Young minds require nourished bodies

A healthy start encompasses many aspects, including access to the right nutrition, health care, checkups, exercise, parental support and early childhood education.

There is a strong correlation between child abuse and neglect and declining access to a healthy start. Nutritious breakfasts are not a high priority in neglectful or abusive households.

There is also a high correlation between eating breakfast and school performance; therefore, one way to improve school performance is through the free and reduced-price meal programs.

Last year about 40 percent of students in Spokane County benefited through the free and reduced-price meal program in Spokane schools. Not having a growling stomach lets students pay more attention to class and ultimately play and work harder. Also, when children are supplied with adequate nutrition, they have a sense of security that then allows them to explore in other areas.

As a community, Spokane should place an emphasis on expanding the free and reduced-price lunch program.

In addition to having their physical needs met, children also have the right to emotional support.

In my early life, I believe that having caring parents, the support system they provided me and access to early childhood education gave me many opportunities for growth. At home and at my preschool co-op, I was surrounded by caring adults and an environment that nurtured my curiosity and need to explore.

I believe that it was the environment I grew up in which created the person I am today. In fact, I still see many of the children and parents whom I met at preschool. These relationships were able to grow because of the qualified staff in my early education.

It is necessary to ensure child-care centers meet criteria like child-teacher ratios, staff education, and staff support, as well as paying staff a reasonable wage for the critical work they do to meet the physical and emotional needs of the children they work with.

Nutrition and early education are just two of the areas that make up a healthy start, but together they provide a base for children to learn and grow throughout their lives, and an environment that nurtures healthy development for the children of Spokane.