Rx for play ?‍♀️?⚽

👋 Starting Early is back from our summer break!

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I didn’t grow up with much exposure to sports, so it still surprises me that I’m now a soccer mom who spends weekends crisscrossing New Jersey to watch my sons play. From the sidelines, I see kids of all backgrounds running, high-fiving, and building friendships that stretch far beyond the field.

A few years ago, I met Denny Boyle, fellow soccer parent and passionate champion of Soccer Without Borders. His love for sports and belief in its power to bring people together was contagious. Denny’s story — about how playing sports shaped his life and opened doors to connection, community, and leadership — reminded me that play is so much more than a game.

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The science of love ❤️

👋 “Love fuels learning,” as Isabelle Hau says in her powerful new book, Love to Learn: The Transformative Power of Care and Connection in Early Education.

I know this firsthand because a rare health condition kept me out of recess during kindergarten. Instead I spent extra time with my teacher — reading, talking, and forming a close bond.

Now I realize how that time together gave me the confidence to question, explore, and grow. The connection between love and learning was shaping me before I even had words for it.

Love to Learn reinforces what science has shown for decades: For babies and young children, loving relationships are as essential to health and happiness as food and shelter, and critical for cognitive development.

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