The 2000 Days Pledge is an effort to bring parents and teachers together as partners to support a child's growth and development during an important time in life – the first 2000 days – roughly the time between birth and the start of kindergarten. Research tells us that 90% of a child's brain development happens before kindergarten even begins. Through a community-wide collaboration with partners like the Cleveland Browns Foundation, The Centers for Families and Children is raising awareness on how families and teachers working together can make the most of this critical time.
The 2000 Days Pledge demonstrates the importance of everyday experiences during this critical time and how they impact a child's future in school, career and life. The 2000 Days Pledge empowers families by helping them understand the multitude of choices they face in childhood development at home, in education and in health.
The Centers for Families and Children launched the 2000 Days Pledge within their own high quality early learning centers in 2013. Based on the positive response from families and teachers, The Centers joined with key partners including the Cleveland Browns Foundation, PNC Bank, the United Way Women's Leadership Council, Cleveland Foundation, George Gund Foundation, and Saint Luke's Foundation to share the 2000 Days Pledge with the broader community. The 2000 Days Pledge is now being used in early learning centers across the region through partnerships with PRE4CLE, Cuyahoga County Invest in Children and Starting Point among others.
Why invest in the first 2000 days?
The percentage of Ohio children who are unprepared for kindergarten has steadily increased since 2009. Right now, nearly sixty percent of Ohio children who enter kindergarten are not prepared for success. Unfortunately, the situation is no brighter across the country. For all of our children, success in life starts with the right foundation in the early years. This means that parents are the first teachers and the family home is the first classroom.
"Investments in the first 2000 days of life build the foundation for success in school and beyond," Elizabeth Newman, President and CEO, The Centers for Families and Children. "The 2000 Days Pledge is helping us build strong partnerships with the most important thing in a child's life – their family!"
What is the 2000 Days Pledge?
At the core of 2000 Days Pledge is a promise of partnership between families and teachers to make the most of their child's time before kindergarten. Parents that take the pledge commit to make every day of the first 2000 count for their child in three important ways:
- Keeping their child in a high quality early learning experience for as many days as possible during the first 2000,
- Partnering with their child's teachers to get their child ready for Kindergarten, and
- Choosing an elementary school that is high performing and compatible with their child's learning style and needs.
In return, the 2,000 Days Pledge engages with pledge takers through clear and easy to remember tips and resources about education, health and nutrition, school choice, literacy and safety to those who take the pledge. This information can be received through text messages, emails, and social media outlets. This fall, The Centers will partner with Rainbow Babies' and Children's Hospitals with support from the Cleveland Browns Foundation and PNC to bring the 2000 Days Pledge to pediatricians. The 2000 Days Pledge will help physicians to partners with families to support their child's health and development.
Make every day count. It's never too late to start!
Visit **2000dayspledge.org** to learn more and take the Pledge today!
