The mind of a young child is like
a sponge, it soaks up anything and everything around it. The human brain has
the tendency to increase and develop up to 80% between the birth and thee years
of age. This age is considered to be the crucial point of development of a
child and thus, making it important for parents to enrol the child for an early
childhood education program.
For children and youth to be
successful from birth through adolescence, there must be an array of learning
supports around them. Family involvement matters for young child’s cognitive
and social development. Parents along with the other family members should
actively participate in the early childhood education program. Family
involvement predicts children’s academic achievement and social development as
they progress from early childhood education programs. The involvement of the
family would create a strong connection between the home and the play school.
Back in the olden days, if a
parent showed up to the play school, it usually meant that you were in trouble.
But for kids whose parents regularly involve themselves in the play school
activities, parental visits are a positive add-on to the child's day. Things
have changed drastically; the key is to remain updated about the recent early
education programs. On a deeper note, family involvement displays to your child
and her/his teacher that you view early education as an important entity, one
that is worth participating in.
When at home, a family should
replicate all the activities that a child experiences in the play school. Clever
parents will pick up where the school left off and have an innate sense for
what their child may need to work on to boost her/his competency and
confidence. Taking the time to objectively determine where your child stands in
her/his development is a key factor in getting to know and appreciate your child
for who she/he is. Discover your child’s strengths, interests and areas that
need refining. If your child is struggling with certain aspects of his
education, it is an ideal time to discuss concerns with your child's class
teacher. Involved families learn a lot of things about the play school staff’s behaviour,
about the new learnings, and even the names of their child’s friends. They get
a sense of who their child’s friends are, and who may be causing them trouble
and how their own child is getting along in the group.
The family seems to be the most
effective and economical system for fostering and sustaining the child’s
development. It’s involvement in early childhood is interlinked to child’s
outcomes both in the early years and over time. Thus, families should actively
get involved and interested in the early childhood education programs.
