Education starts at birth and doesn’t end till we take our last breath. Some may argue it starts in the womb as our mothers sing and talk to us. We are ever growing beings. Our brains remapping themselves as we take in new information daily. Knowing this, shouldn’t education be one of the most focused on issues in any modern society?
This particular Blog post will be ever evolving. For every article I write for the blog I do research, recommend books, and seek out a professional to have a live discussion with on the YouTube Podcast. This time because this subject is so vital to peoples success and happiness, I will be breaking it down into 10 segments starting with Pre K education. Today I will be taping the first 10 minute episode on education, and so today comes the first segment in the Education- From Cradle to grave article. Please check back daily as I will be releasing a new article daily as we go move up through the years of education, and their particular challenges, speedbumps and needs.
Pre K- How do we start our kids off right?
From the time we learn were expecting a child, whether from our own conception, or through adoption we feel this desperate need to give them the best of everything. This means more than just things, but also experiences that will shape them, and an education that will prime them for success. As parents we worry endlessly. While pregnant with my three kids I sung to them, read to them, played baby Einstein music and Bach, even played whale sounds and exposed my growing tummy to sunlight in an attempt to let them know what the sun would feel like on their faces. I had such love for these little ones and I wanted to prepare them for the world they were getting ready to come into.
When they were born I took them out into the garden and told them all the names of the flowers, brushed soft fern leaves against their cheeks, sung them sweet songs, played Mozart to open their mind to music and math, told them stories about our great big world, read them books, both age appropriate and not to start growing their vocabulary.
As my children began to really move I gave them an assortment of different things to hold in their hands and explained how this one was smooth, this one hard and cold, this one scratchy to help them differentiate between sensations. I taught the to roll over, scoot, sit up crawl, pull themselves up, and take their first sweet steps. This was all a joy. The first word that comes out of your child’s mouth melts you in a way that’s indescribable. When they go from just simple sounds, to mimicking you sing, to humming to speaking your heart lights up daily.
From there its a race. Running toddlers at full speed grab for everything they can find to learn about their world. You go room to room crawling to see what’s on their level that may maim or kill them so that you can baby proof everything. This period is both joyful and terrifying. You start to think about baby and me classes and preschool programs. You’re sure that your child will be doomed for life if they don’t get into the right program. You’re also sure your child is a budding prodigy and not just any program will meet their needs.
This brings me to Pre K. This is where all the hysteria comes in. If you’re a person of means you probably put your child on a preschool waiting list when you found out you were expecting so as to insure they got in the right school. You have money set aside for 3 years of tuition to cover from age 2 to age 5 when donning their tiny little caps and gowns they step up giggling, tripping on their gowns to receive their diploma and give you a proud grin that you will remember to the day you die. In a perfect world they go to preschool, or a combo preschool daycare if you work, 3 days a week and on the other days you spend time together at museums, zoos, parks, libraries, mommy and me classes, and play dates with friends. As we know though, life is never perfect and not all get to take part in this utopian type of life, not child , nor parent.
The reality for so many is so much bleaker, so much darker. For many raising a child means constant worry and struggle. It means staying up all night crying because the rents late, the baby needs new shoes, your boss cut back your hours, your sick and cant afford to go to the Doctor, your car battery just died, and you cant afford daycare for your toddler, let alone a fancy preschool program meant to prepare them for school and life. You look at your sleeping angel and weep because they deserve so much better than you can give them.
How does a parent living in poverty, or near poverty surviving paycheck to paycheck pay for the preschool education and experiences that a child needs? Children from low income homes specifically need more support to help them and their families get through trying times. This is what we’ll be addressing today. I hope you’ll join us on todays episode of That’s Jacqueline, Episode 1 of Education- Cradle to Grave- Pre K. Ill Have
That’s Jacqueline! 