Michiana Family Magazine - Families First And The Countdown To Kindergarten by Kerri White

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Kerri White is an avid local feature writer and also works for a well-known advertising agency as a copywriter of marketing materialss. She spent over a year in China teaching college English and uses her experience to cover everything from human interest stories to promotional materials. Kerri resides in Granger with her family.

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Families First and the Countdown to Kindergarten
By Kerri White

Ah yes, the wonder and resourcefulness of your child's mind. Just think back to Christmas. Remember feeling the twinge of awe and/or disappointment when your little tike opened that rather large, expensive gift, pushed it aside and spent hours enthralled with the ninety-cent box. It might have been an initial blow to your ego and wallet, but if your kid took that empty square and transformed it into a race car, a house or - if he's a real overachiever - a desktop computer, that's exactly the kind of thing you want to keep encouraging as they get ready to enter school.

It's easy to forget that kids need to be engaged and encouraged to think "outside-the-box." And as parents, so do we. How well you prepare your child at home can make a difference in their future education. That's why with some additional encouragement and stimulation from you, your pre-kindergartener can hit the ground running come their very first day of school.

But there's no instruction manual for parents and most are left wondering what it is they can do now to support their kid's future education. That's where Families First becomes your lifeline. As a community partnership managed by CAPS, Families First has made it their mission to provide parents with the knowledge and tools necessary to prepare little ones for school and beyond. They're goal is to help "every Elkhart County child enter school ready to succeed." They remind mom and dad that kindergarten readiness begins at birth and offer workshops, material and techniques that can further your child's development. All this to say - they know what it takes for your child to be prepared and they're here to help you get them there.

Most of us aren't teachers. We're writers, doctors, receptionists, realtors, bankers, clerks and a host of other professions. That's why many of the simple learning activities your child should master before ever going to school are things we'd never think of on our own. It's another reason why, if you're a parent, Families First is an organization you need to have on speed dial.

As the Readiness Director of the Countdown to Kindergarten program at Families First, Nancy Campagnoli reminds parents that it's never too early to begin their child's education. With years of experience as an early childhood educator, she's put her expertise to good use and has some simple suggestions to improve your kid's critical thinking skills.

For starters, engage your child in those everyday tasks. Hate doing laundry? Try making it a fun learning activity for the two of you to do together. Ask them to organize clothes by categories or colors. Or if you're putting away groceries, have them organize by size. Believe it or not, activities such as these teach your kid the skills they're expected to have already mastered by their first day of kindergarten. Nancy also encourages parents to not only read to their children, but to ask questions while reading. You might even consider having your child tell the story back to you.

Families Firsts helps parents just like you realize that many of the best learning opportunities are right under your nose. For example, look for items around the house to teach colors and shapes. Just think back to that square box your child was enamored with at Christmas. Help them expand on their ability to relate shapes to other shapes. You might consider walking with your child throughout the house to have them point out all the rectangles or circles they can find. It's an inventive way for kids to learn while the two of you enjoy a scavenger hunt.

You might be wondering if all this is really necessary. Just know that kindergarten has changed quite a bit since you were a student. Schools now expect children entering kindergarten to be academically as well as emotionally prepared. Nancy and her colleagues have been working with preschools and daycares in the community for many years, and one thing they've noticed is the increasing number of children struggling to keep up. "The expectations of kindergarteners have changed," explained Nancy. "Parents think it's all about their ABC's, but they don't realize that there's a lot more involved. Children entering kindergarten need to be socially and emotionally ready so they can focus on academics." This means parents should help children learn how to express their feelings in a socially appropriate way starting at home. Families First suggests that when situations arise that frustrate your child, make sure they learn how to deal with those frustrations with words, not actions. Nancy recommends playing lots of board games to teach your children how to take turns and lose with grace.

There are over 3,000 children born in Elkhart County every year meaning Families First has their work cut out for them. That's why they're so thankful for the backing they receive from the community. Local businesses continue to partner with Families First to support their mission financially. Having the community's cooperation means Families First is able to provide tools, workshops and materials at no cost to the parent. And they don't even charge for house calls! One of the more recent projects Nancy is heading are in-home kindergarten readiness workshops through the Countdown to Kindergarten program.

Think of them as Rubbermaid parties, only cooler and free. An expert from Countdown to Kindergarten presents a workshop right in your home. It makes for a fun, intimate atmosphere with your closest family and friends who also have pre-kindergarten age children. "We come and put on the workshop for you, provide a readiness kit and show you how to use it," explained Nancy. And more than simply using the kit, they show you how to expand well beyond it. That's why, speaking with Nancy, it's easy to get excited about the potential of such a program, particularly these in-home workshops. They not only sound like a blast, they also look to be trouble free and of lasting benefit to both parent and child.

At the workshops, parents will receive kits that contain activities to do at home. They come in the form of a traffic light laminated board which outlines a list of different activities one can do with, for example, a box of macaroni and cheese. Parents receive both the activity card and a box of macaroni and cheese, so there's no need to make a run to the grocery store for supplies. In essence, the card works like a lesson plan. All you have to do is follow it.

Nancy explains that Countdown to Kindergarten is targeted to kids around four years old. But Nancy also stresses that it's never too young to do these kinds of activities with your children. In fact, they encourage it. All the activities you learn through the Countdown to Kindergarten program can be easily adapted for kids of all ages. Families Firsts hopes parents will begin performing these kinds of activities well before the age of four because according to them, the earlier, the better!

Families First and the Countdown to Kindergarten program are headed by childhood educators and professionals who know exactly where children need to be emotionally and mentally by the time they enter school. They remind parents that their programs are by no means a replacement to pre-school, but should be an addition to it. Talking to a few parents I know personally, they admit that many of the activities Family First suggests are ideas they never would think of on their own. That's why Families First is a resource for all parents in the area and why you should check them out. Families First knows how kids think and how parents should start thinking in order to ensure their children are where they need to be come kindergarten. If you're a parent, it's time for an out-of-the-box approach. And you can start by giving Family First a call.

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