of the United States and have not received a single one back.  I loved reading the things that my peers have learned from their contacts from other countries and I gained a lot of insight from reading about their conversations.  I have been really disappointed that I have yet to establish a contact like I was hoping to.  I have noticed that those who do have that outside connection gained it because of a previous relationship that was already established.  The only thing that keeps me from being really jealous is the fact that I love reading about their conversations with their contacts!
     I also chose to explore the NAEYC website this semester.  I signed up for a newsletter on week one.  I still hadn't received one on week two, so I signed up again for the free newsletter.  We are now on week three and still no newsletter.  If one ever comes, I will be happy to fill you guys in on it!


                                           

     I decided to look at Jamaica this week on the UNICEF website.  My family will be going there this summer.  I know that Jamaica is a popular vacation site with beautiful resorts and vacation spots.  However, I assume that there is the Jamaica that us vacationers get to see, and then there is the other story of Jamaica.  I assumed correctly.  The national gross income in the united states is about $50, 000.  It is $5,000 in Jamaica.  I also compared the educational statistics of Jamaica and of the USA.  Although Jamaica's were lower, they were not as drastically low as I would have suspected.
     Child molestation is a huge problem in Jamaica.  The UNICEF website stated that a large number of men in Jamaica felt that it was their right to have sex with children under their care.  This is something that is not talked about.  Jamaica residents know that it goes on and that it is very prevalent, but it is just swept under the rug, or accepted as one of the ugly parts of every day life.  This is speculated to also be one of the reasons that the HIV rate in Jamaica is so high.  People and organizations have started to campaign for Jamaicans to start speaking out against sexual molestation and to start fighting against it.
     There has also been many years of civil unrest in Jamaica.  Children in this country have been exposed to horrific violence, fighting, and gun fire.  This has resulted in many social, emotional, and behavioral problems in small children.  Teachers in Jamaica have recently started to be trained in play therapy, art therapy, and other interventions to use in the early childhood education field in order to help children learn to deal with the violence that they have been exposed to. 
     The rate of violent discipline in Jamaica is also very high.  The rate on the UNICEF website is 88.9%.  I wanted to compare this to the USA rate, but there was not one given.  This high rate of violent discipline of children made me think of another problem in Jamaica, which is the incarceration of children.  Many children in Jamaica are imprisoned for "uncontrollable behavior".  They are incarcerated at young ages in the same prisons as adults.  As a resident of a country that does not incarcerate their children, this is quite a shock to me.  Again, people and organizations are starting to fight against this and are looking for alternative ways to work with the children that do not include putting them in prison.  However, it remains a problem.

     I have decided to further explore the NAEYC website this semester.  The program that I currently work for is NAEYC accredited and it seems like we are always referring to NAEYC and reading articles by them.  However, I really don't know a lot about the organization.
     I signed up for the NAEYC newsletter, but have not yet received it.  I will keep you guys posted when I get my first newsletter as to what it was about and my thoughts on it.
     I knew that NAEYC provided resources to professionals.  However, the website has several different books and resources that can be purchased.  I realized that we have all of these at our school and we use them.  The curriculum promoted by NAEYC is the same as what we currently use.  I guess I didn't realize this or make the connection to us being accredited and using the curriculm promoted by NAEYC.
     I also wasn't aware that the website provided assistance to parents.  Families can go onto the NAEYC website and find accredited providers and also get resources to help them promote learning at home.
     The NAEYC website has many articles and links that address changing demographics and diversity.  They have a complete tab on family engagement and engaging diverse families that offers many different resources to help with this.  It also gives the profiles of 10 centers and how they do this.  Also, they have an article right now about the holidays approaching and how to offer fun holiday times and how to do so while being fair and unbiased.  I found this to be quite interesting.
     I have learned how to navigate this site a lot better this week and it is my hope that by the end of this semester, I will have a good understanding of NAEYC and be able to effectively and confidently use it as a professional resource in my daily operations.

  Hello, everyone!  I spent the last week trying to find a professional contact in the early childhood field that was outside of the United States.  I had ZERO luck!  I sent emails out to professionals in Haiti, Ghana, Morocco, and Armenia.  I don't have any preference to any certain country.  I am just so excited about the idea of learning more from any country that is different than the United States.  I think that it will be very enlightening, interesting, and eye opening to see how things are in the early childhood education field outside of the United States.  I have given up on getting replies to emails.  I am assuming that I am in junk folders or that I was automatically deleted because my email address looked unfamiliar to the person receiving it.  I am going to start making actual phone calls on Monday.  If anyone has found a way to make contact or has any great tips, I would love to hear about it.
  I have decided to explore NAEYC's website.  The program that I work for is NAEYC accredited and we use NAEYC as the authority on all things early childhood related.  I think that learning more about the organization can greatly benefit me in both my classes and my job.  So, as I learn more I will be sure to pass it along to all of you!
  Best of luck!  Can't wait to hear about all of the wonderful experiences and concepts learned from all of my peers.  I hope to have my own to share with you, as well! 

My Support
     Absolutely, positively, no doubt about it, my husband has been my number one system of support since I was 14 years old.  I also have my parents and a couple of other friends and family members that have been support for me, but they have all come in and out of my life from time to time... but not my husband.  Since 7/02/92 he has been in my life and has never, ever failed to support me.
     My parents are also huge in my support system.  I always know that if I get into a bind with my kids being sick, vehicle breaking down, or needing a few dollars until payday... they are always there to rely on.  They have helped my husband over and over again over our many years together.
     I also consider my kid's schools as support.  My husband and I need to work everyday and their schools offer up a free and safe place for them to be so that we can go to work every day.  My job is also a support in my life.  It offers up money each week that I can use to keep food on the table and a roof over my head.  I also rely on my cell phone as part of my support.  I keep my schedule in it, use it for an alarm in the morning, pay bills with it, keep up with friends and family with it, etc. 
     When I think of support in my life, my mind goes to people first.  I think that our largest support comes in the form of other people.  Maybe that is why God (or whover you choose to believe in) made sure that there was more than one person one the earth... because we depend on each other for support.

                                    My Connections to Play

  I noticed that my quotes about play mostly revolve around outside.

The things that I spent hours playing with as a child...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  When I think about how my play was supported by the adults in my life, I realize that it was mostly by giving us the freedom to play.  When we got up in the morning, we were given breakfast and then sent outside.  We were not expected to be in the house unless it was time for a meal or dark outside.  No one ever asked where we were or what we were doing.  We didn't have lessons to go to or practices scheduled.  We were not in any organized sports as small children.  When I was a child, organized sports didn't even exist until you entered junior high.  Our parents purchased us few toys (very few) and they gave us the freedom to play and explore.  They never stood over us to make sure that we played in any certain way.  They didn't plan activities for us.  Our play was exploring the world without any rules as to how to do our exploring.  Play is so different today.  Granted, play is much safer than when I was a child, but it is so rigid and planned out.  Children are told what to do, when to do it, and how to do it.  It seems as if adults are so caught up in planning everything out for children.  They enter them in to every club and every sport and it becomes very important to the adult that the child is the best at everything.  Children are no longer given any time without adult supervision.  Children are never given the opportunity to explore without rules and supervision.  Everything today is so planned out for children.  Like I said.... much safer, but at what other costs?

Relationships

Relationships are important to me because they motivate my every move.  My husband and children are the reason for which I do the things I do.  I work a full time job.  I clean, cook, and do laundry.  I work very hard every day to try to do the right thing, be a good person, and set a good example.  I do these things because of the results that they will have on the people that I love the most… my husband and children.  My relationships are also important to me because these people love me in return and support me.  My parents, my friends, my children, and my husband are always there when I need them.  If I need a hug, encouragement, a kind word, a shoulder to cry on, or even people to go an a beach vacation with… these people are there.  They help me to not feel alone.  They make me stronger because I know that there are people that will always be on my side and who will have my back no matter what.

                My most positive relationships are those that never come and go.  My relationship with my parents, my husband, and my children and the most positive.  These people never leave my side.  We may fight.  We may annoy each other.  We may say not so nice things to each other on occaision.  However, this never makes us turn our back on one another.  My relationship with my parents, husband, and children all developed first from a mutual need.  We take care of each other.  We support each other.  These relationships are maintained by love and by supporting each other.  These realtionships are maintained by spending time together and enjoying each other’s company.  We share our lives with each other in good times and in bad.

  My friends are also positive realtionships as long as things are good in the friendship.  My friends give me someone to vent to, someone to laugh with, and someone to hang out with when I need a break.  My frienships develop by having a common interest.  For me this is usually by working together or by my husband working with them or with their husbands.  These realtionships are maintained by spending time together and sharing informaiton with each other about our lives.

The biggest challenge that I have discovered about realtionships over time is that once that common interest is gone, the relationship rarely lasts.  I don’t have any friends that I went to high school with that are still in my life.  I make friends with people at work, but once I leave the job or they do, the realtionship gradually fades.  My husband and I have had many “other couple” friends over the years, but once the thing that we had in common, the thing that brought us together, is gone, then so is the friendship.  We have also had may friends over the years that have become divorced.  Once this happens, the other couple each goes their own ways and our friendship with them seems to have been lost in the divorce.  I have not really had much of a challenge over the years with maintaining relationships with my parents, husband, or children.  These people and I are forever bound and none of us will ever leave the other.  However, maintaining and developing friendships seems to be very challenging.  It is hard to keep interest in maintaining the friendship when there is no longer anything in common with them.  It is also hard to form new friendships because I know that chances are that they won’t last.

I think that the thing that makes relationships also be partnerships is having a common goal.  My husband and I have a partnership in addition to having a relationship.  We work hard together to run our household.  It is much like a business.  We want the maximum outcome possible.  Our profit is having happy, healthy, and well equipped children.  We work together to keep our home safe and clean for them.  We work together to run them to all of their school events, to teach them to be good people, to help them with homework, etc.  My husband and I have a partnership because we are a team working together towards a common goal.

Reflecting on my own relationships has helped me to see how important relationships with families is to the development of each child.  My relationship with the families is a partnership.  We each want what is best for the child and this common goal can bring us together to work as a team for that child.  In order to develop and maintain this realtionship, I have to spend time with the families.  I have to take the time to talk to them.  To ask them questions about their live and the things that are going on, even outside of the child.  I should know more about them than just their name and which child belongs to them.  By becoming a partner with them and by developing an actual realtionship with them, they can the trust that I am there for the same exact reason that they are, and this reason is because we both want what is best for their child.  That is our common goal… to see their child be successful.

 

Thanks to all of my fellow bloggers this semester!  I have learned so much each week by visiting your sites and reading and seeing things from your perspective.  It is always helpful to see that others have different perceptions and can add so much to your own thoughts and frame of references.  Speacial thanks to Dionna Hill and Dana Jones.  It is so helpful to always be able to go to your sites and know that you will have your postings done on time and in a very enlightening manner.  Thanks everyone.  Good luck in all that you do in the future.

In an effort to view children and their development in a more comprehensive manner, I feel that we need to look at each asspect of their lives that affect their development.  We must assess each of these areas and use that information to assess their development, any barriers or strengths, and what we can do to assist families in ensuring that the child develops in the manner that is going to best benefit them.

 

 

World Health Organization, Tarun Dua retrieved from

 

https://www.iom.edu/~/media/Files/Activity%20Files/Children/iYCG/Cost-of-Inaction-Presentations/Dua.pdf

Measuring education is not hard.  There are many popular developmental programs that have testing kits for the educational aspect of child development.  However, some of these other areas may be a bit harder to assess.  The reason for that is that it requires building relationships with families and then having conversations.  The best way to measure most of these other areas is by asking questions of the family and then recording their answers.  Once the family knows you, trusts you, and has a relationship with you, then they will begin to be more forthcoming and honest and will reveal the information that you need to assess these other areas.  I feel that child development is much more than the eduation, and that all of the areas in this chart must be addressed when assessing child development.


     I was interested to look at ECE assessment in the Philippines.  I was surprised to see that they had much of the same "holistic" concept that we use in the United States.

     In researching and reading about early assessment in the Philippines, I found that many of the ideas, goals, and tools were the same as ours.  However, I also remember from researching childbirth in the Philippines, that there is a huge disparity between those who have money and those who do not.  It seems as if people in the Philippines have access to quality ECE programs and the assessment tools that come with that, but I have to wonder if these same resources are available to the poor in this country.

  I was raised in extreme poverty and could tell the long, sad story of my childhood poverty and all of the negative effects of it.  That's really depressing, though.  I will instead tell you about my husband's grandmother, Opal.  Opal was a child of The Great Depression.  She was one of several children.  Her family was close and they all had a lot of loving support from each other during this time.  Opal spoke often about The Great Depression and how hard it was.  However, these horrible times always had stories of great memories.  Opal's mom gave them each a baked potato hot out of the oven every morning and they carried it to school to keep their hands warm because they couldn't afford gloves.  They would put this potato in their desk and then take it out and eat it at lunch.  Opal could make anything.  I will not say that it was all tasty, amazing, or even a good idea, but her upbringing in extreme poverty had taught her how to make something from nothing.  She bought 2 ply toilet paper and separated each ply into it's own roll of 1 ply so that she could get 2 rolls of toilet paper from one.  She thought it silly that anyone really felt that they needed 2 ply.  She made her own ketchup, mustard, etc.  No way would she pay hard earned money for things that could be made with a little hard work.  Growing up in extreme poverty had taught Opal to value family.  It taught her to never be wasteful or to take things for granted.  It taught her to be resourceful and creative.  It taught her to be strong.
     When thinking of children in other countries living in poverty, my mind when to all of the pictures we see on television of the starving children in third world countries that could be saved if we would just give pennies a day to them.  I started looking into this, but then I wandered about children who lived in poverty in countries that we didn't consider to be poor.  I looked into the number of children in Sweden that were living in poverty and I was surprised that the number of children in poverty is actually quite high there.  Sweden has many supports in place to try to combat the number of children living in poverty.  The government has programs to get companies to hire people out of unemployment, they have subsidies to help pay day care so that parents with children can work, they have child benefits that are paid to the parents to help with the cost associated with providing for children, etc.  Sweden has many governmental programs to assist families raising children to try to help lower their number of children in poverty.  However, it must also be noted that the definition of a child in poverty in Sweden does not mean that these children are hungry or that their most basic needs are not met.  It only means that the children cannot participate in the same activities and hold the same lifestyle as other "normal" children (http://socpol.duth.gr/SWEDEN.doc).

Mattress Wrapping Story http://www.babymattresscovers.com/   

 

Contrary to popular opinion, SIDS/Crib Death can be prevented.

This website gives you a way how to prevent SIDS/Crib Death.

Results of the New Zealand mattress wrapping campaign for crib death prevention, that is, SIDS prevention.

Start date of publicity promoting mattress-wrapping: 1995
Number of babies slept on wrapped mattresses (to December 2010) At least 205,000 ⁽¹⁾
Reported crib deaths among those babies: None
Crib deaths on unwrapped mattresses (or parallel bedding situations) during the same period: About 975 ⁽²⁾
Reduction in New Zealand crib death rate since mattress-wrapping commenced: 72% ⁽³⁾
Approximate reduction in Pakeha (majority NZ European ethnicity) crib death rate: 85% ⁽³⁾

1. Number derived from three studies which have reported the incidence of mattress-wrapping in New Zealand: NZ Med J. 2000; 113:8-10; NZ Med J. 2000;113:326-327; Eur J Pediatr. 2008; 167(2):251- 252.
2. New Zealand Ministry of Health: official cot death statistics 1995 to 2010. Reduction in NZ European ethnic rate approximate, owing to changes in official ethnicity reporting which occurred in the mid-1990s.
3. New Zealand Ministry of Health: official cot death statistics 1994 to 2010 (inclusive).

The Story behind Mattress Wrapping

In 1989 Mr. Barry A. Richardson, a British scientist, proposed the theory that SIDS/Crib Death was caused by toxic gases generated from elements commonly present in babies' mattresses. Dr. T. J. Sprott, a New Zealand scientist, had suspected the same since the mid-1980s. Dr. Sprott felt that SIDS babies were not dying from a medical condition, but from nerve gas being generated in the baby's sleeping environment.
As a result of their research, Mr. Richardson and Dr. Sprott found that most baby mattresses and many bedding items contain small amounts of the elements phosphorus, arsenic and/or antimony, which are incorporated for purposes such as plastic softener, fire retardant or as part of the manufacturing process. In addition, a normally harmless household fungus (Scopulariopsis brevicaulis) often grows in mattresses. Separately, the presence of the elements phosphorus, arsenic or antimony in mattresses and bedding does not pose danger. But when heat and moisture in the baby's crib results in fungal growth, the fungus interacts with these elements, causing the generation of extremely poisonous gases. If even a small dose of these gases is ingested by a baby, the baby's breathing and heart functions stop, resulting in SIDS/Crib Death.
In the mid-1990s Dr. Sprott commenced a nationwide mattress-wrapping campaign in New Zealand to eliminate SIDS/Crib Death. In 1996 he invented the BabeSafe^® crib mattress cover, which is a non-toxic plastic cover in the form of a bag, manufactured under strict requirements to contain no detectable phosphorus, arsenic or antimony. The baby's mattress is sealed inside this protective cover, with the result that no gas generation occurring in the mattress can reach the baby.
Since BabeSafe^® mattress covers came onto the market in New Zealand in 1996, there has been no reported case of SIDS/Crib Death among the very large number of babies who have slept on BabeSafe^® wrapped mattresses (and using the specified bedding for a wrapped mattress). For the latest statistics about the New Zealand mattress-wrapping campaign Click Here.
Dr. Sprott has developed a simple and affordable method of protecting babies from toxic gases which can be generated in mattresses.

SIDS

     I had my children over a period of 10 years, from 1998 to 2008.  During this time, SIDS was a huge focus.  The hospital that I gave birth in wouldn't even release the babies to go home until the parents had watched a video about SIDS and read some additional handouts on the risks of SIDS and how to reduce these risks.
     Later in life, I had a licensed daycare.  There was a huge emphasis on reducing SIDS during this phase of my life, also.  Many of the licensing rules were aimed at reducing the risks of SIDS, such as not having the cloth bumper pads around the rails of the cribs.  Many of my continuing education classes addressed SIDS, also.
     Years later, I am in a more formal daycare type setting.  I find that the thin plastic film from purchase has been left on crib mattresses that are being used by infants.  Workers are placing babies in the crib on top of boppy pillows.  Blankets are draped across the tops of cribs to block out light.  Babies are covered up with layers of big, thick blankets.  The women working in this room are mothers.  One even has a newborn.  When I address these issues they are just dumbfounded.  They had no idea that all of these things increased the chance of SIDS.  One of the workers didn't even know what is was.
     This recent experience has made SIDS a meaningful topic to me.  I assumed that everyone (especially those who have children or care for children) knew a lot about this topic and that everyone was very well informed about SIDS, the risk factors, and the things that needed to be done to reduce the risks.
     Learning that the awareness is not as widespread as I had assumed has really impacted my current and future work.  I now make sure that all staff are trained in topics regarding SIDS.  I make sure that parents in our center are aware of the risks of SIDS.  I am no longer assuming that everyone knows about SIDS and I am trying to make sure that every parent, future parent, and childcare worker that I come in contact with knows the risks associated with SIDS and what they can do to reduce these risks.

New Zealand has one of the highest rate of SID incidents world wide.  Their SIDS program is called SIDS and Kids and the website is http://www.sidsandkids.org.nz/.  It seems like their is much talk in New Zealand and other countries (including the U.S.) about SIDS maybe being caused by toxic chemicals, fungi, and other things that are coming from the matress.  There are sites that suggest buying plastic wraps for the matresses and there are many different companies that sell these plastic wraps to use on the baby matress.  I had never heard of such and this was a totally foreign concept to me.  However, I also read some sites that point out that babies die from SIDS in other places besides on their crib mattresses.

Sidsandkids            

 

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