Today’s Issue: St. Paddy's Day Around the World; Screen Time & ADHD Risk in Preschoolers; ECE in the News = 2 cups of coffee. ☕☕

Did someone forward you this email? Subscribe to The Ecential below:

🍀 The World Has Gone Green (Yes, Even Tokyo):

Okay, so we all know St. Patrick's Day is a big deal in places like New York, Chicago, and Boston. But did you know Tokyo throws one of Asia's largest Irish cultural events? The Green Ireland Festival takes over the city with costumes, Irish food stalls, and yes, rugby scrums. Meanwhile, Chicago has been dyeing its river green for over 60 years — because apparently a Guinness just isn't enough. And of course, there's Dublin — 500k people, four days of festivities, and pure chaos (the good kind). Wherever you are today, wear green. It's practically mandatory. 🍻

Check out the full list of the world's biggest St. Patrick's Day celebrations 👉 RIGHT HERE

Quick Reader Poll 🗳️

📱 Screen Time in Preschool — Is What They're Watching Mattering More Than You Think?

Most of us in ECE have heard the general advice: limit screen time for young kids. The American Academy of Pediatrics has been saying it for years. But a major new study just added a layer to that conversation that every ECE leader should know about. It's not just about how much time kids spend in front of a screen. It's about what they're watching.

Researchers studying over 41k kids found something surprising: kids who spent time on interactive video content showed no significant increase in ADHD risk. But kids who watched educational videos and cartoons (the stuff we often assume is "okay") showed a meaningful uptick in ADHD risk that scaled with the amount of time watched. More than two hours a day pushed the odds significantly higher.

Tablets have become classroom management tools for many ECE providers. A quick video during transition time, a learning app to keep kids occupied, it's understandable. But this research is pushing us to ask harder questions: What's actually on those screens? And does "educational" mean what we think it means?

So what does this mean for ECE? It's classroom design, policy, AND family communication. Staff may need updated guidance on how and when screens are used. Families need context. And kids who are already showing signs of inattentiveness may need us to take a closer look at what's happening in and out of the classroom.

The good news? There are concrete, practical things you can do. We broke it all down for you in this week's blog post. We cover key findings from the research, what it means for your classroom, and steps you can take right now.

👉 READ THE FULL ARTICLE: Screen Time, ADHD & What ECE Leaders Need to Know

📰 ECE In The News

🏫 Louisville Is Losing Early Childhood Classrooms And Parents Are Frustrated: Jefferson County Public Schools in Louisville, KY is closing 10 ECE sites for the 2026-27 school year, eliminating 30 classrooms. The district says the move is part of a shift to a "center-based model" and is not tied to its very real $188M budget deficit A new $20M center is set to open, and JCPS says there will be "plenty of space" for displaced students at its remaining 18 sites. Some families say they only found out from reporters, not the district. Not exactly a gold-star moment in family communication. Details 👉 ARTICLE

🌟 Wisconsin Is Doing Something Worth Watching: WI just became one of the few states to launch a fully state-funded child care program. Called "Get Kids Ready," the initiative uses $65 million in state funding to pay child care providers to offer school-readiness programming to 4-year-olds at no cost to families. Nearly 1,400 providers have already signed up, with a goal of serving 24k kids in the 2026-27 school year. It's the first time Wisconsin has committed entirely state-generated dollars to child care. Other states are watching closely. Is your state next? 👉 ARTICLE

The Internet is a Playground:

📅 On this Day in History: On March 17, 1987, Aretha Franklin became the first woman ever inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The Queen of Soul. The woman who literally spelled out what she deserved. If that's not an energy to bring into your Tuesday, we don't know what is. R-E-S-P-E-C-T, friends. 🎤👑

🧠 Another Word Game: Test your skills to guess the noun.

YOUR VOICE COUNTS

Is there a topic you want more info on or want to share a funny story? Then let us know! Shoot us a quick email at [email protected]. This newsletter is for you, and well, you should have a say, don't’ you think?