Birth to Three: The Vital Years

Baby girl and hubby are in CT this weekend attending a party for the patriarchs of the family who are aging slowly and surely before our eyes. Somewhat ironic that I should post on early infancy/childhood interventions as they celebrate the birthdays of grandpop and gramps, but in some ways, I think if someone would just sit and read to grandpop and gramps all day right now they might be happier.

In a rare morning of laziness, my first time EVER left in Brooklyn without Alexandra since here birth over two years ago, I woke at 10am (after staying up until midnight writing, since the whole point of me not going was b/c I'm 35 weeks preggers and need to write my dissertation) and leisurely did some laundry, ate breakfast,and became captivated by a story on "This American Life" about the Harlem Children's Zone and it's mission to get kids on the right track from BIRTH.

A lot of research was presented on how from birth until three a great deal of action occurs in a child's brain, action and information that will determine his/her success for later in life. The older they get, the harder it is to counteract the actions taken at this early age. Actions include: literacy skills (reading, word knowledge), ability to respond to positive reinforcement versus physical punishment, and so forth.

It was an insanely compelling story. Somewhat disheartening since I teach high school and their arguments were that in most accounts, by high school attitudes are so ingrained that they're hard, if not impossible, to reverse. However, in some strange way, I found the show very hopeful as well.

It's about 1/2 hour long, but if you're interested go here. Totally worth your time. Especially if you're a parent of a young kid or you give a rip about how poverty rears it's ugly head from the moment you're expelled from the uterus.

Off to write about those hopeless high school kids in my dissertation. Trying to crank about at least 20 pages today.