Parents want their children to succeed in life. Beyond happiness, this means making sure their children have a good education to be able to solve problems, and eventually a well-paying job to help them avoid the stresses of financial disadvantages. However, in all this dreaming for the future, what often goes unnoticed or unrealized is the importance of the first five years of their children's lives. How people treat their infants and toddlers can greatly increase or decrease those children's ability to succeed as adults.
While this all might sound a bit hard to swallow, let's look at some facts. Infants and children under 5 years old are physically growing faster than older kids, teenagers, or adults. It isn't just their legs or faces changing, it's their brain, muscles, and ability to coordinate their body and their emotional development, including confidence and risk-taking abilities.
Genetics are fate, but spending quality time with your children is something you can control and something that is important. Your child's environment influences your child's culture, such as their tastes, their habits, and even their aspirations. So being a positive influence and exposing young children to a healthy lifestyle in terms of education, communication, and physical play can set the precedent for a healthy, happy adult.
But what are the secrets to helping your children succeed? The lack of mandatory parenting classes in schools, combined with smaller family units that often lack grandparents in the home, translate to many people raising children with little first-hand experience or early childhood education. This is why FIRST 5 Mendocino, in collaboration with First 5 California and other 58 First 5 county programs, exists: to help those who might be pressed for experience and resources ensure they are following best practices for the cognitive and physical development of their child.
Sponsored through FIRST 5 Mendocino, the parenting resource "Raise & Shine" offers a help line (707-462-1233) to answer questions about parenting or guide families to other existing resources. In addition, in January they will be offering a special, free positive parenting program ("Triple P") series in English and Spanish. These groups are designed to empower parents, while teaching them new skills to build confidence and decrease behaviors challenges.
Although these groups often have the stigma of being for "bad" parents or children, they are really for the everyday parent. From learning to potty training techniques to teaching a bedtime routine, Triple P classes are great for anyone who wants to learn more about being a parent. It's a wonderful, powerful tool for the parenting tool kit.
A less formal way to understand children's cognitive development is "Read, Talk, Play, Everyday," a First 5 Sonoma program. This catchy phrase and accompanying web page promotes three categories with activities and tips for each. The following is from their website:
Reading helps children learn to talk, concentrate, listen, and think. Even for babies who don't understand a word you're saying! They focus on your voice, hear new and different words, and eventually can follow along with a story. Plus it is more special time with you.
Talking helps children learn to speak, listen, express their feelings, and read. Your baby learns language just by listening to you talk. Hearing your words over and over again helps your baby learn their meaning. Before your baby can even speak, she will know several dozen words.
Playing helps children think, solve problems, move their bodies, share, get along with others, communicate, and build self-confidence. It is one of the most important things parents can do to help children grow up smart and healthy. Playtime also creates a secure, loving attachment with your baby.
Families that take the time to learn about parenting and spend time with their children, increase the chances of their children succeeding in whatever they choose to do one day. Research supporting the long-lasting value of early-childhood education and developmental benefits should not be ignored - mostly because having fun with your children is pretty awesome.
So be awesome, be rad, and call Raise & Shine today with any parenting questions you might have. While you're at it, don't forget to read, talk, and play with your child every day, for your happiness and for their future success.
Sean Telles is an AmeriCorps VISTA serving with FIRST 5 Mendocino as a Social Entrepreneur. You can email him for comments or suggestions at firstname.lastname@example.org.