Today’s Issue: Buttered-Up Babies; UPF & Your Kids' Behavior; ECE in the News = 2.5 cups of coffee.

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🧈 TikTok Said Butter = Sleep. Pediatricians Said... Not So Fast.

Desperate parents do desperate things, and right now, lots are handing their babies a stick of butter before bed, hoping for a miracle night's sleep. The trend took off in 2025, spreading across social media. The theory? Butter is high in fat, and fat slows digestion, which could keep a baby's tummy fuller longer. Makes sense, right? But there's no scientific evidence that actually supports this idea. ECE knows infant sleep is developmental. GULP! A spoonful of butter can also pose a choking hazard. There's no stick of butter standing between a baby and a full night's rest, but there are real, evidence-backed strategies that actually work. Read the full article HERE

📊 ECE Leader Poll: What's Your Naptime Secret Weapon?

We know you've seen some things in the nap room. Spill it. 👇

Vote and see what your fellow ECE pros say! Results in next week's issue.

🍟 MAIN TOPIC: What Kids Are Eating Is Messing With Their Behavior

❗️A landmark new study just dropped — and every ECE leader needs to pay attention.

Researchers at the University of Toronto found that higher ultra-processed food (UPF) consumption during preschool years is directly linked to increased behavioral and emotional difficulties in childhood, such as anxiety, fearfulness, aggression, and hyperactivity. It's the first study to look at UPF consumption and standardized behavioral assessments in kids using detailed, prospective data, and one of the largest ever to look at behavior and mental health in ECE.

Here's why this hits different for ECE leaders:

• 🚨 The scale is staggering: UPFs account for nearly half of the daily energy intake among preschool-aged children. Half. Of. Their. Calories.

• 📈 Every 10% matters: For every 10% increase in energy from UPFs, children had higher scores for anxiety, aggression, and hyperactivity.

• 🔄 The flip side is hopeful: Modeling the substitution of a portion of ultra-processed foods with minimally processed foods was associated with measurably better behavioral and emotional outcomes.

• 👶 The window is right now: The preschool years are critical for child development, and it's also when children begin to establish dietary habits.

• 🏫 Your classroom is ground zero: ECE settings are where food habits are formed and where behavioral challenges are first observed.

This research turns what we feel in the classroom into hard evidence. That kid who can't sit still after snack time or who melts down every afternoon? Diet may be playing a bigger role than we realized.

We broke down the full study AND what YOU can actually do about it in our linked blog post. Don't miss it. 👇

READ: What the UPF Study Means for Your ECE Program — and 6 Actions You Can Take Today

📰 ECE In The News

💵 Michigan's ECE Workers Finally Getting a Raise — But There's a Catch

Roughly 2.5k ECE educators across Michigan have begun receiving a $200-to-$300-a-month pay increase as part of a state-funded subsidy pilot program designed to raise wages and address the workforce instability driving an ECE shortage. The $16M Early Childhood Educator Wage Initiative has all 10 of Michigan's Regional Child Care Coalitions on board! The catch? The $16M allocation only funds stipends through September 2027. Michigan is doing something real here…but the clock is ticking. 👉 Full story HERE

🎓 Michigan Wants to Grow Its Own ECE Teachers — No Tuition Required

Michigan is taking a creative approach to its staffing crisis. The MiEarly Apprentice, a new program from the Michigan Educator Workforce Initiative, aims to pay current child care and pre-K workers to earn a college degree and ultimately higher wages (all at no cost to participants). Michigan State University researchers estimate that 79% of ZIP codes in the state are "child care deserts.” The apprenticeship model is already expanding to new counties. Smart money is on workforce development. Michigan is betting on it. Full story HERE.

🌐 The Internet is a Playground:

📅 On This Day in History: In 1882, German physician Robert Koch announced that he had discovered Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacterium responsible for tuberculosis. At the time, TB was killing 1 in 7 people in Europe and North America. It is considered one of the greatest breakthroughs in medical history. 🦠 Classroom connection: A great moment to talk to older kids about the history of science, disease, and why handwashing still matters!

✈️ Tracking Flights in Color: Want to see the altitudes of which flight flies at? See it HERE. Could be a fun thing to show the kids in a travel game.

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?