Memphis Talks Baby Small

More and more people are seeing our Baby Small campaign is continuing and we're excited that it's getting rave reviews.

Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell said: "Baby Small is a wonderful educational tool. The program offers excellent advice about how to raise confident and competent children. I urge citizens throughout Shelby County, especially parents, to take a moment to view the video."

Memphis Mayor A C Wharton: "I am pleased to know that the Baby Small TV campaign for early childhood development is going so well. It's amazing how much simple day-to-day occurrences such as a touch or smile mean to a child's development."

Sandra Brown Turner, Director, University of Memphis Barbara K. Lipman Early Childhood School and Research Institute: "As a native Memphian, I am excited to know that [The Urban Child Institute] really gets how to help our city be better to our children. The Baby Small Campaign is smart thinking for our city's future."

Ruby Bright, Women's Foundation for a Greater Memphis Executive Director: "Seeing the baby small videos on TV captures my attention and puts a smile on my face. Giving and receiving a hug at any age is a gift, but with a child, it is a double pack that keeps on giving. The quick lesson from the Baby Small video can be a life-changing or lifesaving moment."

Derwin Sisnett, Gestalt Community Schools CEO: "TUCI's Baby Small campaign is just what Memphis needs. So many big programs in our city started with smaller initiatives. The campaign does a great job conveying the message that the future of our children begins with our own baby steps."

Bradley Leon, Teach for America Senior Vice-President: "Early child development is a vital component of a comprehensive strategy to ensure that Memphis is a thriving city of the future. As an educator and a father, the work of The Urban Child Institute provides a valuable resource because it gives me the tools to understand the latest research on brain development and apply best practices."

Tomeka Hart, Memphis/Shelby County School Board, Commissioner: "I hope Memphians will take the Baby Small campaign seriously and to heart. The data are clear--there are small, simple things we can do to ensure the healthy brain development of children between conception and three years old; things that won't take a lot of money, but that could improve the economic outlook of our community. We all want to see big changes for our city--we can get there by starting small! It's a no-brainer!"

Marlon Foster, Knowledge Quest Founder and Executive Director: "The Baby Small video is informative, challenging, and practical. I was challenged by the understanding that I am empowered, through practical activity, to affect a child's positive brain development and I resolved to do something about it. My first Baby Small step was to send the link out to parents of Knowledge Quest kids and air the video during a Sunday morning worship hour at Christ Quest Community Church."

Kevin Dean, Literacy Mid-South Executive Director: "The Baby Small message really hit home for me because I see adults at Literacy Mid-South every day who are struggling to rebuild knowledge and capabilities they never got in early childhood. I am such a huge advocate of early childhood education because it's so much easier for a child to learn these things in his formative stages; our students have to work really hard to gain the skills they should have gotten as children."

Barbara Prescott, PeopleFirst Partnership: "Almost half of the children who enter kindergarten in Shelby County are not ready to learn. This means that they start behind in school and many of them never catch up. Parents have the power to do small things that make a huge difference. Talking and reading to your child; giving your child a hug; playing with your child and providing the opportunity for the child to play with others all pack a powerful punch toward helping children develop language, thinking skills, creativity and confidence. There is no greater gift that a parent can give to a child than the opportunity to succeed!"

If you have not yet seen the Baby Small video, watch it now.

This is our chance to change Memphis by making these small investments in our children, we make the biggest difference in their lives and in turn, our community as a whole. Their future is our future, and we need your help to change it for the better.