November 8th is National Parents as Teachers Day. It is a program, started in Missouri and is now all over the country, to help parents prepare children for school. Their mission is to promote the optimal early development, learning and health of children by supporting and engaging their families and caregivers. This program can then make kindergarten more successful for all children. They have several focuses that make a lot of sense:
–The early years of a child’s life are critical for optimal development and provide the foundation for success in school and in life.
–Parents and caregivers are their children’s first and most influential teachers.
The program helps various (high needs) parents; families with special need children, families with low income, teen parents, immigrant families, families at risk of child abuse, families homeless or with unstable housing, any parent who asks for help. The programs help educate parents and get the needs of children fullfilled by having home visits, and coaching parents. Child Protective Services claim that the program drastically helps children.
When I read of this program, I was intrigued, and googled a lot about it. Some gave glowing reviews of helping train parents and children, another study from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said that the effectiveness of these home visits was more inconclusive. Either way, it is a government program, usually free to families. In Peoria, there are two affiliates, that can help with the program.
I totally agree that parents are teachers. But another way to help children’s development, especially to prepare for kindergarten, without using this government program, would be to visit (and use) a local library. They are all sorts of programs at one’s local library: playtimes, coloring, story reading hours, computers, music, DVDs, and of course books. Having a library card can also give a sense of ownership and responsibility to each child who gets one. All of the above events, also help social skills, confidence, and understanding routines and following instructions.
I have a few books on libraries to help sell this program. “Lessons On the Use of Books and Libraries” by O.S. Rice, 1930, and “Celebrating With Books” by Nancy Polette and Marjorie Hamlin, 1977.
Don’t let the age of these books distract from their messages. There are timeless ideas in these books. Bottom line is libraries can help children, even before they can read.
They can help the parents as well. I found this book at a library book sale for a dollar, “A Galaxy of Games and Activities for the Kindergarten” by Joyce Lewallen.
While it originally was a book for kindergarten teachers, this book has given me great ideas of things to do with my grandkids. There are all sorts of activities and ways to get children’s attention. It is a great teaching aid for grandparents, parents, anyone that spends time with kids. And there are countless other books (and other resources) at the local library.
It can still be tough on parents. There is no easy fix for raising children to be successful first in kindergarten, and then through school and life. A parent has to learn to departmentalize, and give a little time to themselves, especially when wanting to bang their head on a wall because their kids don’t listen. I have help for that…
November 8th is National Harvey Wallbanger Day. In the 1970s, a surfer named Tom Harvey celebrated a surfing win by drinking too many Galliano-spiked screwdrivers at a bar. His friends nicknamed him “Harvey Wallbanger” after he staggered out of the bar and banged his surfboard on the walls.
I have the book “500 Cocktails” by Wendy Sweetser. This book is the only drink-book one will ever need. Her story about Harvey is slightly different. She says that he was trying to drown his sorrows after a competition wipeout, and he collided with a wall on his way out of the bar.
Either way, one can bang a wall with their head because of frustration, or bang a wall with their face because of too much drinking. The Harvey Wallbanger is full of vodka, orange juice, and Galliano. They do go down easy.
I could be “Stirring up trouble with every sip“, or perhaps “A cocktail a day keeps the stress away.”
You decide. Cheers to parenting.
Librarytomes 