Article in the News

Tips for Parents of Soon-to-be-Kindergarteners:
http://www.prescottvalleytribune.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=58786&SectionID=74&SubSectionID=503&S=1

Social Savvy: It Starts Early

The Del E. Webb Family Enrichment Center Helps Kids Develop Social, Behavioral Skills

Chloe, age 2, carefully leads a wooden toy train across the track she and her friends just laid out in their classroom at the Del E. Webb Family Enrichment Center. At the same time, Cole, also 2, leads his train in the opposite direction - towards hers. Their trains gently collide. Cole begins to cry angrily. Ms. Lisa, Master Teacher, quickly intervenes. “Cole, did you want a turn driving your train on the track?” she says. “Can we ask our friend Chloe for a turn and say please?” The little calamity is quickly resolved.



With the guidance of their knowledgeable teachers,
children learn to work and play together at the
Del E Webb Family Enrichment Center.

Over and over, research has shown the many benefits of quality early education on child’s success, including that kids who attend quality preschool or child care have better social skills and better relationships with their peers. Critical social and behavioral skills, such as patience, motivation, focus, self-discipline and self-esteem take root from birth to five years old. Successful people share these traits, and it is important that kids have the tools they need to develop these essential skills in their early years.

At the Del E. Webb Family Enrichment Center (FEC), an early learning program located on the Yavapai College campus in Prescott, children are guided by highly trained teachers like Ms. Lisa to develop their important social and behavioral skills every day. The center serves children ages 3 month to five years old.

“It is natural for young children to be very focused on their own needs and wants, but that doesn’t mean they can’t learn to be sensitive to  the needs and feelings of others,” said Vickey LaMotte, Director of the FEC. “Here at the Family Enrichment Center, we see it as our role to help children develop the skills they need to work cooperatively with others.   Children learn to use their words to ask for what they want, to pay attention to what others are saying, and to negotiate and compromise with one another. Developing self-regulation skills early in life prepares children to be successful in their interactions with others throughout their lives.”

It takes a great deal of knowledge to be able to guide young children to develop these skills. “One of the most important parts of quality early education is a trained, knowledgeable teacher,” said LaMotte. “We need educated teachers who understand child development and know how to support children to reach their potential.” The FEC also functions as a lab school, training college students pursuing a degree in education to sensitive and effective early childhood educators. Students work in the classrooms beside a Master teacher, who provides them with ongoing guidance and feedback.

The FEC recognizes that parents are a child’s first and most important teachers, and strong families are the building blocks of a strong society. By holding regular parenting education classes and meeting with parents bi-yearly to touch base about their child’s development, the FEC is committed to partnering with parents in their child’s early education.

Children are our future, and when more kids develop the critical social skills they need to succeed, everyone benefits. By providing high-quality early education, promoting strong families, and training future early educators, the FEC is making a positive impact- now and for generations to come.

To learn more about the Del E. Webb Family Enrichment Center, please contact Vickey LaMotte at (928)-776-2174.

Help Available for First-Time Moms in Yavapai County

Strong families are the building blocks of a strong society. It is critical that parents have the tools they need to provide their children with a stable, nurturing environment. This begins with a healthy pregnancy. 

 

When Karina Montero learned she was pregnant, she was both happy and apprehensive. She was thrilled when she saw the results of her first ultrasound and began to feel her baby move, but despite her excitement, Karina was still nervous about being a first-time mom. Though she had support from her boyfriend Gustavo, she had no family members nearby. 

 

Karina found out about the Nurse Family Partnership (NFP), a free program of Yavapai County Community Health Services funded by First Things First. The program partners with women and their families who are expecting their first child. Through the NFP, pregnant women receive weekly home visits from a nurse, who provides them with individualized support, pregnancy and parenting education, and refers them to any community resources they may need. The program recognizes that the parents are a child’s first teachers, and families can stay enrolled in the program until their child turns 2. Karina enthusiastically decided to enroll.

 

Now, Karina receives visits each week from Kathy, her NFP nurse. During their visits, the two talk a lot about having a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby, and Kathy also provides Karina with information on things like mental health, stress, relationships, and even how to cook on a budget- everything to help her and Gustavo prepare to be the best parents they can be. “There’s no subject we don’t talk about,” said Kathy.



Karina meets with Kathy, her Nurse Family Partnership nurse.

Karina is eager to learn everything she can, and asks Kathy a lot of questions. “This program is like school, like my own personal prenatal and parenting class,” said Karina. Even between visits, Karina can call Kathy with any questions she may have. “I never feel alone,” said Karina. “I may not have my mom here, but I have Kathy.”

 

Kathy also helps Karina plan both short and long-term goals for her family. In the future, Karina plans to attend college to become either a teacher or a nurse.

 



“Because of Kathy’s help, I’m not scared, and I’m ready to be a parent,” Karina said. “Because of the Nurse Family Partnership, I’m more ready for what’s coming. I’m ready to apply the skills I’ve learned to be a great mom to my baby.”

 



The Nurse Family Partnership is a program available to first-time pregnant women in Yavapai County, and is funded by First Things First. For more information on the Nurse Family Partnership or to enroll, please call (928)-634-6851 in the Verde Valley area and (928)-442-5478 in the Quad-city area. To learn more about First Things First and what it does to promote strong families, please visit ReadyAZKids.com.

See the Full Article on the Daily Courier website: http://www.dcourier.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=121527&SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1086&S=1

In the News

"Tips for Parents of Soon-To-Be Kindergarteners was published in the Chino Valley Review today:

http://cvrnews.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=57378&SectionID=74&SubSectionID=777&S=1

Expecting Great Things

Nurse family program partners with first-time moms

Article in the Verde Independent: http://verdenews.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=55106&SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1190&S=1

Helping Toddlers and Preschoolers Cope with Tragedy

Everyone responds to tragedy differently, but kids 5 and younger have not yet developed their own coping skills. So, when young kids experience a traumatic event, it is not uncommon for them to regress to past behaviors, such as thumb-sucking and bed-wetting. They may also cling to parents and other caregivers, and display changes in eating, sleeping and behavior. 

As parents and caregivers, we cannot shield our children from all the bad things that happen in our communities, but we can offer the help and reassurance that our children need to feel safe.

To support families and caregivers in their efforts to help young kids cope with the aftermath of the Yarnell Hill Fire, First Things First has compiled the following tips from the National Association the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

 

1.       Cuddle your child. After a traumatic and tragic event, very young children need to be held and hugged often.

2.       Provide children with opportunities to talk about the event. Answer questions about the event honestly, but do not dwell on frightening details or allow the subject to dominate family or classroom time indefinitely. Answer questions honestly at a level the child can understand. Do not be afraid to admit that you cannot answer all of their questions.

3.       Monitor children’s television watching. You may decide to shield your children from the news coverage entirely, but if you do choose to allow them to watch the news, be present when your child is watching. It is at these times that questions might arise.

4.       Help children understand that there are no bad feelings. Encourage children to express emotions through conversation, writing, or artwork.

5.       For older children, see if there is an age-appropriate way for kids to help others who were affected by the event (such as collecting food, clothing, etc., for victims).

6.       Help children identify good things, such as the heroic actions of the emergency responders or the assistance offered by people throughout the community.

If your child is exhibiting behaviors that are confusing or concerning to you (such as aggression or depression), speak with your doctor or call the free Birth to 5 Helpline (1-877-705-KIDS). Specifically designed for caregivers of kids 5 and younger, the Helpline is staffed by nurses, child development specialists and other early childhood professionals who can answer questions about any parenting issue or challenge you are facing. Questions also may be submitted online at: www.swhd.org/get-help/birth-to-five-helpline.

 

When tragedy strikes a community, it takes the whole community to cope. By partnering with parents in their efforts to help young children handle this tragedy, we can help make sure everyone in our community has the support they need to heal from this terrible loss.