Friday Speaker 1

Urban Child Institue!
As I listened to the speaker last Friday I was intrigued by MANY awakening facts that I had no idea occurred and still are to this day! Well Friday I could not decide whether I was going to attend the speaker because it was FLOODING rain and freezing and I was on the total opposite side of campus but finally I decided I would go and I am glad I did because there was just two of us in there! I could not remember his name and I felt bad to ask him after he started but he works for the Urban Child Institute. They focus on children ages 0-3 because they feel that if brain growth is slowed during those ages, the “tool box” of life will be messed up so he says. A child’s brain is 80% hardwired by age 3! In Memphis alone, we could fill up the Liberty Bowl 3 times with children of ages 3 and under! He and his company want to help children get started on the right foot that way they are not hurt for life. He stated that the 4 main influences on children are: age of mom of first birth, mom’s education (not father, oddly enough), income of family, and family structure. He also stated the fact that breast feeding is very important! It helps increase babies immunity. Oddly enough though, the largest supplier of formula is food stamps….? You think they would just convince families to breast feed and that would be less money spent by government.