By Brenda Brissette-Mata

EAST LANSING - Rochelle Riley believes in parent power, which is why the well-known Detroit Free Press columnist chose to be on hand to help kick-off the inaugural Sandbox Party Convention last week at MSU’s Breslin Center.

Riley was a featured speaker at the event, which drew more than 5,000 early childhood supporters and children, as well as both gubernatorial candidates.

Prior to the event, Riley wrote in her July 18 column, circulated statewide, that “the tea party movement may not be the most important force affecting the races for governor and the Legislature in Michigan this year.”

Instead, if parents have their way, the needs of children will come first.

“Every day with a child is an adventure and we must know that everything we do, whatever we do, it is our duty to make the world better,” Riley said at the convention. “We have to care about Michigan’s youngest learners. We have to make sure they have the best opportunities to reach their potential.”

She added that the message parents must send to legislators is clear: “No cuts to education. Don’t touch it.”

It can be done. Riley said last October she conducted a small kitchen cabinet of her own, inviting a few moms over to take a look at the state budget.

“We balanced it,” she said. “I don’t think it’s all that hard. We can’t spend money we don’t have and we have to be thoughtful about spending what we do have.”

Riley said she isn’t interested in paying higher taxes. No one is. Rather, she wants more attention paid to how we spend the money we have.

“We have to take care of our children, their education, everything they need,” she said, adding that whenever she has the opportunity to speak to parents, she talks about the importance of the first 1,000 days.

“There are all sorts of statistics about how important those first 1,000 days are. We have to spread that message. All parents need to know, and so do legislators.”

Riley said Michigan’s economic future is directly linked to children. She said parents need to get fired up and demand attention to early childhood from their legislators.

“If the Sandbox Party could harness the fire of parents statewide, it could … greatly impact public policy,” her July column said.