Raising young kids is an emotional roller coaster. Birth is hard. The identity transformation is real. And society is not set up to help families balance work and helping tiny humans grow.
There’s a lot of info out there about early childhood. This newsletter is your place to get caught up on the big topics that are most important to you and your family. We do the heavy lifting for you to sort through the news and curate key reads and resources about issues affecting families with children ages 0–5. We share information about everything from how to navigate your first pregnancy and how state policies like transitional kindergarten affect early education, to what awesome children’s books to read next.
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Raising kids?
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Starting in January, the state offered more-generous leave benefits. Claims in the first two quarters this year were up about 16%, compared to the same time period last year. -
Last week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said that children without legal status cannot enroll in Head Start — effective immediately. But without implementation guidelines, providers say they're in a holding pattern. -
The ACLU and other groups have taken legal action to challenge the Trump administration's policy to bar children without legal status from Head Start programs. -
More dads in California are taking family leave, but still behind mothers. Here's what the data showMen made up 44% of claims for paid family leave to bond with a new child in fiscal year 2024, compared to only 18% in 2005. -
Child care providers and their union want the state to up the rates it pays them to care for children from low-income families. -
Experts say that preparing a plan with your family is essential in the event of an emergency. Here’s a guide to help coordinate childcare, support your child, find legal services and gather necessary documents.
