http://www.dailyitem.com en-us Copyright CNHI All Rights Reserved. 5 Thu, 03 Sep 2009 11:26:00 +0000 http://www.dailyitem.com/smartstart/local_story_245233000.html http://www.dailyitem.com/smartstart/local_story_245233000.html Free or low-cost family programs are crucial to childhood development, local community leaders say. “Anything we can do as a community that stimulates a child’s learning is going to help them, and it’s going to help their family,” said Karen Ulp, coordinator for the Early Care and Education Coalition of Northumberland County. Thu, 03 Sep 2009 11:25:00 +0000 http://www.dailyitem.com/smartstart/local_story_246112546.html http://www.dailyitem.com/smartstart/local_story_246112546.html Since the end of World War II the economics of the workplace and the lack of quality child care encouraged fathers to work and mothers to stay at home while the children were young. Now, however, like my parents even then, mother and father both work, sometimes two jobs. Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:46:00 +0000 http://www.dailyitem.com/smartstart/local_story_236114325.html http://www.dailyitem.com/smartstart/local_story_236114325.html In a few short days our schools will be filled with children laughing, playing, learning, and going to school for the first time. Kindergarten, by design is the final transition from home to a formal academic education. Fri, 07 Aug 2009 17:24:00 +0000 http://www.dailyitem.com/smartstart/local_story_219171135.html http://www.dailyitem.com/smartstart/local_story_219171135.html To get to his former law office in Maryland, Charlie Ross, of Selinsgrove, had to walk through an early childcare development center.And so he is well aware, he jokes, of the importance for workplaces to be supportive of employees with children. Fri, 07 Aug 2009 17:22:00 +0000 http://www.dailyitem.com/smartstart/local_story_219172058.html http://www.dailyitem.com/smartstart/local_story_219172058.html LEWISBURG - Evangelical Community Hospital in Lewisburg found a way to become more supportive of its workers with children through a relationship with Snyder, Union Mifflinburg Child Development Inc. Thu, 23 Jul 2009 10:30:00 +0000 http://www.dailyitem.com/smartstart/local_story_204101736.html http://www.dailyitem.com/smartstart/local_story_204101736.html What should parents do if they suspect there may be something not quite right about their child’s development?“Don’t worry—he’ll grow out of it.”Those comforting words are often offered to parents who are not quite sure whether their child’s behavior is “normal” for his or her age. Thu, 23 Jul 2009 10:27:00 +0000 http://www.dailyitem.com/smartstart/local_story_204102904.html http://www.dailyitem.com/smartstart/local_story_204102904.html As Pennsylvania continues to operate without a final budget, one of many sticking points to be resolved is whether early childhood programs will continue to be a priority in the year ahead. While scaling back Pre-K Counts, Head Start, Nurse-Family Partnership, quality childcare and other early childhood investments may save limited dollars now, these are false savings because these programs are shown to reduce the cost of government in the future. Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:20:00 +0000 http://www.dailyitem.com/smartstart/local_story_190143752.html http://www.dailyitem.com/smartstart/local_story_190143752.html You just brought home your beautiful bundle of joy and as far as you can tell, all your baby does is sleep and eat.Not so. Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:19:00 +0000 http://www.dailyitem.com/smartstart/local_story_190142048.html http://www.dailyitem.com/smartstart/local_story_190142048.html Today, The Daily Item publishes the first installment in "Smart Start," an occassional series of news stories and opinion pieces authored by local and regional experts on the importance of early childhood education. In a time of scarce public resources and increasing stress on home finances, there are few investments our state and our communities can make that will match the dividends of quality early childhood development. Sun, 28 Jun 2009 06:53:00 +0000 http://www.dailyitem.com/smartstart/local_story_178233006.html http://www.dailyitem.com/smartstart/local_story_178233006.html Living in poverty is a major factor in the development of "toxic stress," which can cause irreversible, negative effects in the brains of children through 5 years old, according to Valley physicians.