NORTHEAST LOUISIANA (KTVE/KARD) - (3/21/19) To celebrate, the organization spent the afternoon recognizing contributions of board members, honoring staff for their milestones, and expressing thanks to community partners. 

Executive Director Lynn Clark says the Children's Coalition has a clear goal for future growth for the fourteen parishes that it serves.     
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Kerry Hefner with LSU AG received the Friend of the Coalition Award for his help with the Community Garden.
Yesterday afternoon, LSU AG trained 48 early childhood educators in Edible Gardens for 22 childcare centers in five different parishes.

Early childhood education brings high returns for the community. Susan Nelson, director of Louisiana Partnership for Children and Families, talks with KEDM about raising funding for early childhood education.

Investing in young children can change a community
Nelson is making moves in legislative sessions to improve the funding and attention paid to programs focusing on increasing the mental, physical and emotional health of children. Louisiana gives no funding to the Childcare Assistance Program. If the program were to receive money from the state of Louisiana, more families would have access to high-quality childcare. When children and families have access to higher quality childcare centers, the chances of that child being better equipped for life and school is very high.

Throughout the South, state-funded childcare is very low, but Louisiana lacks behind states like Mississippi and Texas. Susan Nelson says better early childhood education leads to a lower need for healthcare later in life. Returns on early childhood education investments have been measured to be 18%. As such, Susan Nelson continues to advocate for Louisiana Partnership for Children and Families and Early Childhood Services and Support. Time to Talk is produced with the Children's Coalition for Northeast Louisiana and BayouLife Magazine.

Sleep is one of the most important 'fuels' our body needs. Dr. Lynn Clark, executive director of the Children's Coalition of Northeast Louisiana, says that engaging with teens about how to get a better hold on their somatic health can positively impact mental and physical health. 

Talking to Your Teens About Sleep
When discussing the importance of somatic health, explain why sleep is important. Sleep is food for the brain and refreshes the brain when it receives a full 8-10 hours of sleep. In order to grow and process stressors that plague the average middle-schooler and high-schooler, brains need more time to rejuvenate and improve physical and mental health. 
Sleep-deprived driving is the same as drunk-driving.

Lack of Sleep and Consequences
Dr. Clark says sleep-deprived driving is the same as drunk driving. Combatting lack of sleep can involve talking to your teen about managing their environment, being smarter about cellphone usage and, cutting caffeine usage after 4 p.m. 
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On the Suspicion of Sleep Disorders
If you think your child is struggling with a sleep disorder, it is recommended to consult a pediatrician. Sleep disorders are not behavioral, but medical and are treatable. Time to Talk is produced with the Children's Coalition for Northeast Louisiana and BayouLife Magazine.

Many parents are aware of sex trafficking, but think it can never happen to their child. Pamela Samuels Young, attorney-turned-writer and advocate, wants to dispel that myth. "If your child has a cell phone, predators have direct access to them," Young says. 

Misconceptions 
Young stresses the importance of awareness. Any child is accessible, the problem is not exclusive to foster kids or runaways. Predators are no longer lurking around schools, but instead utilizing social media to find vulnerable young people. When parents learn to navigate changes that occur with new technology and new risks, children are safer.

How To Help
In order to protect your child, Young gives solutions. For example, know how your child might be groomed by adults, either romantically or forcefully. Be aware of who your kids are friends with, what they're doing online, and raise your girls to have self-esteem. 

Children's safety depends on a parent's awareness and involvement. The more you engage with your child, the easier it becomes to advocate for them. Knowing how problems and dangers have changed generationally is one of the toughest parts of parenthood, but could save your child's life. 
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Time to Talk is produced with the Children's Coalition for Northeast Louisiana and BayouLife Magazine.