Brilliant Baby October Newsletter

Dear BB Community,

Hello, Brilliant Baby Family! Thank you so much for joining us on September 23 at Children's Fairyland in Oakland. We were thrilled to see many families enjoying the park and taking advantage of the community resources. The day was filled with happiness focused on celebrating our diverse community. This was a significant milestone for the Oakland Promise Brilliant Baby Team, as it was the first time since 2019 that we had the pleasure of hosting the Family Fun Day event at Fairyland. We are so glad you were there with us! We are also excited to share that families who RSVP’d in advance with us but unfortunately did not receive tickets to Family Fun Day will receive $20 from us in early November, which will enable you to purchase 4 tickets to Children's Fairyland. We are so sad to have missed you this year, but we look forward to hosting more events like this one in the future! If you have any questions, please text "BBHelp" at 510-726-7809.

Six Skills for Early Child Literacy

The Brilliant Baby team encourages you to read to your baby. According to the American Library Association, children get ready to read years before they start school. Encourage your children to become good readers by reading to them and ensuring they learn the skills listed below. 

Print Motivation: Being interested in and enjoying books 
Narrative Skills: Being able to describe things and events and to tell stories  
Letter Knowledge: Knowing letters are different from each other, knowing their names and sounds, and recognizing letters everywhere
Vocabulary: Knowing the names of things
Print Awareness: Noticing print, knowing how to handle a book, and following the words on a page
Sound Awareness: Hearing and playing with the smaller sounds in words 

If you want to learn more about how to support your child’s early literacy, please click the button below. If you need extra support from our team, you can always text "BBHelp" to our Customer Service Department.

What is the difference between a Credit Card Score and a Credit Report? 

Do you know the difference between your credit score and a credit report? Let's take this time to talk about the differences. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a credit report and a credit score differ. 

"Your credit score, as well as the information on your credit report, are essential for determining whether you'll be able to get a mortgage, credit card, auto loan, or other credit product, and the rate you'll pay. Your credit scores are calculated based on the information in your credit report.

You have many different credit scores and many ways to get a credit score. Your score can differ depending on which credit reporting agency provided the information, the scoring model, the type of loan product, and even the day it was calculated. Higher scores reflect a better loan paying history and make you eligible for lower interest rates."

After reading this section, we hope you walk away knowing your credit report has information about your credit history and current credit situation. Your credit score is based on the information in your credit report. We suggest talking with your financial coach if you need clarification about your credit report or score. If you no longer receive coaching, you might visit www.creditkarma.com. Credit Karma is an Oakland Promise partner, and their website has a lot of helpful information about credit scores, credit reports, and even credit monitoring. You can also always text "BBHelp" to our Customer Service Department at (510) 726-7809 or email us at brilliantbaby@oaklandpromise.org.

Interview with a Brilliant Baby Enroller and Financial Coach

This month, we had the pleasure of  interviewing Cathy Paredes, a Brilliant Baby Enroller and Marisela Sanchez, a Brilliant Baby Financial Coach. This was a unique opportunity to learn how enrollers and coaches engage with new families. Brilliant Baby enrollers help new families set up their baby's my529 account. Brilliant Baby financial coaches meet with families to help reduce financial stress by creating a simple plan that works for you. 

Enroller Interview with Cathy Paredes

1. How long have you been enrolling in the Brilliant Baby Program?
I have been the Brilliant Baby Study Coordinator at La Clinica for about a year. I started enrolling directly in the program in February of this year.
2. What are you most excited about for this upcoming year?
I am super excited to enroll new families into the program! I am also excited that
enrolled families often refer other La Clinica families to Brilliant Baby. I can't wait to see enrollment numbers increase and more families feel empowered about their children's future education!
3. What part of the program are you most excited to share with families?
I love telling families that the program is completely free of cost. When I conduct outreach to families, one of the first questions I get is, "How much will it cost? Do we have to put the $500?" I also love sharing that Brilliant Baby offers resources for parents and that, as a family, they will be joining a community dedicated to supporting them and seeing their children succeed in their education and life.
4. From your experience, how can families benefit from joining the Brilliant Baby Program?
Joining the Brilliant Baby Program has a major positive impact on Oakland families. Post-high school education is often thought about once kids are older, come senior year, when a decision about what comes next has to be made. Brilliant Baby families are encouraged to start thinking and learning about it at crucial developmental years, 0-5 years old. In addition, parents are provided with resources and tools to demystify the education system and empower them to shift their expectations about post-high school education to one of their children attending and completing college. Joining the Brilliant Baby Program provides an opportunity that can change everything.
5. If a family is nervous about joining the program, what do you tell them to motivate
them to join?
When a family is nervous about joining, I immediately validate their feelings and let them know that I understand and that if I were in their shoes, receiving this information for the first time, I would probably feel a little nervous. I then explain each program component, addressing any possible concerns (such as how their personal information is protected, immigration status-related concerns, and costs/repayments) even if these were not readily spoken. I always allow space for families to voice any concerns and ask questions, and I do my best to answer these thoroughly. Most importantly, I always remind parents that joining is 100% their choice, and they are welcome to speak about it with family members and friends and do their own research; I will be here to enroll and/or provide any information when they are ready.

Financial Coach Marisela Sanchez

1. How long have you been a financial coach for the Brilliant Baby Program?
 I have been a financial coach for the Brilliant Baby program since April 2021.
2. What are you most excited about for this upcoming year?
Professionally, what I am most excited about in 2024 is continuing to work with individuals ready to reclaim their lives by living boldly beyond perceived limitations. I am excited about continuing to travel and learning from others about their life experiences. 
3. How would you describe financial coaching?
Financial coaching is a resource that helps individuals, in a safe place, look at the tools they have been using to create their financial life and decide if these tools need to be sharpened, traded, or retired. These tools are mindset, beliefs, habits, knowledge, and standards. Financial coaching helps individuals become the creators of their financial stories.
4. If a family is nervous about participating in financial coaching, what would you tell them to motivate them to participate?
It is natural for anyone to be nervous about participating in coaching and, more particularly, in financial coaching. We are not taught to discuss or speak about money; it may be considered taboo. As a coach, you assure the client everything they share is confidential, and there is no judgment as to what their financial picture looks like today. I let clients know we will go as fast or slow as they choose and to trust the coaching process, themselves, and the relationship we will build over the coaching sessions. 
5. From your experience, how can families benefit from financial coaching? 
Families benefit from financial coaching because they learn that if they change how they look at money, their experience with money will change. Through financial coaching, they gain the confidence to lead and create the financial lives they desire for themselves and their families, no matter the circumstances. 

We hope you enjoyed these interviews! Thank you again to Cathy and Marisela for sharing their thoughts and hopes for the future with us. If you know anyone with a baby eligible for our program, we hope you share this with them. If you have not participated in financial coaching and you would like to meet with a financial coach, please let us know by texting "BB Help" to our Customer Service Department at (510) 726-7809 or email us at brilliantbaby@oaklandpromise.org.

CalKIDS

California just started an exciting new program called CalKIDS that is a little like Brilliant Baby! They are opening College Savings Accounts (like my529) for every baby born July 1, 2022 or later as well as all for low income public school students in grades 1-12! California is using a company called Scholarshare rather than my529, but it works in just the same way.

According to their website, “CalKIDS is a program that helps children in California get access to higher education, especially those from traditionally underserved communities. Enrollment in CalKIDS is automatic. Eligible beneficiaries are identified by the California Department of Public Health and the California Department of Education. No action or financial commitment is required of families to participate.”

CalKIDS receives information on newborns approximately 90 days after they are born. 

Eligible newborns receive a $25 seed deposit in a CalKIDS account. You will receive another $25 deposit in your CalKIDS account when you register on the CalKIDSonline portal.

To check your baby’s eligibility click the link below. 

Do you know how to check the balance
of your Brilliant Baby CSA
at my529.org?

Before you go, let's check-in! We hope you check your child's CSA account periodically. Remember, when your baby graduates from high school, they can use this money for college or trade school! If you move, you can change your address online to keep receiving the statements at your home.

Additionally, getting in the habit of checking your account helps remind you that this account exists. We want to ensure every family knows how to access their account. Attached to the button below is a document to help you log into your account. If you have additional questions about your account, text "BB Help" at 510-726-7809, and one of our team members will respond.