To the editor:
April celebrates Month of the Young Child in Michigan! The economic and other societal benefits of quality early childhood education are well documented, so I am writing to offer the perspective of a Leelanau mom on our county’s incredible early childhood education resources and raise awareness about their critical importance.
My daughter is extremely fortunate to attend a preschool that has received the Michigan Great Start to Quality program’s highest rating. In the less than a year she has been in school, I have seen her language, self-sufficiency, and problem solving skills explode. She is continually improving her conflict resolution and emotional self-regulation abilities because her program intentionally teaches those skills. Most rewardingly, she has developed amazing friendships and is learning how to be a member of a wider society beyond her nuclear family. I am confident that she and all of her peers are learning the social and emotional skills that are the foundation for not only academic success, but also lifelong resilience.
Unfortunately, finding quality preschool programming is always challenging, particularly so in a rural area like ours. Michigan State University’s Child Care Mapping Project identified Leelanau County as an area of urgent child care needs where more than two children compete for every childcare spot (as of 2022 data). Every child needs the opportunity to thrive from day one of their educational journey, and I encourage our community and its leaders to prioritize expanded access to quality early childhood education.
Lydia Barbash-Riley Cedar
