New program helps adults and kids connect earlier in life
This year, Parents as Teachers teamed up the Alberton’s PEAK Foundation to host the 2015 Fall Festival, held on October 25th at the Alberton Town Park. Kids enjoyed a day of building scarecrows, carving pumpkins, playing in a bouncy house and feasting on homemade chili, cotton candy and popcorn.
Parents as Teachers is a relatively new program that started in the fall of 2012. It’s a free program that is administered through the Mineral County Health Department and serves families throughout the county. It provides resources to parents that help support child development prenatally through the start of Kindergarten. This can include breastfeeding and formula for infants; early childhood education; health, hearing and vision screening; and helps to get kids ready to start school.
PAT works in partnership with the schools in Alberton, St. Regis and Superior. Currently, Alberton School provides a meeting space for the group. Alberton Superintendent, Clay Acker said “the program is beneficial because it gives us the opportunity to get to know parents and kids before they start Kindergarten.” Which can help ease the transition from home to school for both parents and children.
According to program supervisor, Jennifer Donovan, there are currently 35 kids in the program, with hundreds more who have participated in Group Connection events, which are playgroups that are open to the public.
Home Visitor Laura Acker said that she became aware of PAT two years ago when she and her kids attended Group Connection events in Alberton. “These events are great because it’s a way for parents with young children, to connect with other parents”, she said. “We try to create activities for all age kids to enjoy at the events.”
The national program was started 30 years ago and believes that parents are a child’s first, and most important, teacher. Research shows that 80 percent of a child’s brain is developed by the age of three. Making these early years especially important.
When PAT personnel visits a home, the focus is on teaching fun activities that parents can do with their children to enhance development. They also provide support to help families overcome parenting issues, and help those who may need to address barriers and challenges with their children. Additional information about this program can be found at www.parentsasteachers.org.