(The following segments originally aired in April 2010)
04.28.10
Postpartum depression: what it means for mom, baby: For most families, the birth of a baby means a serious lack of sleep, mounds of dirty diapers and lots and lots of joy. But for at least one in 8 new mothers, the birth of a child can trigger deep depression during that first year. Postpartum depression is the most common complication of childbirth.
Watch Heidi Koss Nobel, executive director of Postpartum Support International of Washington, talk about what postpartum depression is, what to look for, how to get help and what it can mean for baby when mom is depressed during this important period in their growth and development.
04.21.10
Sponge school teaching languages to young children: Researchers have learned a lot about the way the brain acquires language. They know that when children are between 9 and 15 months old their brain is focused on sounds. They know that a real life teacher has a much bigger impact than a DVD. And, they know that elementary school students who have a second language score higher on achievement tests.
Watch Jackie Friedman Mighdoll, founder of Seattle-based Sponge, a school that offers language classes for young children, talk about the research that supports exposing young children to one or more languages, the best way to help children learn a new language and the options are available for older children.
Investing in kids now fights crime later: More than 200 police chiefs, sheriffs and prosecuting attorneys in Washington state strongly believe that if we focus more on toy blocks now we won't need as many cell blocks later.
And research supports them. Children who participate in high-quality early learning programs are far less likely to commit a violent crime when they get older than those who do not.
Early learning programs also protect children. Programs, like home visiting, that support parents can dramatically lower instances of child abuse. Every year, there are more than 7,000 confirmed cases of child abuse and neglect in Washington state.
In this Learning for Life segment, Laura Wells, state director of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids Washington, and Lakewood Police Chief Bret Farrar help us celebrate national Week of the Young Child by talking about what law enforcement leaders and violence survivors in our state and throughout the country - more than 5,000 strong - are doing to help give kids a good start in life.
04.07.10
How to best discipline young children:When most people hear the words "children" and "discipline," they think punishment, rules and consequences ... but it's actually bigger than that.
Discipline is about teaching and providing guidelines and support for young children while they are learning how to manage their emotions, deal with disappointment or frustration and form relationships with other people.
Discipline also means providing limits as well as opportunities. The way parents choose to set limits for their children has a significant impact on their development
This week on Learning for Life, Carolyn Pirak of Seattle-based Talaris Institute talks about a discipline approach that's preferred by child experts, what to keep in mind when you are disciplining your child and what to do if you're having trouble getting the behavior you want from your child.
.png)