Rally For Babies!

On this 4th of July we should be celebrating freedom and equality, but too many young children fall behind even before they step into the pre-kindergarten classroom.

There’s a common sense solution: we can invest in high-quality early learning and child development services. And this is one investment that really pays off. Leading economists agree that investments in high-quality early learning programs actually save future dollars.

Urge our elected leaders to ensure every baby, toddler, and young child has a fair shot and is on the path to school readiness.

Sign Today!

To: U.S. Senate
U.S. House of Representatives

CC: President of the United States

As your constituent, I am asking you to expand investments in early learning opportunities for infants and toddlers - because learning and development happen right from the start.

We're a country that believes in giving everyone a fair shot at opportunity. But too many young children can fall behind even before they take their first steps. Research shows that babies and toddlers need positive early learning experiences with their parents and other caregivers in order to thrive.

Without the chance to participate in high-quality early childhood development and learning programs, gaps can appear early, sometimes even before a child's first birthday. In fact, children’s academic success at ages 9 and 10 can be attributed to the amount of words and talk they hear from birth through age three.

The good news is that we have a number of high-quality programs and services in place to provide those positive early opportunities for children birth to five, including childcare, Early Head Start, early intervention, and home visiting. What we need is for you, our elected leaders, to take the lead and adequately fund them by expanding investments in early learning that starts at birth.

I urge you to remember this: to ensure school success, start with the babies. When infants and toddlers get a strong start, our nation prospers. Learning happens from the start, and so should our investments in children.

Sincerely,

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Subject: Let's Rally for Babies Your message to friends:

I just added my name to the many showing support for affordable, high quality early childhood education programs (like child care and preschool).

I hope you'll do the same: http://action.momsrising.org/sign/Rallybabies/?source=taf

There's a lot more info in the email below.

Hope you have a great 4th!
-Friend

****Forward Email Below**************
Are you all ready for tomorrow?

At MomsRising, we've been setting up the sparklers, the sprinklers, and the BBQ, but there's one more thing we've all got to do to celebrate our nation's birthday: Stand up for babies!

Standing up for babies and toddlers is a great way to celebrate our nation's birthday, July 4th. Plus, when infants and toddlers get a strong start, our entire nation prospers.

*Take a moment now to celebrate July 4th by standing up for babies with a quick click of your mouse! Sign on to the open letter from MomsRising, Zero to Three, and many others, investments in high-quality early learning opportunities for infants and toddlers.

http://action.momsrising.org/sign/Rallybabies/?source=taf

We are a country that strives to give everyone a fair shot. But too many young children fall behind even before they step into the pre-kindergarten classroom. [2]

68% of moms with kids under the age of six are in the labor force. [3] Full-time child care for an infant or toddler now costs more than college in many states [4], and finding affordable, high-quality child care is often an almost impossible task.

Without the chance to participate in high-quality early childhood development and learning programs, gaps can appear early, sometimes even before a child’s first birthday. Kids who start out disadvantaged often stay behind, leading to wide gaps in educational achievement and future income. [5],[6]

There’s a common sense solution: We can invest in high-quality early learning and child development services. And this is one investment that really pays off. Leading economists agree that investments in high-quality early learning programs actually save future dollars.[7]

Let's make sure we live up to the promise of our nation. Urge our elected leaders to ensure every baby, toddler, and young child has a fair shot and is on the path to school readiness.

*Learning happens from the start, and so should our investments in children. Take a moment out of your busy holiday to stand up for babies here:

http://action.momsrising.org/sign/Rallybabies/?source=taf

Have a great 4th of July!

--Sarah, Kristin, and the entire MomsRising team

P.S. After you sign the open letter, put this great event on your calendar!

Join us online July 8, 2013, 2:00 – 2:30PM (EST) for a virtual Rally for Babies, including a Google Hangout. Soledad O’Brien, award-winning journalist and CEO of Starfish Media Group will host Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Secretary Arne Duncan, U.S. Department of Education and actor Jennifer Garner as they discuss the need for affordable, high-quality early learning opportunities in our nation. Learn more at http://rally4babies.org/virtual-rally/

P.S. Huge thanks to Zero to Three (http://www.zerotothree.org/) and the Start Strong for Children Coalition (http://www.nwlc.org/our-issues/child-care-%2526-early-learning/strong-start-for-children-campaign) for all the work they do on this issue!

[1] "National Baby Facts," Zero to Three http://www.zerotothree.org/public-policy/pdf/national-baby-facts.pdfhttp://www.zerotothree.org/public-policy/pdf/national-baby-facts.pdf

[2] "More Mothers of Young Children in U.S. Workforce," Population Reference Bureau, 2012.
http://www.prb.org/Articles/2012/us-working-mothers-with-children.aspx

[3] "Parents and the High Cost of Child Care: 2012 Report," Child Care Aware, August 14, 2012. http://www.naccrra.org/publications/naccrra-publications/2012/8/parents-and-the-high-cost-of-child-care-2012-report

[4] "The Productivity Argument for Investing in Young Children," James J. Heckman and Dimitriy V. Masterov, 2007
http://jenni.uchicago.edu/human-inequality/papers/Heckman_final_all_wp_2007-03-22c_jsb.pdf

[5] "National Baby Facts," Zero to Three http://www.zerotothree.org/public-policy/pdf/national-baby-facts.pdfhttp://www.zerotothree.org/public-policy/pdf/national-baby-facts.pdf

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Rally For Babies!