When I was a little girl my parents told me that I could be anything that I wanted to be. By the time I entered the third grade, I knew without a doubt that I wanted to become a writer. My Mom says there was a short-lived phase when I would only communicate through writing. My Mom and Dad nurtured my early, yet perplexing interest in words and non-verbal communication....
We've all heard the parable that no one nearing the end of life wishes he or she had spent more time at work. Here, at The Urban Child Institute, we have a similar parable, but we say no one nears the end of life and says: "I wish I hadn't given so much attention to my children."
The Urban Child Institute's message—that brain development in children ages 0-3 is critical—is straightforward. It's the dissemination of this message that gets more complicated. Enter the Technology Department.
If we were publishing a visual dictionary, we know what we would put beside the word, "trusting." It would be the picture of a young child. Nothing is more important to infants and toddlers than relationships with nurturing, loving people, both inside and outside the family. In fact, that is how they define the world and what it has to offer.
According to traditional wisdom, the best place to start is at the beginning. When it comes to tackling some of the most pressing issues facing the city, this advice is no less pertinent. So when People First, a non-profit initiative of Memphis Fast Forward, took on the challenge of improving education and talent retention in Memphis, they started at the very beginning — before a student is even born.
A few years ago, The Urban Child Institute (UCI) and Neighborhood Christian Centers partnered on a simple concept that would encourage Mid-South families to spend time together in a way that fused science and good old fashioned parenting. What emerged was Touch Talk Read Play (TTRP).
