America's Kids Start Learning Way Before Kindergarten
Much of my work during the past decade has involved helping parents better understand the problems of unfettered media and technology access to their kids. But this doesn't mean that my colleagues and I oppose children using media and the latest digital content and tools. Rather, there are many positives that can come from the appropriate use of high-quality media and technology. Moreover, when used widely, and with appropriate supervision from parents and teachers, kids can learn a ton from those mobile videos, apps and programs that saturate their lives 24/7.
The bottom line is clear: children learn from everything and everyone around them. Research makes it evident that early learning begins well before kids start walking and talking. Indeed, more than 80 percent of a child's brain develops before age 5. This means that much of the critical learning that will mold that child's brain and help her become successful later in school starts with the early efforts of her parents.
Everyone recognizes that a parent is a child's first teacher. As community members, each of us has a moral and economic responsibility to ensure that these early teachers have all of the resources they need so that their children get their best shot at success. Unfortunately,