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The Child's Job: Talking to Parents About Child Development

by Jim Greenman
March/April 2007
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Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/the-childs-job-talking-to-parents-about-child-development/5017466/

A child’s job is to learn all about
the world and fully develop into
the very best person that
he or she can be.

Child development is complicated. There are many research studies and thick textbooks that cover every aspect of child development. Good caring practices, environments, activities, and the expectations of children and teachers are designed to promote and foster each child’s development. How can we explain that to parents? How can we help parents understand and recognize the value of what we do?

Of course, what good early care and education programs should do is under siege by a growing national anxiety attack and obsession with school readiness. This anxiety casts a cloud (or shroud) over early childhood programs, as if all we should focus on is how to create the ideal child for a kindergarten classroom, and an academic kindergarten at that! The irony is many of these of children may live to be 100 years old. Drawing from a popular expression, they will experience “40 as the new 30”, “60 as the new 50.” So why does four have to be the new six?

In reality, the focus of good child care is much broader and deeper because our programs provide the ...

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