Childhood in the
New Millennium
Recently, I heard a radio interview of a journalist who had conducted research on children's brain development. The journalist described how some children's brains are better developed than others because they experienced an abundance of early environmental stimulation. He also cited research on how violence affects children's brain development, noting a correlation between frequent exposure to violence and changes in the brain that caused some children to become violent themselves. The interview pointed out that American society ignores the importance of early development and is unwilling to commit financial resources to enhance children's early influences. The journalist noted that voters are willing to finance expensive prisons yet are unwilling to invest in programs that nurture children's development, even though such programs might reduce the need for prisons.
Several recent magazine articles and television segments have addressed concerns about children, focusing on overcrowded schools and how such conditions might affect the quality of education. The sources claimed that this situation was caused in part by voters rejecting bond issues to build new schools.
Another report discussed the fact that in the next few years a large percentage of teachers will reach retirement age. As a result, new teachers will enter the profession with fewer master teachers to guide them. All this at a time when the student population is on the rise.
Another article examined how the quality of child care affected infants and preschoolers. The article explored the importance of ensuring quality care for all children and the difficulty families have locating such care.
It is obvious that the low pri-ority children's welfare receives in the U.S. has been discussed in many contexts. Children's advocates bemoan policymakers' lack of interest in children's concerns. They claim Congress does not ad'dress the needs of U.S. children because there is no organized children's lobby. Statistics show that other countries have better records in this area (e.g., seven Western countries have a lower incidence of low birth weight babies and infant deaths). In addition, other developed countries provide superior child care and public school education, and have better provisions for paid leave for new parents.
The needs of children and families became issues during the 1996 national elections. At both the Republican and Democratic conventions, speakers and candidates addressed the needs of families and what should be done to better serve them. Of course, there was no agreement; nevertheless, it was a focus not seen in recent campaigns.
After the conventions, political analysts reviewed the positions of the two parties. At one session, they described the dearth of im-portant issues being addressed. There was general consensus that the family issues addressed at the conventions were of minimal im-portance and were introduced only as an effort to get parents' votes. One commentator even belittled the importance of family issues to the nation. While the focus on family concerns may have been politically motivated, the commentator reflected the uninformed approach of many policymakers who ignore the needs of children.
Gangs, increasing drug use among children and adolescents, and widespread juvenile crime point to family and community factors that are affecting children. The commentator I heard may not get it, but educators understand the challenges facing today's parents. We should welcome every opportunity to highlight children's needs and the societal benefits of nurturing and supporting families. Perhaps the nation will eventually take ser-iously the relationship between deprivation in early development and the difficulties schools and communities have with troubled adolescents who are not successful in school, and who have be-come a detriment to themselves and others.
We need to give priority to children's needs. They are an essential resource as we approach the new millennium.
--Sue Wortham, President