Fox 13 Good Morning Memphis 'Memphis Association for the Education of Young Children' 3/29/11

Quality child care promotes early brain development and benefits kids and families.

• Parents are better able to maintain steady employment and provide for their families when affordable, high quality child care is available. This is especially important for low-income families, whose jobs tend to permit less flexibility.
• Quality child care can improve children's cognitive and social skills, ensuring that they are prepared to enter kindergarten, and is associated with increased academic performance and fewer behavioral problems in the elementary school years. Research also suggests that poor children may have the most to gain from access to quality care.
• Parents need to know that their child care arrangements are providing a safe and nurturing environment for their children. If care is of low quality, potential cognitive and social benefits for children will be lost.

Quality early care is important to many parents in our community.

• Nearly 85 percent of moms in the U.S. work, as do 65 percent of moms with kids under the age of three. As is true across the country, many kids in Shelby County spend a significant part of each day in the care of adults other than their parents.
• More than half of children born in Shelby County each year are born to single moms who rely on a network of formal and informal child care providers so that they are able to work.
• Large numbers of married parents also depend on child care because both parents are working. Even when parents aren't in the workforce they may place their children in pre-school in order to provide them with high-quality learning experiences.

What is the Memphis Association for The Education of Young Children?

The mission of this organization shall be to provide opportunities for the members to enhance their knowledge of the newer approaches in Early Childhood Education and to coordinate the efforts of others in promoting the general welfare of and improving education opportunities for all children.

MAEYC and the surrounding community represent a diverse community of families. We seek to build an environment based upon unity of purpose which will be reflective of all cultures and values. This environment will be one which the Early Childhood community, including but not limited to children, families, teachers, educators, and other interested parties shall be enriched through high quality training programs which promote health and safety, high self esteem, and prepare children to develop their potential learning. This organization will be viewed as an all inclusive professional Early Childhood organization, and will be recognized as such throughout Southwest Tennessee. 

For more information on MAEYC, please visit: http://www.maeycmemphis.org  

Attend the 2011 Spring Conference!

THEME: Early Years Are Learning Years- Teaching and Teachers Matter

WHERE: Holiday Inn University of Memphis * Fogelman Executive Conference Center* 330 Innovation Drive * Memphis, TN 38152

WHEN: Saturday, April 16, 2011 from 7:30am- 2:30 pm