Video: Parents as Teachers in Yavapai County

Parents as Teachers is a free home visiting program for families with children ages five and under in Yavapai County. Check out a short video about it:





















https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHZnAhYoRzM&list=UUVYldrv8gc5oMvH-FAPcffA

Yavapai Media Hits: Mid-March to Late April 2014

Group uses Twitter to help prevent child abuse
March 26, 2014

http://www.dcourier.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=129900

Public invited to Tuesday discussion on early childhood education
March 30, 2014

http://www.dcourier.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=130081

Free books for kids at library on Monday
April 2, 2014

http://cvrnews.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=58697&SectionID=1&SubSectionID=446&S=1

Verde Valley Healthy Families/Parents as Teachers promote early literacy, celebrate Dr. Seuss at hospital
April 6, 2014

http://verdenews.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=59596&SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1190&S=1

First Things First offers free books
April 9, 2014

http://pvtrib.com/main.asp?SectionID=74&SubSectionID=114&ArticleID=60626

For the Puppies
April 25, 2014

http://sallimaxwell.com/2014/04/25/for-the-puppies/

478 books distributed to young kids countywide
April 27, 2014

http://verdenews.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=59987&SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1190&S=1

Program Works with Libraries, Child Care Centers and Parents to Encourage Early Literacy



Youth Services Librarian Karen Mack provides early literacy

 tips to the parents of Sedona Head Start.

 

On Wednesday, April 23^rd, more than 30 parents of children enrolled in Sedona Head Start attended an early literacy event at the Sedona Public Library. The event celebrated Sedona Head Start’s participation in Raising a Reader, a program that works with child care centers and preschools to encourage parents to read to their children every day. Raising a Reader is a program of Yavapai College funded by First Things First in the Yavapai region.

Raising a Reader works like a mobile library. Each week, the 36 children between the ages of three to five years old at Sedona Head Start bring home red bags filled with books to read with their families, and exchange the books for new ones the following week. After doing this for about 15 weeks, Sedona Head Start will have a celebration in which all participating children will receive a free book and their very own blue book bag. Families are encouraged to use the blue book bag to continue bringing books home from the public library.

The majority of families in at the Sedona Library Raising a Reader event were Spanish speaking. With the help of a translator, Carolyn Shelley, Coordinator of Raising a Reader, spoke to the families about the importance of reading to children. “Reading is a great bonding activity, and strengthens the important relationship between you and your child” said Shelley. “It also supports children’s brain development, helping them get ready for school. Just 10 minutes of reading every day is enough to make a big difference.”

Youth Services Librarian Karen Mack also taught parents tips for reading to their young kids, including asking questions about pictures and characters, pointing to words, and having an enthusiastic attitude about books. A parent’s eagerness to read, Mack said, teaches kids that reading is valuable and fun. 

The Sedona Public Library is dedicated to reaching out to and supporting Sedona’s Spanish-speaking families, and has recently hired Pam Espinosa as their new Latino Services Librarian.  At the event, Espinosa made sure all families knew that Sedona Public Library is open to everyone. “The community of Sedona cares for you and your family’s wellbeing,” said Espinosa. After the event, Espinosa gave families a tour of the library and invited them to obtain a library card for each member of the family.

By encouraging parents to read more to their children and providing resources to help them do so, Raising a Reader, Sedona Head Start, and the Sedona Public Library are working to make sure all young children in Sedona are learning, ready to read and prepared to succeed. 

 

Raising a Reader is a program of Yavapai College funded by First Things First in the Yavapai Region. For more information about Raising a Reader, please contact Carolyn Shelley at (928) 776-2245.

 

‘The Dance of Empathy’ Empowers Peer Supporters of New Moms

“We can gain deeper understanding and connection to our own experience when receiving empathy,” said Devin McKinley, speaking at “The Dance of Empathy,” a free workshop put on by Step Up for Kids at the Prescott Public Library. “The act of receiving empathy can be a bridge to connect us to our soul’s deeper longings.”



Participants share their stories at “The Dance of Empathy” workshop

“The Dance of Empathy” was organized to give participants the tools to strengthen their capacity to empathize with others, especially new mothers.

When new moms feel supported, babies do better. Through a Mom-to-Mom peer support program, Step Up for Kids connects new moms with experienced moms so that new mothers can receive the empathy, nonjudgmental listening ear and practical support they need during their first few months of motherhood. “The Dance of Empathy” workshop helped current and potential mom-to-mom peer supporters strengthen their ability to support new moms.

At the workshop, Devin McKinley, Postpartum Support Specialist and Step Up for Kids Board Member, opened a discussion on the vocabulary of empathy, helping participants to explore words describing emotions, needs and desires. McKinley then led the group through an ‘exercise in empathy’ in which individual participants shared personal stories and others in the group practiced asking questions using empowering and empathy-related terms.

“This helped me practice a new way of thinking to improve my empathy skills,” said Colleen Reckrow, speaking after the workshop. “This will strengthen my ability to reach out to other moms.”

Kylea Wise, a single mother who recently moved to Prescott, also attended the workshop. She expressed her appreciation for the supportive environment Step Up for Kids cultivates. “I didn’t have a community of other moms until I moved to Prescott,” Wise said. “All moms need this.”

Step Up for Kids is all about supporting new moms, and holds workshops on a monthly basis. The next one will be held on April 22^nd from 1:30 PM – 3 PM at the Elsea Room in the Prescott Public Library. Anyone interested in joining the Step Up for Kids network of moms and mom-supporters is welcome to attend. For more information, please contact Salli Maxwell at sallimaxwell@gmail.com.

Free Classes Educate and Support Caregivers of Young Kids

On a sunny April morning at the Dr. Daniel Bright School community room in Cottonwood, a group of lively ladies met for their weekly class about early childhood health, development and education. In front of them was an array of very realistic plastic food. Their task was to make a balanced meal with the items they had. This week’s topic? Nutrition.

This class is part of a 14-week series called the Arizona Kith and Kin Project, a program of the Association for Supportive Child Care (ASCC) that is funded by First Things First in Yavapai County. The series is designed for any person that cares for a young child in their home, including parents, neighbors, family and friends. The class is completely free and includes free child care.

 



Francine Loper talks about portion control at the Arizona Kith and Kin class in Cottonwood.

 

The Kith and Kin project is designed to support caregivers help young children grow, learn and develop. Since 90% of a child’s brain develops before the age of five, the experiences that kids have in their early years lay the foundation for a lifetime. The interactions young children have with their parents and caregivers are the most important to their development.

The class in Cottonwood is taught by Francine Loper of ASCC. “This is the only time it’s ok to play with your food,” joked Loper as the participants created their ‘meals’ and discussed the nutritional value of the food in front of them. The nutrition class also covered topics such as portion sizes for young children, making grocery lists, healthy and unhealthy fats, limiting sugar, hydration, and much more. Active discussion, laughter, and recipe sharing was welcomed throughout.

The class series also covers topics such as brain development, positive communication, positive discipline, health and safety, and CPR. At the end of each class, participants receive free equipment related to the topic they covered that day, including car seats, cribs, fire extinguishers, and smoke alarms.

The classes are getting raving reviews.

“It’s a great class to help adults who care for children.” said Marina Interiano. “I leave each day knowing things I never knew before. I feel like I’m more capable of caring for children and knowing what they need, and helping them grow and learn.”

 “I took this class because I want to help my girls grow, to understand children’s development and learn appropriate discipline techniques,” said Maria Marquez, mother of twin girls with special needs.

 “Caring for children is not about ‘watching’ children,” added Miriam Martinez. “We have an active role in their development.”

By taking part in the Arizona Kith and Kin project, parents and caregivers are gathering the knowledge they need to nurture the learning of all young children in their care.

The Arizona Kith and Kin Project is funded by First Things First in the Yavapai Region. For more information about future classes, please contact Francine Loper at (928) 714-1716.

 

Family Event Promotes Early Literacy, Celebrates Dr. Seuss

About 90% of the brain develops in the first five years of life. The job of getting children ready for school starts the day that they’re born. During these early years, one of the best ways to make sure kids have the skills they need to succeed in school is to read to them every day.

On March 18, 2014, the Verde Valley Healthy Families program and the Parents as Teachers program held a family playgroup focused on early literacy. To celebrate the birthday of well-known and loved author Dr. Seuss, the event featured activities and decorations related to Dr. Seuss’s most famous stories. Special guest Mayor Diane Joens attended to see the two programs in action.

Verde Valley Healthy Families is a free home visitation program for families with children ages five and under, and is housed in the Verde Valley Medical Center. Parents as Teachers is a free home visitation program of Arizona’s Children Association that also serves families with young children prenatally to age five. Both are funded by First Things First, the voter-created organization that works to make sure all kids in Arizona are healthy and ready for school. Through these home visitation programs, families receive visits every two weeks from a family support specialist, who partners with them to make sure their young child is healthy, growing and learning. Every month, the programs team up and organize a playgroup so their families can meet, learn and socialize.

“I like that these playgroups offer my son the chance to build his social skills,” said Nici Campbell, mother of 17-month old son, Jaxson, speaking at the Dr. Seuss event. “It’s also helpful for us parents to have the opportunity to meet and share ideas.”



Mayor Diane Joens and Susan Lacher of Verde Valley Healthy Families help

18-month old Matthew Evans “fish for a book” at the Dr. Seuss family playgroup

Erica Evans, who came to the Dr. Seuss playgroup with her 18-month old son Matthew, appreciated that the event was focused on early literacy. “I’m a fanatic reader,” said Evans. Her son, she said, is becoming one too. “We read every night together,” she said. “When he wants to read, Matthew already knows how to pull a book off the shelf and hand it to me.”

Reading aloud to children builds critical skills such as focus, vocabulary, knowledge and critical thinking. By encouraging families to read to their young children as much as possible, Verde Valley Healthy Families and Parents as Teachers are working to support healthy, growing, imaginative, and school-ready minds.

Verde Valley Healthy Families and Parents as Teachers are free programs for families with children ages five and under and are funded by First Things First. For more information about Verde Valley Healthy Families, please contact Susan Lacher at (928) 639-6566. For more information about Parents as Teachers, a program of Arizona’s Children Association, please contact Rainee Crabtree at (928) 443-1991 X 2021.