Due to cooperation of Infant and Toddler Connection/Heartland (VA) and the Education Director of HOPE Headstarts, Literacy for Tykes has been able to meet current needs of Infant and Toddlers Connection and expand to two new counties of HOPE Headstarts.
All educational and human service organizations know that the only way we are going to optimize our reach to at-risk families in these financially recessionary times is through careful thought and cooperation.
Literacy for Tykes salutes our partners in our Books for Families project for helping us reach more families with at-risk early children, in time to make a difference before kindergarten.
Parents who had difficult literacy experiences themselves are encouraged and equipped to read picture books with their children in the important formative years, 1-4 years. Having positive and enjoyable book sharing time allows both the parents and their children to discover that books can be fun.
When a child comes to the kindergarten group school experience knowing "We have fun reading books at my home", they a primed and enthusiastic to take the next steps in the lifelong progression of literacy adventures ahead of them.
As the pieces fit into place to reach now over 400 families, we are happy to salute our partner organizations including Piedmont Healthy Families; HOPE Headstarts, Infant and Toddler Connections/Heartland, also made possible in large part by grants from target.
Many community individuals and civic organizations in 3 of the 9 counties these partners serve have been backing Literacy for Tykes, hoping we could continue persevering to bring Books for Families to the most needy at-risk homes of pre-schoolers in their counties.
The most notable contributors have been in Buckingham County, Cumberland County and Prince Edward County.
Therefore Literacy for Tykes is proud to announce that HOPE HEADSTARTS is now able to distribute our Teddy Bear's Favorite Pictures books and supplemental "Enjoy Books with Children" parents tip sheets to families in those 3 counties in this current school year.
This expansion is due to the tremendous Results Reports from the Prince Edward Pilot Program, and the cooperation of our partners to allow for appropriate redistribution of available books.
Piedmont Healthy Families is continuing to make LFT books and materials available to the families it serves in 7 Heartland Virginia counties, including Buckingham, Prince Edward and Cumberland Counties. Infant and Toddler Connection is also making LFT books available to meet the literacy needs of families they serve in 7 Heartland Virgina counties , also including Buckingham, Prince Edward and Cumberland Counties.
Literacy for Tykes is currently seeking funding for 2011-2012 school year to expand "Books for Families" to all nine Heartland Virginia counties, as well as continue to meet the needs of our current partners who have a fresh group of families with each year.
To aid Literacy for Tykes to expand our BOOKS FOR FAMILIES program in 2011 please use the main website button at right side of this page. Our website www.LiteracyForTykes.com has a paypal button which allows for credit card contribution.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Literacy for TYkes Third Year as Public Charity is off to a Head Start
Literacy for Tykes has begun its third year as a 501 C3 Public Charity, equipping and encouraging parents to bring literacy to their early children.
We are off to a Head Start because we just received our Results Report from our Head Start Pilot Program.
Parents gained more confidence by being more involved while reading with their child.
The book gave parents specific instructions; and power points held the children's attention.
75% of parents used these power points called "Parent Points" in the book Teddy Bear's Favorite Pictures. These points bring up specific learning points of the picture , and the children seemed more interested because these same points were mentioned each time.
Parents liked reading with their child , as quality time spent together before bedtime.
Our "Enjoy Books with Children" Parent Tip Sheets were discussed during each Headstart Parent Meeting.
As a result, over 85% of parents followed the recommendation to make the reading area quiet with a minimum of distractions.
The observation was made that progress was made in parent/child interactions.
Their attention spans grew and they took more interest in predicting what was next in the story and its outcome.
This group of parents in Heartland Virginia had no books in the house previous to this project and had not previously read to their children.
Since our books and materials are proving to bring positive results with reading time and frequency well above our success matrix, we are encouraged to seek funding for all 9 counties of this rural Virginia Headstart area, where low literacy and high dropout rates have been both perennial and increasing.
*************************************************************************************
To help make this possible, go to www.LiteracyForTykes.com with PayPal Button:
see Main Website link at right side of this page.
Be a part of a better future where reading can be fun.
This "Books for Families" project is repeatable and transplantable to any area where child literacy, family literacy and school readiness are concerns: info@www.literacyfortykes.com
We are off to a Head Start because we just received our Results Report from our Head Start Pilot Program.
Parents gained more confidence by being more involved while reading with their child.
The book gave parents specific instructions; and power points held the children's attention.
75% of parents used these power points called "Parent Points" in the book Teddy Bear's Favorite Pictures. These points bring up specific learning points of the picture , and the children seemed more interested because these same points were mentioned each time.
Parents liked reading with their child , as quality time spent together before bedtime.
Our "Enjoy Books with Children" Parent Tip Sheets were discussed during each Headstart Parent Meeting.
As a result, over 85% of parents followed the recommendation to make the reading area quiet with a minimum of distractions.
The observation was made that progress was made in parent/child interactions.
Their attention spans grew and they took more interest in predicting what was next in the story and its outcome.
This group of parents in Heartland Virginia had no books in the house previous to this project and had not previously read to their children.
Since our books and materials are proving to bring positive results with reading time and frequency well above our success matrix, we are encouraged to seek funding for all 9 counties of this rural Virginia Headstart area, where low literacy and high dropout rates have been both perennial and increasing.
*************************************************************************************
To help make this possible, go to www.LiteracyForTykes.com with PayPal Button:
see Main Website link at right side of this page.
Be a part of a better future where reading can be fun.
This "Books for Families" project is repeatable and transplantable to any area where child literacy, family literacy and school readiness are concerns: info@www.literacyfortykes.com
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Make a Difference to a Child's Future Now
Our Results Reports show that parents can learn to use step-by-step guidelines to make reading a picture book a fun experience with their child. Sharing specific learning points , like naming face parts on the picture, helping your child point to them as you name them and even point to their own corresponding face parts, can make books come alive.
This parent interaction with books is often something that parents themselves missed in their pre-kindergarten years. Often those parents did not have an easy time of literacy, reading and vocabulary, when they did get in a classroom setting.
The feeling that they were behind other children before they even got to school left them feeling that they did not belong in school; that school was not for them. This sense that non-school activities were more "for them" than school often leads to early drop out, and early divergent entrepreneurship ( illegal ways of making money).
Another popular distraction from parent-child book time together is the current fascination with electronic games, and media. Many homes will not have a book, but will have a radio, a TV, even several electronic games and possibly even a few "track phones", or even highly sophisticated hand -held devices. Time spent on such devices actually takes the parent 's attention away from the real time experiences they could be having with their child. The common answer to those parental preoccupations is to have TV on with child programming to entertain the little ones.
Current research has shown a 4 year old's vocabulary to be fewer words if they spend a lot of daily time viewing screens such as TV or computer screen, and hand held devices. The 4 year old's vocabulary of words they know and understand is considerably larger if the parent spends time talking with their child directly and reading out loud with them. For every hour of screen time the child's vocabulary is smaller; for every hour of conversation and reading aloud together the child's vocabulary is larger.
Children learn best from a real live human being, especially one they know and trust. A child uses all their senses to learn how to live and do things like you, but they need to learn basic life skills first, and build upon them. Many adults do not value all the basic life skills they have and could pass on to their child with simple demonstration.
How do you brush your teeth? Show your child and give them a tooth brush of an appropriate size for their development , and, typically, they will imitate you . Say "Yay" with a big smile on your face every time a child does something you like and your child will tend to repeat the action, and eventually learn to say "Yay" too.
A child has a built-in copy-cat skill to learn survival skills, much like a kitty, puppy, or baby bird. When a parent shows that food tastes good and says "Mmmm", a child tends too wants to eat it too.
If parents simply take the time to clearly demonstrate a desirable behavior, a child tends to learn it, just as he or she hears and sees it done. What they cannot learn is what goes on behind the scenes, or why the moving colors on a screen move a certain way. They cannot directly imitate those movements of the flat screen, so they may be fascinated by the colors and sounds, but cannot correlate them with their daily life.
Only an extreme genius IQ toddler could have the unusually high abstract reasoning to "get it" that the red octagonal shape on Sesame Street or the Electric Company TV show that was associated with some disembodied voice saying "Stop" has anything to do with the object they see every time you stop the car at the corner.
You can make a difference to a child, especially your own child who takes cues from you on everything she or he sees you do. Smiling, touching, loving; eating anything more advanced than just sucking from a bottle; cleanliness such as poo-poo is not a good thing to play with or have around any longer than necessary. These are basic level life skills that you naturally show them.
Talk with your child , naming things around you both such as : cup, sippy, spoon, food, shoe, sock, diaper, shirt, pants. Even concepts can creep into conversation early on, like: okay, soon, food is coming; Time for bed; we are leaving in 5 minutes, get ready; Here's you coat; Let Mommy help. Let's read a book.
Visual Literacy is sharing your names for picture parts with your child. Simple words you know are words a child still needs to learn. Parts of faces and bodies can be learned directly and again in a picture book format. Animals can be seen in a zoo, or as pets in your home ; or in a visit to a farm, and your can read about them in a book as well.
Simply associating your word sounds consistently with a picture in a book, teaches them the value of printed symbols, even before letters and printed words are introduced. This Visual Literacy is an important step that should not be skipped or underestimated in the progress toward school readiness, life readiness ( much like we need to crawl before we walk, and even later run).
Your child needs your help to bridge the gap between the real object world they usually explore, and the flat representations of those objects in books first. Later the magic of electronics can be introduced , only after you, as a real life trusted human being, have shown the value of symbols in books. Printed pictures that you show them with some interest and enthusiasm, brings enough meaning to a child to consider imitating the book experience.
Picture books open the door to print in books that you and teachers can later carefully share.
Sounds are of great interest , especially the sounds a child hears their loved one say. You can make a difference, with a little attention, sharing what you already know with your pre-kindergarten child. As they bring what they have already learned to the classroom experience, they feel more confident and that they belong there and can succeed.
Its like being asked to play a game that they already have played and they know the rules. They are more confident that they can succeed. In this way your child's whole future opens up in a positive way, because you have taken a little time each day to share what you know with them.
Enjoy each moment with you child. They grow very quickly , whether it feels like it or not at the time. Instead of thinking of it as 5 long years before kindergarten, think of it as a very short time you have to pass on what you know, in a way they can easily understand, about the basics of life. Prepare them to feel confident, so they can make the most of their future.
This parent interaction with books is often something that parents themselves missed in their pre-kindergarten years. Often those parents did not have an easy time of literacy, reading and vocabulary, when they did get in a classroom setting.
The feeling that they were behind other children before they even got to school left them feeling that they did not belong in school; that school was not for them. This sense that non-school activities were more "for them" than school often leads to early drop out, and early divergent entrepreneurship ( illegal ways of making money).
Another popular distraction from parent-child book time together is the current fascination with electronic games, and media. Many homes will not have a book, but will have a radio, a TV, even several electronic games and possibly even a few "track phones", or even highly sophisticated hand -held devices. Time spent on such devices actually takes the parent 's attention away from the real time experiences they could be having with their child. The common answer to those parental preoccupations is to have TV on with child programming to entertain the little ones.
Current research has shown a 4 year old's vocabulary to be fewer words if they spend a lot of daily time viewing screens such as TV or computer screen, and hand held devices. The 4 year old's vocabulary of words they know and understand is considerably larger if the parent spends time talking with their child directly and reading out loud with them. For every hour of screen time the child's vocabulary is smaller; for every hour of conversation and reading aloud together the child's vocabulary is larger.
Children learn best from a real live human being, especially one they know and trust. A child uses all their senses to learn how to live and do things like you, but they need to learn basic life skills first, and build upon them. Many adults do not value all the basic life skills they have and could pass on to their child with simple demonstration.
How do you brush your teeth? Show your child and give them a tooth brush of an appropriate size for their development , and, typically, they will imitate you . Say "Yay" with a big smile on your face every time a child does something you like and your child will tend to repeat the action, and eventually learn to say "Yay" too.
A child has a built-in copy-cat skill to learn survival skills, much like a kitty, puppy, or baby bird. When a parent shows that food tastes good and says "Mmmm", a child tends too wants to eat it too.
If parents simply take the time to clearly demonstrate a desirable behavior, a child tends to learn it, just as he or she hears and sees it done. What they cannot learn is what goes on behind the scenes, or why the moving colors on a screen move a certain way. They cannot directly imitate those movements of the flat screen, so they may be fascinated by the colors and sounds, but cannot correlate them with their daily life.
Only an extreme genius IQ toddler could have the unusually high abstract reasoning to "get it" that the red octagonal shape on Sesame Street or the Electric Company TV show that was associated with some disembodied voice saying "Stop" has anything to do with the object they see every time you stop the car at the corner.
You can make a difference to a child, especially your own child who takes cues from you on everything she or he sees you do. Smiling, touching, loving; eating anything more advanced than just sucking from a bottle; cleanliness such as poo-poo is not a good thing to play with or have around any longer than necessary. These are basic level life skills that you naturally show them.
Talk with your child , naming things around you both such as : cup, sippy, spoon, food, shoe, sock, diaper, shirt, pants. Even concepts can creep into conversation early on, like: okay, soon, food is coming; Time for bed; we are leaving in 5 minutes, get ready; Here's you coat; Let Mommy help. Let's read a book.
Visual Literacy is sharing your names for picture parts with your child. Simple words you know are words a child still needs to learn. Parts of faces and bodies can be learned directly and again in a picture book format. Animals can be seen in a zoo, or as pets in your home ; or in a visit to a farm, and your can read about them in a book as well.
Simply associating your word sounds consistently with a picture in a book, teaches them the value of printed symbols, even before letters and printed words are introduced. This Visual Literacy is an important step that should not be skipped or underestimated in the progress toward school readiness, life readiness ( much like we need to crawl before we walk, and even later run).
Your child needs your help to bridge the gap between the real object world they usually explore, and the flat representations of those objects in books first. Later the magic of electronics can be introduced , only after you, as a real life trusted human being, have shown the value of symbols in books. Printed pictures that you show them with some interest and enthusiasm, brings enough meaning to a child to consider imitating the book experience.
Picture books open the door to print in books that you and teachers can later carefully share.
Sounds are of great interest , especially the sounds a child hears their loved one say. You can make a difference, with a little attention, sharing what you already know with your pre-kindergarten child. As they bring what they have already learned to the classroom experience, they feel more confident and that they belong there and can succeed.
Its like being asked to play a game that they already have played and they know the rules. They are more confident that they can succeed. In this way your child's whole future opens up in a positive way, because you have taken a little time each day to share what you know with them.
Enjoy each moment with you child. They grow very quickly , whether it feels like it or not at the time. Instead of thinking of it as 5 long years before kindergarten, think of it as a very short time you have to pass on what you know, in a way they can easily understand, about the basics of life. Prepare them to feel confident, so they can make the most of their future.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Family Literacy starts with "Books for Families"
Literacy for Tykes is launching its second year of early child literacy partnership with Piedmont Healthy Families and Infant & Toddler Connection /Heartland. We even found a way to include a pilot program with a local "Headstart". All this has been greatly helped by two consecutive years of grants from TARGET.
We found from our Results Reports that many parents here in the USA are reluctant readers who were not read to as children. These parents need and benefit from specific help to learn how to read to their 1-5 year old children. Specific step-by-step guidelines can teach basic techniques of sharing picture points with their children. This fun with pictures is the basic building block of literacy called "Visual Literacy".
Reluctant parents thought they could not read with their child and became willing to try the Literacy for Tykes program for the sake of their child. They followed the step-by-step guidelines in Teddy Bear's Favorite Pictures called "Parents Points". These parents said they were surprised to see that their children enjoyed reading with them. Parents felt equipped at this starting level to continue this as a valuable parent/child activity on a regular basis.
Teenage parents gained confidence to read and have fun with books sometimes for the first time in their own lives. Starting at the Visual Literacy level, basic concepts are learn-able. Even parents of children with special needs like Autism, Down Syndrome, Hearing and Sight Loss said they learned techniques to share picture books and these guidelines allowed their children to be more interactive. They had more fun together!!
Literacy for Tykes encourages parents, with parent tip sheets called "Enjoy Books with Children", to read with their child in ever increasing time segments, as the child's interest naturally increases. When they are enjoying the time with their parents, the children want to increase both frequency and their attention per session stays longer. Gradually we hope the parents to read 20 minutes a day with their child. We have seen families well on their way to that goal in as little as four months with these books.
Children feel the fun. If I may quote Piglet from Winnie the Pooh " How do you spell love? and Pooh answered"You don't spell it . You feel it." The children feel the love through the time spent together with their parents. Love and reading become intermixed and both parents and children open up to the world of books. "Create a joyful experience, regardless of the age of your child."- kidsbestlife.
The purpose of education is to equip and encourage especially those marginalized citizens to build a better life. For the sake of their children, many parents are re-starting their own troubled literacy journey and find the fun of reading books through their child's loving eyes.
These previously at-risk children are given the best possible reading encouragement in the loving atmosphere of their homes. This is the best start a young pre-schooler can have to develop confidence, positive learning skills and attitude to build a better life.
If you would like to find out more about our "Books for Families" Phase 2 project, follow the link at the right of this page to www.LiteracyForTykes.com (Home Website). Thanks again to TARGET for their continued generous support. Perhaps you too can help more preschoolers' families experience this positive fresh start with books and learning together.
"Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person"- Mother Teresa.
We found from our Results Reports that many parents here in the USA are reluctant readers who were not read to as children. These parents need and benefit from specific help to learn how to read to their 1-5 year old children. Specific step-by-step guidelines can teach basic techniques of sharing picture points with their children. This fun with pictures is the basic building block of literacy called "Visual Literacy".
Reluctant parents thought they could not read with their child and became willing to try the Literacy for Tykes program for the sake of their child. They followed the step-by-step guidelines in Teddy Bear's Favorite Pictures called "Parents Points". These parents said they were surprised to see that their children enjoyed reading with them. Parents felt equipped at this starting level to continue this as a valuable parent/child activity on a regular basis.
Teenage parents gained confidence to read and have fun with books sometimes for the first time in their own lives. Starting at the Visual Literacy level, basic concepts are learn-able. Even parents of children with special needs like Autism, Down Syndrome, Hearing and Sight Loss said they learned techniques to share picture books and these guidelines allowed their children to be more interactive. They had more fun together!!
Literacy for Tykes encourages parents, with parent tip sheets called "Enjoy Books with Children", to read with their child in ever increasing time segments, as the child's interest naturally increases. When they are enjoying the time with their parents, the children want to increase both frequency and their attention per session stays longer. Gradually we hope the parents to read 20 minutes a day with their child. We have seen families well on their way to that goal in as little as four months with these books.
Children feel the fun. If I may quote Piglet from Winnie the Pooh " How do you spell love? and Pooh answered"You don't spell it . You feel it." The children feel the love through the time spent together with their parents. Love and reading become intermixed and both parents and children open up to the world of books. "Create a joyful experience, regardless of the age of your child."- kidsbestlife.
The purpose of education is to equip and encourage especially those marginalized citizens to build a better life. For the sake of their children, many parents are re-starting their own troubled literacy journey and find the fun of reading books through their child's loving eyes.
These previously at-risk children are given the best possible reading encouragement in the loving atmosphere of their homes. This is the best start a young pre-schooler can have to develop confidence, positive learning skills and attitude to build a better life.
If you would like to find out more about our "Books for Families" Phase 2 project, follow the link at the right of this page to www.LiteracyForTykes.com (Home Website). Thanks again to TARGET for their continued generous support. Perhaps you too can help more preschoolers' families experience this positive fresh start with books and learning together.
"Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person"- Mother Teresa.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Loving Life with Child = Creating Literacy Skills
Summer is a great time for loving life with your child. As adults we benefit tremendously by allowing ourselves to take a break from routines and schedules to include time to enjoy life around us. We are often motivated to do this for the sake of our children. Yet all find a release from pressures when we ease into the kid's point of view. 'Eeyore' is quoted as saying "Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them" (A.A.Milne). Open yourself to a fresh take on life.
Let your children have a time without screens: TV, computer, computerized chip-driven toys.
Those things amuse them, but human children learn about life from human adults and older siblings. Do you have non-screen time with your child?
Martin H. Fischer once said "Life is a ticket to the greatest show on earth." We all have the tickets to the show. "Knowing is not enough ; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.", said Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe. Do it together with your child> enjoy the show of life together.
Be daring! Turn off your iPods, iPads, Smart Phones, and look around. There are parks, libraries, picnic areas to be visited for free. Sometimes we overlook possibilities in our own backyard.
On a dry weather day, get together any big empty card board boxes. Remove all staples and help your child create a pretend house. Add a simple play blanket, or large scarves and a few pots & pans for props. "Pretend" is great fun and very language and imagination building.
You can even bring out a small play table, bread and cheese and apples for lunch by or in the playhouse. Try water in refillable stainless steel water bottles or sippy cups for beverage.
After lunch you can share a picture book together outside by the playhouse, or indoors if its naptime.
Another idea is take pictures of your children acting out their pretend life in the pretend house, for "make your own picture book" fun on a rainy day.
You can use any notebook, with your child: glue in the photos one per page; and talk about what was happening in the picture. Let your child hear you say a few words as you write them down near each picture in easy-to-read print. After the words are printed, point to each word as you read them out loud with your child. Point to the parts of the picture your words describe. Help your child point at these parts too.You have created your own picture book that's sure to become a new favorite to read with your child again and again.
If you have a few tasks around the house that need to be done, adopt the "Work Together- Play Together" idea. First fold the clothes together with your child ( or another simple task that needs to be done), and decide where or what you want to do for the "Play Together" part. Once your child experiences that the play with you does follow the work with you, the whole thing becomes fun. Start with toddlers/ pre-schoolers. It helps them learn to follow simple directions, and you will see that your child loves doing things with you.
Your chores get done; you both feel you have accomplished something together; and even your adult side feels better about taking the break for childlike play together .
Remember the importance of a close, caring relationship between you and your children for learning, reading and enjoying life together. Heart-centered book fun creates love of learning about life, and love of reading. Beyond pursuit of happiness, we need to find these moments to simply BE happy together.
Warm hearts+ loving moments shared= bright memories+ life (literacy) skills for your child.
Let your children have a time without screens: TV, computer, computerized chip-driven toys.
Those things amuse them, but human children learn about life from human adults and older siblings. Do you have non-screen time with your child?
Martin H. Fischer once said "Life is a ticket to the greatest show on earth." We all have the tickets to the show. "Knowing is not enough ; we must apply. Willing is not enough; we must do.", said Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe. Do it together with your child> enjoy the show of life together.
Be daring! Turn off your iPods, iPads, Smart Phones, and look around. There are parks, libraries, picnic areas to be visited for free. Sometimes we overlook possibilities in our own backyard.
On a dry weather day, get together any big empty card board boxes. Remove all staples and help your child create a pretend house. Add a simple play blanket, or large scarves and a few pots & pans for props. "Pretend" is great fun and very language and imagination building.
You can even bring out a small play table, bread and cheese and apples for lunch by or in the playhouse. Try water in refillable stainless steel water bottles or sippy cups for beverage.
After lunch you can share a picture book together outside by the playhouse, or indoors if its naptime.
Another idea is take pictures of your children acting out their pretend life in the pretend house, for "make your own picture book" fun on a rainy day.
You can use any notebook, with your child: glue in the photos one per page; and talk about what was happening in the picture. Let your child hear you say a few words as you write them down near each picture in easy-to-read print. After the words are printed, point to each word as you read them out loud with your child. Point to the parts of the picture your words describe. Help your child point at these parts too.You have created your own picture book that's sure to become a new favorite to read with your child again and again.
If you have a few tasks around the house that need to be done, adopt the "Work Together- Play Together" idea. First fold the clothes together with your child ( or another simple task that needs to be done), and decide where or what you want to do for the "Play Together" part. Once your child experiences that the play with you does follow the work with you, the whole thing becomes fun. Start with toddlers/ pre-schoolers. It helps them learn to follow simple directions, and you will see that your child loves doing things with you.
Your chores get done; you both feel you have accomplished something together; and even your adult side feels better about taking the break for childlike play together .
Remember the importance of a close, caring relationship between you and your children for learning, reading and enjoying life together. Heart-centered book fun creates love of learning about life, and love of reading. Beyond pursuit of happiness, we need to find these moments to simply BE happy together.
Warm hearts+ loving moments shared= bright memories+ life (literacy) skills for your child.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Important Joy of Parenting
Important Joy of Parenting
Facing the enormous responsibility of caring for an infant whose brain grows 175% in the first year, can be balanced by the sheer joy of holding this fascinating new person in your arms. What are we supposed to feed this baby to help healthy growth ? How do we treat this person who has a very distinct set of demands? How do we understand the changing needs of baby?
Baby has come to learn and be loved. Baby needs nurturing. Books and organizations exist that emphasize the physical and emotional needs of physical closeness to you and those significant and consistent people you chose to care for your baby. As baby experiences each moment of this new life, new brain cells are made, new neural pathways are created. Every gesture you make , every mouthful of food you give, every word you speak is stored away in an ever increasing network of information.
Your baby learns about life from you and other significant care providers: how to eat, how to smile, how to communicate, how to love, how to enjoy, how to learn. All waking time in the first year would optimally be with a real live person. This gives baby maximum input of how humans live their lives. So many fine nuances of behavior that you may take for granted are learned just by baby seeing you, hearing you, feeling you with him/her. Baby catalogs everything away as life knowledge. As soon as possible, baby will imitate whatever you have shown him/her.
Here comes the joy part. What are you showing your baby? What will get hard wired in his little growing brain as the things to try to mimic? Instead of having baby be an escort in your adult, high tech hard to mimic world, how about you learning about the simple unplugged joys of life again? Hugs and kisses are at the top of the list. Taking time to talk to baby, and repeat his/her babbling back are second. This is your chance to unwind from the high tech web you can easily get caught in today, and remember what it is to simply appreciate the moment, starting with your littlest person.
As you learn to see what baby sees, a simple game of Peek-A-Boo can be great fun. You can spontaneously make up a simple song or rhyme to say to baby. No problem with a critical audience there. Baby accepts whatever you say a good. Baby learns everything from you. And when baby shows interest in the cute wall decorations you put up over his changing table share the joy of the moment. Let yourself express and feel that simple pleasure with your child.
This shared time together is the bond that gives your child life teachings and early skill development. From this simple shared appreciation of all that is around baby you become his best teacher for all life. This special relationship can be with several people who baby sees regularly; Mom, Dad, Sister, Brother, Grandma, Grandpa, and a regular Care Provider. You all become life coaches for baby, people he/she can trust to learn "the plays of the game".
Find the simple fun of exploring baby's little world with him/her, then you can think of simple fun things to expand what baby sees and learns. As baby grows and sits up , name out loud the objects you are using around or with him/her; examples: blanket, spoon, cereal, cup, juice, bowl, table, kitchen, crib, bed, diaper, drink, diaper, bath, water, ducky. You will naturally expand to 2 words phrases like: "wash hair", "food's coming", "sleep time", "get dressed", "change diaper", "let's go". This basic language play is important and seeing baby gradually catch on can be a source of parental joy.
As baby becomes toddler, you will have many opportunities to enjoy simple pleasures with him/her: Autumn leaves, winter snow, spring flowers, summer walks. Art projects can be finger painting on a drop cloth, graduating to washable markers. Later you can make a stamp out of a raw potato half, press it in the finger paint and press designs onto paper.
As a toddler, art and language fun can easily grow into sharing simple picture books with your child. It becomes a natural outgrowth of your earlier shared fun times to point at a nose in a picture and then point at your child's nose, saying "Nose" both times. Later on, you can point to words, then picture, saying the word both times. Pick books with art you will enjoy because your child will love to share the fun of the same book many times over. Include outings to the library, children's playground, and simple picnics. Then you will be well along the way of the Important Joy of Parenting.
Facing the enormous responsibility of caring for an infant whose brain grows 175% in the first year, can be balanced by the sheer joy of holding this fascinating new person in your arms. What are we supposed to feed this baby to help healthy growth ? How do we treat this person who has a very distinct set of demands? How do we understand the changing needs of baby?
Baby has come to learn and be loved. Baby needs nurturing. Books and organizations exist that emphasize the physical and emotional needs of physical closeness to you and those significant and consistent people you chose to care for your baby. As baby experiences each moment of this new life, new brain cells are made, new neural pathways are created. Every gesture you make , every mouthful of food you give, every word you speak is stored away in an ever increasing network of information.
Your baby learns about life from you and other significant care providers: how to eat, how to smile, how to communicate, how to love, how to enjoy, how to learn. All waking time in the first year would optimally be with a real live person. This gives baby maximum input of how humans live their lives. So many fine nuances of behavior that you may take for granted are learned just by baby seeing you, hearing you, feeling you with him/her. Baby catalogs everything away as life knowledge. As soon as possible, baby will imitate whatever you have shown him/her.
Here comes the joy part. What are you showing your baby? What will get hard wired in his little growing brain as the things to try to mimic? Instead of having baby be an escort in your adult, high tech hard to mimic world, how about you learning about the simple unplugged joys of life again? Hugs and kisses are at the top of the list. Taking time to talk to baby, and repeat his/her babbling back are second. This is your chance to unwind from the high tech web you can easily get caught in today, and remember what it is to simply appreciate the moment, starting with your littlest person.
As you learn to see what baby sees, a simple game of Peek-A-Boo can be great fun. You can spontaneously make up a simple song or rhyme to say to baby. No problem with a critical audience there. Baby accepts whatever you say a good. Baby learns everything from you. And when baby shows interest in the cute wall decorations you put up over his changing table share the joy of the moment. Let yourself express and feel that simple pleasure with your child.
This shared time together is the bond that gives your child life teachings and early skill development. From this simple shared appreciation of all that is around baby you become his best teacher for all life. This special relationship can be with several people who baby sees regularly; Mom, Dad, Sister, Brother, Grandma, Grandpa, and a regular Care Provider. You all become life coaches for baby, people he/she can trust to learn "the plays of the game".
Find the simple fun of exploring baby's little world with him/her, then you can think of simple fun things to expand what baby sees and learns. As baby grows and sits up , name out loud the objects you are using around or with him/her; examples: blanket, spoon, cereal, cup, juice, bowl, table, kitchen, crib, bed, diaper, drink, diaper, bath, water, ducky. You will naturally expand to 2 words phrases like: "wash hair", "food's coming", "sleep time", "get dressed", "change diaper", "let's go". This basic language play is important and seeing baby gradually catch on can be a source of parental joy.
As baby becomes toddler, you will have many opportunities to enjoy simple pleasures with him/her: Autumn leaves, winter snow, spring flowers, summer walks. Art projects can be finger painting on a drop cloth, graduating to washable markers. Later you can make a stamp out of a raw potato half, press it in the finger paint and press designs onto paper.
As a toddler, art and language fun can easily grow into sharing simple picture books with your child. It becomes a natural outgrowth of your earlier shared fun times to point at a nose in a picture and then point at your child's nose, saying "Nose" both times. Later on, you can point to words, then picture, saying the word both times. Pick books with art you will enjoy because your child will love to share the fun of the same book many times over. Include outings to the library, children's playground, and simple picnics. Then you will be well along the way of the Important Joy of Parenting.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Reading Can Be Fun: Library Time
Reading Can Be Fun! Have you ever thought of your area Library as a great spot for parent/child fun time? Library Time can open up many possible books for you to explore together. It's a great way to introduce your child to how many different story and picture books there are. You can dive into colorful books designed specifically for early children, and while there, show your child a few books you might share together in the future.
You might go to the early books and say "We can pick 2 books from this shelf today. Let's look and see which ones we want to take home with us." Help your child look at a few pages of any books that catch the eye. Most children's sections have reading areas, where you can sit together cuddly close for a test reading of a page or two.
Then show your child what number of books you can take each time and how you have to check them out at the front desk. Also mention you need to take very good care of the books because they belong to the library, and you will be returning them in 2 weeks (or whatever time frame your library has).
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has made a clear statement about young children spending a lot of time in front of electronic screens: TVs, computers, movies in the car or at home, even hand held devices. "The AAP strongly discourages television viewing for children ages two years old or younger, and encourages interactive play. For older children, the Academy advises no more than one to two hours per day of educational, nonviolent programs, supervised by parents or another responsible adult chosen by the parents."
An alternative to screen time, is real interaction. Screen experiences actually act against a child learning skills for real life. Parents, older siblings and care providers model actions and attitudes that early children mimic, word for word, gesture for gesture. If Dad loves to wear his sun glasses, his little child may love to wear them too. If mom reads a book, then her child will mimic reading even before they understand how to read. Human children learn real-time behavior from human beings.
Let's make a point to turn off the TV and movies that amuse our children as temporary diversions, and make it a regular practice to have reading time together. When you can have an outing, make a regular plan to go to the Library together. Remember to pick out something for yourself too. If you don't have a lot of time to read yourself, remember short stories, and books of inspirational sayings. Poetry comes in all flavors and most poetry books have many short poems, perfect for a quick mental break.
Also many public libraries are near children's play parks, so some physical activity can be planned into the library adventure as well. Remember, Reading Can Be Fun for a lifetime!
You might go to the early books and say "We can pick 2 books from this shelf today. Let's look and see which ones we want to take home with us." Help your child look at a few pages of any books that catch the eye. Most children's sections have reading areas, where you can sit together cuddly close for a test reading of a page or two.
Then show your child what number of books you can take each time and how you have to check them out at the front desk. Also mention you need to take very good care of the books because they belong to the library, and you will be returning them in 2 weeks (or whatever time frame your library has).
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has made a clear statement about young children spending a lot of time in front of electronic screens: TVs, computers, movies in the car or at home, even hand held devices. "The AAP strongly discourages television viewing for children ages two years old or younger, and encourages interactive play. For older children, the Academy advises no more than one to two hours per day of educational, nonviolent programs, supervised by parents or another responsible adult chosen by the parents."
An alternative to screen time, is real interaction. Screen experiences actually act against a child learning skills for real life. Parents, older siblings and care providers model actions and attitudes that early children mimic, word for word, gesture for gesture. If Dad loves to wear his sun glasses, his little child may love to wear them too. If mom reads a book, then her child will mimic reading even before they understand how to read. Human children learn real-time behavior from human beings.
Let's make a point to turn off the TV and movies that amuse our children as temporary diversions, and make it a regular practice to have reading time together. When you can have an outing, make a regular plan to go to the Library together. Remember to pick out something for yourself too. If you don't have a lot of time to read yourself, remember short stories, and books of inspirational sayings. Poetry comes in all flavors and most poetry books have many short poems, perfect for a quick mental break.
Also many public libraries are near children's play parks, so some physical activity can be planned into the library adventure as well. Remember, Reading Can Be Fun for a lifetime!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
+(2).jpg)
Posts
