The Early Years

The Early Years

This past year I sent my oldest daughter, Carly, off to college. It was a bittersweet moment.  It does not seem that long ago that I was rocking her to sleep, watching Barney videos with her, and taking her to school for her first day.  As I think about our district gearing up for the annual March event of registering students for Kindergarten, I am reminded of the day I took Carly for her registration event.  As they took her back to be “tested”, I waited anxiously for the results.  I imagine I am not the only parent who has had these thoughts, which is why I want to focus this blog on the importance of the early years and the impact parents and caregivers have on helping students start school ready to learn.

Parents want their child to be prepared and not behind.  Currently, in Kentucky, only 50% of students begin kindergarten ready to learn. Parents are their child’s first teacher because as soon as babies are born they are immediately eager learners.  In fact, during the first three years of life, the brain grows at an amazing rate and forms connections.  By the time a child reaches age 3, the brain has already grown 80% of its adult size and has formed about 1000 trillion connections.  These connections are critical to a child’s healthy growth and development. 

Parents provide the building blocks children need to thrive, but they must be intentional.  Activities such as talking, reading, and singing lead to positive brain building. Additionally, relationships that are nurturing help their brains grow best.  Negative experiences, such as abuse and neglect, can actually lead to the chemistry of the brain changing which can have a lifelong impact on learning, behavior, and health. 

Our district has identified 8 ways you can interact with your child to get them off to a “Great Start” and enter kindergarten ready to learn.

• Share Stories:  By the time a child begins kindergarten they should have 1,000 books read to them. 
• Talk Together:  Babies and children need to hear lots of words to build up their vocabulary.
• Ask Questions:  Your child should be asking you many questions as they work to make sense of the world, but you should be asking too.  “Where is your nose?” or “What color is the sky?” are examples of great questions.
• Sing Songs:  Rhymers are readers.  Nursery rhymes build memorization, sequencing, voice inflection and exposure to new words. Dancing is fun too.
• Play Games:  Playing games is the job of a child.  From Peek-a-Boo to Candy Land children learn lots of skills from playing.
• Allow for Exploration: Using building blocks, playing with wooden spoons, or pots and pans allow children to explore their surroundings.
•  Let Them Be Helpers:  As children go older give them “jobs” to do such as mixing the cookies or taking out the trash.  Children can learn responsibility and realize their importance and value.
• Give Praise: Making children feel valued and special will help them have a positive self-image.  Make sure you tell your children when you are proud or they have a done a great job.   

This year, we will be welcoming the future class of 2030.  Children are our future; we owe them a path that will guide them to a successful future. This begins in the Early Years!