United Way of the Midlands Blog

With several workplace campaigns kicking off in August and September, we tend to get a lot of questions about our affinity groups this time of year. One of these groups, Women in Philanthropy, decided to host an informational session last year, and it was such a success they’ll be hosting it again!

WIP 101 is an information session for new and continuing investors, or anyone who would like more information about Women in Philanthropy. At WIP 101 you’ll have a chance to mingle with other women in the Midlands who are interesting in making a difference through collective philanthropy. This is your opportunity to ask questions and see what Women in Philanthropy is all about!

Join WIP at this free event this Thursday, August 23, 2012 at the Nelson Mullins Meridian Building on Main Street in downtown Columbia. Network, ask questions and learn more about WIP and ways to get involved with councils and subcommittees from 5:30-7 p.m.

Register in advance by visiting www.womeninphilanthropy.com/events, and  be sure to bring your friends!

Last week we posted just a few laws and regulations about child care providers in South Carolina, but not all child care providers are required to follow those rules necessary to be licensed by the state.  Making sure your provider meets those regulations is crucial to a safe and healthy environment for your child, but do you know the questions to ask when selecting a child care provider?

Questions to ask your child care provider:

• Is the provider licensed? If so, is the license displayed?
• Are cleaning products and other harmful substances kept away for children?
• Do cribs and other equipment meet federal standards?
• Does the provider require staff to receive regular, ongoing training about child care?
• Is there enough staff caring for the number of children present?
• Is food properly labeled and stored to protect against contamination?
• Does staff make sure that children’s hands and faces are clean?
• Do the children appear to be playing and happy?
• Does the provider post a daily menu of meals and snacks? Does it list whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and limit sweets and processed foods?
• How does the provider handle food allergies?
• How is medication labeled and stored?
• Are you welcome to drop in to see your child at any time?

“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”

-Fredrick Douglass

An interesting article was posted in the New York Times in January with the simple idea that we could end poverty with a hug, or lots of hugs, rather. In the article, Nicholas D. Kristof examined the impact of “toxic stress” in early life, and even before.

Where does toxic stress come from? Kristof explains it as something that can “arise from parental abuse of alcohol or drugs. It could occur in a home where children are threatened and beaten. It might derive from chronic neglect — a child cries without being cuddled […] the stress emerges when a child senses persistent threats but no protector.”

This toxic stress has an immediate and lasting impact on young children, perhaps even before leaving the womb. Cortisol, a stress hormone, can change children’s metabolism or even decrease brain function, and children facing toxic stress are more likely to have trouble with academics, be quick to anger, and tangle with the law. Stress in early childhood development can cause lasting symptoms as adults, too, with higher rates of heart disease, obesity, diabetes and other physical problems.

Kristof suggests addressing poverty with this information by using it to break the cycle. He says, “Poverty is difficult to overcome partly because of self-destructive behaviors. Children from poor homes often shine, but others may skip school, abuse narcotics, break the law, and have trouble settling down in a marriage and a job. Then their children may replicate this pattern.”

It is our job to set up programs to raise awareness and help young children. Many times no one steps in until the child starts school, but as Kristof points out, this is already too late:

“At age 6, studies have found, these children are only one-third as likely to have behavioral or intellectual problems as others who weren’t enrolled. At age 15, the children are less than half as likely to have been arrested.”

By simply teaching parents to pay attention to children and act as protectors, maybe we can help break the cycle of poverty.

What do you think? Read the article and share your thoughts below.