Season of Giving is that time of the year when we remember the importance of sharing and caring. And while there are plenty of people who deserve recognition for their selfless support of our mission, one name stands out among others – Padma Rayan.
Djokovic and children! I could not have asked for a better alignment of my Djokovic fandom and the mission of the Novak Djokovic Foundation, which is all about early childhood development and early childhood education. Children are the best! ECE research and grants management have been my world of work for nearly 20 years now. I have two (young) grown children of my own, son is a lawyer, and daughter is a pediatrician.
Why is investing in early childhood education important to you?
I have spent so much time visiting preschools in Duval County, Florida, where I live, and in some of the communities across the US, as part of my work. I cannot stress enough how important it is to give children the best foundation possible. Investing in children = investing in the future.
It is also based on research, and all of the research points to the importance of investment in early childhood education. The majority of brain development happens in the early years. ECE is so important for the emotional, intellectual, and social development of children. Dr. James Heckman, Nobel Laureate in Economics and a Professor at the University of Chicago, through his research, has shown that $1 invested in high-quality early childhood education, has a return of over $7 to society, and leads to better school readiness, reduced poverty, skilled workforce, greater self-sufficiency, and better outcomes for the children and families overall.
Do you think that people, especially the young, are aware of the benefits of early years?
Parents/caregivers are children’s first teachers. Some of the young families are aware of the importance but I would say many of them are not aware of how significantly important the early years are. Society as a whole is only now gradually realizing the benefits of investing in the early years of childhood and early brain development.