Mar 31, 2023
It may "take a village to raise a child," but most American
families are struggling to do the job on their own. While parents
work longer hours for less money and the costs of childcare,
healthcare, and college skyrocket, the share of the U.S. budget
spent on kids has fallen 22 percent since 1960. More and more
children may well not make it to a healthy, productive adulthood.
That's terrible for them--and for us as well.
But it doesn't have to be this way. In this book, renowned expert
David Kirp clarifies the importance of investing wisely in
children. He outlines a visionary "Kids First" policy agenda that's
guided by a "golden rule" principle: Every child deserves what's
good enough for a child you love. And he offers lively and
inspiring, on-the-ground accounts of five big cradle-to-college
initiatives that can change the arc of all children's lives: strong
support for parents; high-quality early education; linking schools
and communities to improve what both offer children; giving all
youngsters access to a caring and stable adult mentor; and
providing kids a nest egg to help pay for college or kick-start a
career.
Originally published in November of 2011, here is David Kirp - Five
Big Ideas for Transforming Children’s Lives.
Visit YouTube.com/TalksatGoogle to watch the video.