the
empathy
lab

Katie Hobbs (D) https://katiehobbs.org/ That’s why she eliminated the tax on rent, helped working Arizonans with down payment assistance to buy their first homes, and slashed red tape to make housing more affordable. Katie is also canceling two billion dollars in medical debt for one million Arizonans because no family should have to choose between life-saving medical care and putting food on the table. She secured the largest investment in child care since the Great Recessi

Jocelyn Benson (D) https://jocelynbenson.com/about/ As an educator and daughter of public school teachers, it’s deeply personal for her to know that every child can receive a world-class education. She also knows the rising costs of taking care of a family, buying a home, putting food on the table, and ensuring access to health care have made it too hard for families to get into the middle class and stay in it. "I want Michigan to be the best place in the country to be a kid,

Are you a US voter who wants to stand up for better child care and education? If so, you're among 70-90% of all voters nationwide. 2026 brings gubernatorial elections to 36 states. Let's get parents, providers, and all other concerned parties together and make a change for the children.  We need to start raising humans who are strong, intelligent, and caring. Starting early only makes sense. Thirty-six states will hold gubernatorial elections in 2026. At early childhood roc

Here are 4 candidates, in no particular order. This post will be revised as the race changes. Keisha Lance Bottoms https://www.keishaforgovernor.com/aboutfrom From her official website: Keisha will work to eliminate income taxes for teachers, crack down on corporate landlords that are buying up houses and making it harder for families to buy a home or afford rent, and she will invest in education so our children have better pathways to success through career training or col

It’s easy these days to be acquainted with a lot of people. But how many of those people do we really know?  And how many do we want to know? When asked, most people say that they  prefer a few close friends to many acquaintances.  But when pressed to say how they do it, they usually admit that they find it hard to develop the close lasting friends that we remember from TV sitcoms. Studies* have shown people who ask slightly nosy questions form stronger bonds with others on a

The following candidates are officially in the race for Governor of Wisconsin. We'll try to keep up with changes as they occur. The candidates are listed in no particular order. We tried to include as much information on each candidate's child care ideas as we could find at the time of publication. Josh Schoemann (R) from his official website: https://www.joshschoemann.com/ Wisconsin doesn’t need more politics. We need more neighbors. That means fighting for working families

Here's a popular game that teaches counting, comparison, addition, subtraction, and division  to preschoolers without them knowing it As an advocate of learning through play, I recently interviewed a 5-year-old on the structure of her kindergarten class. Do you get to play a lot, or do you work most of the time? Oh, we only got to play in 4-K . In kindergarten, all we do is work. I HATE math!! I've heard the same description of pre-K and kindergarten activities so many tim

I use this old Russian folk song to teach appreciation and thankfulness to very young children. One day, I asked a group of toddlers and preschoolers what they liked and what made them really happy. I made a list of their heartwarming answers and jotted their names or symbols next to each answer. I posted it in a good spot, and we often sang the song with their answers inserted. The smiles on their faces when they heard their answers incorporated in the song were priceless.

Let's create something new in early care and education. There is a pressing need for high-quality options, especially in infant and toddler care. Since a child's approach to problem-solving and general attitudes toward learning are formed during this time, we must stop treating it as if it doesn't matter. Investing in children and their caregivers during this period holds the most significant potential for societal change. It's been scientifically proven that focusing on the

"I've noticed that my child seems to be exceptionally smart, maybe even gifted. What should I do?" You’re probably right about your child being gifted. All toddlers have gifts and talents. It takes a keen observer to notice what they are and build on them in ways that are fun and educational for both of you. A recent developmental study of 241 profoundly gifted children between 160 and 237+ IQ (Stanford-Binet Form LM) discovered that: 94% were very alert as infants. 94% had

Expectations play a huge role in creating responsible, empathetic human beings. Our approach to everything, our attitudes, and our ability to communicate with others effectively are all formed during our first few years of life. Scientists have long known that emotional habits can change the neural pathways that govern mood and regulation. But if it's so important, how are we supposed to know what to expect? And how do we help young children develop good emotional habits? E

C aring O bservation V igilance E xpectations S caffolding Today, we focus on vigilance. Good parents and teachers never give up on children. They find a way to reach them. Day, in and day out, they show up and do their best. And they don't mind repeating themselves often if they have to. Here's a shortcut that helps me realize that there are only three main rules in my world. Since I often repeat and sing them, it makes a lasting impression. Along with the three rul

An Underwear Story I worked with a teacher who made a big mistake. She accidentally flushed a young 3-year-old's underwear when she was rinsing it out after a BM accident. And it went right down the industrial-strength toilet, never to be seen again. She apologized profusely to the parent who said, Oh no! That was his favorite red underwear! So the teacher felt really bad and drove all over town, but couldn't find the exact pa ir anywhere. So sh e bought a pair that was

Yes, empathy can indeed be created. It doesn't appear from nowhere. But how do we build empathy in young children? Here's one word that...

COVES Caring Observing Vigilance Expectations Scaffolding There is a lack of empathy in the world. But why? Lots of people have opinions....

This is an article for parents and teachers of our youngest children. It includes fall activities that can be easily done with young...

This Dad and Baby are building a framework for communication that is destined to last an entire lifetime. The obvious emotional...

As a professional toddler teacher, I've assisted in the potty training of dozens of children. One thing I know for sure is that no two...

It's not time for whining about the child care crisis in the US. It's time to do something positive about it. Since a usable, unified...

If you're in charge of a toddler for any period of time, read this. It's a suggestion that came from Dr. Becky Bailey, creator of the...