Community Impact Corner

“How long do we brush our teeth for?” asksMatt Campbell, Oral Health Specialist, to

the eagerly liste ning children of Sacred Heart Preschool.“TWO MINUTES!” the children gleefully shout in unison. “And why is it important to brush our tongue, too?”

“Because germs can sleep on the bumps of our tongue,” a four year old girl confidently responds.Young children learn fast, and teaching them good oral health does more than just keep their smiles bright.

“You can never learn too much,” says Lavinia Lucescu, talking about her decision to enroll in Common Sense Parenting, a parenting class funded by First Things First. For six weeks, parents like Lavinia have attended the class to improve their parenting skills, increase their knowledge of child development, and cultivate the tools they need to best raise their children.

“Most people in the U.S. are totally unprepared for an emergency,” says Marty Caldwell, Emergency Services Consultant and Trainer, speaking at the Yavapai County Child Care Coalition’s Emergency and Disaster Preparedness Conference. “They’re thinking: it won’t happen to me, it won’t happen in my area.” In Yavapai County, thousands of young

children are in the care of child care providers every day while their parents work. For childcare professionals, the safety of the children is their number one priority.

Charlotte, three years old, bounds in to embrace her mother Ginnifir at a family event held at Grannie’s House, a child care group home in the heart of Prescott Valley. “I just wanted to give you a hug,” Charlotte says to her mother before running off to play with the other children.

“It’s so important for our kids to have a strong base,” says Ginnifir, mother of Charlotte and seven year-old Carson. “I was blessed finding this place.”

Mrs. Fine is the proud great-grandmother of two bright young ladies, Karen, nine years old, and Celia, seven years old*. She has also been their primary caregiver for seven years. In Yavapai County, it is estimated that over 1,000 grandparents have custody of their grandchildren. Over half of these grandchildren are under age five. For a woman of retirement age, raising two spirited young girls can be a challenge. “I don’t have the energy or patience I once had!”