A Child Trends research summary shows a strong connection between education and all aspects of success -- from employment and earnings to health, family formation and civic involvement. Moreover, the critical link between a college education and future economic success has actually grown in the last several decades.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has long been a proponent of breastfeeding. Its updated policy statement reflects new research indicating that breastfeeding can decrease the incidence or severity of conditions such as diarrhea, ear infections and bacterial meningitis. Breastfeeding may also offer protection against sudden infant death syndrome, diabetes, obesity, and asthma. Among the AAP's new recommendations: babies should be breastfed for approximately the first six months (the group supports breastfeeding for the first year and beyond if mutually desired by mother and child), and that mother and infant should sleep in proximity to each other to facilitate breastfeeding.

The Center for Law and Social Policy has published two briefs-one on
paid parental leave and the other on paid sick days-in its new series
focusing on the work-life balance. The reports catalogue lessons learned
from policies in place in New Zealand. Despite drastic differences in
labor force size, the United States and New Zealand face many of the
same labor-force challenges, including growing numbers of working
mothers and an aging workforce with fewer workers to support an
increasing number of older citizens. Among the recommendations: making
businesses aware that parental leave is a relatively rare occurrence,
increasing public-private partnerships to encourage business
participation in parental leave policy debates, and general-revenue
financing of parental leave.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is giving planning grants to assess children's needs and determining how pediatricians can help ease the plight of children in the aftermath of the deadly tsunami. You can donate to the AAP Friends of Children Fund for tsunami relief.

The National Service-Learning Partnership's Web site offers a variety of resources for parents and teachers to talk to young people about the tsunami disaster in Asia, as well as information on youth-led fundraising efforts.

Reading Rockets has a list of books that parents and teachers can use to help children grasp the human aspect of the disaster in a non-threatening way. The books on the list don't explain how a tsunami is formed or illustrate its terrible aftermath -- instead, they highlight children whose lives are outwardly different but inwardly the same as
children everywhere. For more information, contact Laurie Fry at 503-399-7999.

A coalition of more than 100 organizations -- representing 10 million
young people in all 50 states -- launched a nationwide "Quarters from Kids" campaign to enlist every child and youth in America to support the tsunami relief and rebuilding efforts in South and Southeast Asia.

The 1996 welfare reform bill connected many single parents to jobs. But how are they faring now? According to the latest posting on the Urban Institute's "Single Parents' Earnings Monitor," the economic downturn undid only part of the gains in employment and wages during 1996-2000. Single mothers' unemployment rate rose from a low of about 6.5 percent in mid-2000 to a high of about 10 percent in mid-2003. Real hourly wages continued to increase, though at a lower pace after 2000 than between 1996 and 2000 -- particularly for the lowest-paid workers.

Seventy percent of American families are headed by either two working parents or a single working parent. Work brings enormous benefits; but most working parents also face difficult trade-offs. The New America Foundation examined the effects of current working conditions on families and found that the lack of flexibility -- in paid leave, telecommuting or nontraditional hours -- has been linked to depression in women. Negative maternal attitudes tend to result in more negative behaviors among kids. Children with parents who works nights or evenings or who lack paid time off typically have lower reading and math test scores. To help keep workers and children healthy and productive, the foundation recommends expanding access to quality child care and adopting policies to encourage businesses to provide more flexible work arrangements and paid leave options. States should also consider altering the school day and school year calendar to meet the needs of parents, without sacrificing children's education.

The Harvard Family Research Project's "The Evaluation Exchange" examines programs that promote families' involvement in children's learning and development -- from pre-school to high school.