May Children's Advocate now online!

This issue includes our election coverage for the May election and a special easy-to-read comic book about California's budget gridlock. Teachers and providers will be interested in our professional development article -- learning social skills through play, as well as an article about how the Water Cooler is bringing children's advocates together. Articles of interest to parents include our parent advice article on raising boys and two articles about parent activism. Here's a full list of articles:

• On the Ballot May 19: Nonpartisan election coverage of Propositions 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, and 1E
  
• Grassroots snapshot: San Francisco parents get an advocate on the school board
  
• Hot topics: “I don’t want more kids to get asthma”
  Parents and advocates take action against pollution to prevent asthma in their communities
  
• Early care and education--Learning through play: “A recipe for life success”
  Children develop social skills through play
  
• Raising kids: Overcoming Stereotypes, Part 2: “We’re encouraging ourson to be happy and expressive”
  Families and educators share tips for raising boys
  
• “A coalition that’s broad enough to make it happen”
  The Water Cooler brings advocates for young children together
  
• News from the California Child Development CORPS: “I wanted to be part of it!”
  
• News from Parent Voices: Members get involved in federal advocacy campaigns
  
• California Budget Gridlock: Grandma Tells the Story
  A Children's Advocate comic book (available in PDF format only)
  
• Children's Advocate Roundtable: Spring into action: Sacramento lobby days

Read these articles in English and Spanish (Chinese will be up next week), or download the pdfs to share with colleagues, parents, and students. Online at http://www.4children.org/issues/2009/may_june/