Statistics on early childhood care and adult success.
By Negin Ascher
When life gets crazy, it’s easy to miss opportunities to nurture our youngest children. In fact, statistics indicate that very few Americans truly understand the impact of a child’s earliest years. In California, the state’s financial commitment to early care and education declines with each successive round of budget cuts.
Yet, we know now that there is a biological window of development that, once past, can hardly be revisited. We know that the earliest years are the time of greatest development and brain formation and the best predictors of eventual educational attainment, social contributions and even happiness. (more…)
Total Time: 5 minutes
Marking the beginning of fall, this tasty dish is delicious served both at room temperature and warm. It is not only sweet and savory, but also filled with nutritious ingredients. Couscous is low in fat, filled with protein, potassium, and the antioxidant, selenium. Raisins are fat-free, cholesterol-free, low in sodium, and high in fiber. Butternut squash has fiber, potassium, vitamin B6, and is low in fat, making it a heart-friendly “power food”. 
Getting your children caught up on vaccines before school is extremely important. Starting last year, adolescent vaccinations came into the spotlight with the new requirement for all 7th graders to be up to date on the Tdap (Tetanus and Pertussis) vaccine after the large pertussis outbreak in 2010. There are other vaccines that adolescents should have as well, including the meningococcal vaccine (Menactra or Menveo). 
Slowly, yet ever so surely, a new revolution is emerging in this country as a response to our declining educational outputs. This revolution is being driven by parents who are tired of trying to navigate local school bureaucracies just to get their children a quality education. These parents come from all walks of life and are challenging the education status quo to listen, embrace innovation and be open to change. This new parent voice couldn’t come at a better time. 
Have you ever dreaded a moment so much that you delay it, find every excuse not to have it, and hoped you could hire someone else to do it? That is how the parents I talk to in my practice often portray the moment when they have had to tell their children they are getting divorced.
Back to school means early hectic mornings getting everyone out the door. Preparing their lunches is another obstacle so take time to prep anything you can the night before. I like to chop vegetables for a stir fry or whip up a pasta sauce for instance the night before, so I can just quickly make it in the morning. It is also important to make sure to have all of your containers ready to go and your child’s lunch basket, bag or box all set to make sure the morning routine goes smoothly. There are some great companies that make eco-friendly containers and reusable carriers that I love and recommend. 
People often ask me how long it will take to complete an organizing project. And my first response is “How long did it take to collect the clutter?” But are the two closely connected? We are always consuming and bringing items into our spaces whether it’s groceries, clothes, toys, magazines or our kids schoolwork and art projects. What do we do with all of that stuff on a daily basis? Some is consumed or tossed but most of it is added to the piles we have cast aside with the intention of going through it “one day.” So for many, organizing is something you do when you get completely overwhelmed and can’t handle the clutter anymore. You don’t need to wait for that to happen. 
Q&A with Beverly Hills Orthodontists Dr. Monica Madan and Dr. Erin Cohen about sports drinks and their relationship with your teeth.