When will Taylor County get it?

I try very hard to stay off my soap box, but every now and then I can't help it.  Tonight is one of those nights.  I am on my way back to Wisconsin after being in DC for a few days and I finally had the opportunity to read a book which has been begging to be read, Ghosts from the Nursey.   The soapbox I want to get on is about prevention.  I want wealthy people in Taylor County, Wisconsin to wake up and start putting their money in a place that will do some REAL good.....home visitation.

So why the soapbox after reading this book?  Because it adds more fuel to the argument I have been making for a long time.  Child development and teaching starts long before a child enters preschool.  It starts at home.  It starts during pregnancy.  And, yes, it starts with the parents. 

Frequently, abuse breeds abuse and crime breeds crime.  It is natural for parents to parent how they were parented, even when they intend not too and this why intervention through a home visitation program is so important.  There is so much research demonstrating the difference that early intervention can make, yet funding is sucked away from these programs. 

I guess I shouldn't be surprised since we live in such a now, now, now society.  When will those with the power to give money figure out that todays infants could be tomorrows criminals......

I implore you all, invest in Early childhood programs.  Invest in quality home visitation programs.  Invest in programs that stregnthen family relationships, because, if you really want children to be ready for school they have got to have the social and emotional stuff down.