There is a greeting in East Africa that asks “How are the children?” If the children are well, it is understood that not only are the children thriving, but the whole community is doing well.
That understanding directly informed the creation of the Early Childhood Alliance (ECA), an area coalition of schools, childhood providers, non-profits, and libraries (including Morton Grove Public Library) that want to help ensure the well-being of children in our community. The ECA’s vision is “for all young children and their caregivers to have healthy relationships, safe environments, and high-quality learning experiences in order to reach their full potential.”
Putting that vision into practice, the ECA is hosting a free screening and discussion of the documentary No Small Matter, which explores the most overlooked, underestimated, and powerful force for good in America today: early childhood education.
Please join us at Skokie Public Library on January 28 for the screening and discussion (register here). Refreshments and childcare are provided. This screening is the first of many offerings that are part of the ECA’s “Lifting Up Early Childhood” series.
Recognizing that parents are a child’s first teacher, we especially want to involve mothers and fathers in the conversation about how we can best serve our children. But parents aren’t the only ones in the community who have a stake in our young ones’ well-being. We must include people in business and government as well. We all benefit when we raise responsible citizens with the skills and knowledge necessary to make our community a place where we are proud to live.
Debbie Wiedeman is the Early Literacy Coordinator and Youth Services Librarian at the Morton Grove Public Library.