The Preschool Suspension Crisis

TOP OF MIND

Preschoolers have higher suspension rates than K-12
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the expulsion and suspension rate is three times more for preschoolers than children in kindergarten through 12th grades.

In Minnesota, 49% of pre-school teachers admitted to suspending a student in the past year. In Texas, there were over 70,000 suspensions for kids in pre-k through 2nd grade.

More fun numbers? According to findings from the Center for American Progress, 250 preschoolers are suspended or expelled daily.

The important bits
If you dig into the numbers more, they become even more troublesome. Boys were expelled at a rate over 4.5 times that of girls, and Black children make up nearly 50% of public preschool suspensions, despite representing less than one-fifth of all preschoolers.

Children with disabilities are also more likely to be suspended. Most of the suspensions revolve around some form of disruptive behavior. Additionally, a number of parents claim they were given no warning, so there was no way to address the issue.

For most parents, the suspensions felt more like rejections. One parent noted, "It is hard when [your child] is not wanted."

Research has also found that the kids suffer as well. The suspensions often lead to more anxiety and even depression. And I think we can all agree that if 4-year-olds are getting depressed, we're doing something wrong as a society.

What's it all mean?
There needs to be more communication between teachers and parents. If a kid is being disruptive in class, at least give the parents a chance to correct it.

Other suggestions include: teachers having access to early childhood mental health consultation to assist them, along with smaller classroom sizes. And in some states, like California and Massachusetts, they're working toward banning suspensions in preschool.

DID YOU HEAR

💩 My milkshake brings all the microbes to the yard
In recent years, several studies have shown that delivery by c-section increases the risk of a child developing conditions like asthma, celiac disease, and diabetes. Researchers believe this is due in part to the number and type of microbes that end up in the baby’s gut during birth. That’s where a new clinical trial comes in, investigating whether adding a small amount of the mother's feces diluted in milk, can introduce more microbes into their baby's gut. Click here to see if the "poop milkshake" is working.

🌲 Spending more time in nature can ease anxiety in kids
Canadian researchers found that a school program allowing 10- to 12-year-olds to spend time in nature each week boosted their mental well-being. During the three-month study, kids were randomly assigned to either stay in school as usual or spend two hours each week with teachers in a park or green space. Unsurprisingly, the kids spending time in nature saw noticeable improvements in mental health.

🧱 Roblox is finally trying to protect children
Earlier this year we told you how some countries were banning Roblox due to safety concerns regarding young children on the app. Well, we're happy to report that the gaming platform is finally addressing those safety issues. They're implementing a number of new measures, including automatic blocking of direct messaging for users under 13. Read all about it here.

👶 Best baby gifts, according to child development experts
Struggling with gift ideas for your baby? Or your friend's baby? Or a stranger's baby? Experts say the best toys are the ones that engage them and provide feedback. Some of the top picks? This Rollin' Rainstick Rattle, this super cute Wobbling Melody Penguin, these See-Me Sensory Balls and the unique Tobbles Neo stacking set.

🐏 5 zodiac signs that make for the most difficult children
Click here to see if you're fighting a losing battle, according to “Astrology Bro.”

A DOSE OF GOOD

@raquelruizsande

BITES WITH KIYAH

Time spent outdoors has been associated with consuming a healthier diet, and as we noted earlier, improvements in mental health. But kids don’t have to be outside in school to benefit from spending time in nature. You can support your kids (and your own!) mental health by eating outside. Dinner on the back patio, a park bench, or picnic blanket are easy ways to benefit from a little time in nature.

Not sure what to pack for your next picnic? Here are 51 ideas.

HERE’S A QUESTION

There's a viral Instagram video going around showing a father telling his daughter that she may have killed the family dog after giving him a box of raisins.

Several people in the comments were shocked by his blunt parenting style, claiming he probably traumatized his daughter for life.

Last week, we asked if you'd be traveling this holiday season, and there was a near tie for first place between, "Yes, via plane!" and "Yes, via car!" Sadly, no one is traveling by train!

RECALLS

Throw out your organic carrots
Organic carrots are being recalled across the country following a deadly E. coli outbreak.

The outbreak is courtesy of Grimmway Farms, which is one of the world's largest producers of carrots. They're recalling multiple sizes and brands of organic baby and whole carrots.

That includes baby organic carrots with best-if-used-by dates that ranged from Sept. 11 to Nov. 12 and whole organic carrots that were sold in stores around Aug. 14 to Oct. 23.

Several stores have been impacted by this recall, including Target, Trader Joe's, Sprouts, Whole Foods and Walmart. 

At least 38 people have become ill, and sadly, one person has died. If you have organic carrots in your fridge, it'd be best to err on the side of caution and throw them out.