Dear Elizabeth....

My 15 month son and I are new to Parents’ Place.  I love coming to classes and spending time talking to other parents who are in the same place I am…good some days not so much on other days.  My question is about what my son is really getting out of being here at Parents’ Place.  I see that he is “playing” with other kids and seems to enjoy listening to the songs at circle time, but I am questioning if that is really enough for him;  sometimes he even seems bored.  I am wondering if I should be looking for a more stimulating environment that will offer more educational opportunities to help set him up for a good school experience later.
-  Parent looking towards the future

Dear Futuristic Parent,

I am happy that you have found the Parents’ Place program.  This is a lovely place to find a community of parents with whom you can share the daily up and down experiences of parenting.  It sounds like you son is also adjusting well to the structure of the classes you attend.  It is amazing to watch a child new to Parents’ Place unfold into their place in class; some do it quickly while others take more time. 

I want to encourage you to continue to attend classes at Parents’ Place even though you feel you child may appear “bored”.  Children look to their parents to see how they should act/interact in any given situation.  If you feel your child is not as interested in the activities in class, I would suggest taking a look at how you engage in the same activities.  If you disengage during circle time (or any other activity offered) your child will follow your lead.  Now if your child simply does not want to do the art project offered that day, or if they just can’t sit through the entire circle time, no worries.  Allow your child to explore their own interests as you model the appropriate behavior for what is happening in class on that day.  You will still be able act as your child’s guardian angel if they choose to not participate. 

I also want to mention how important programs such as Parents’ Place are in terms of preparing your child for the future.  Recently James Heckman, a Nobel Laureate in Economics and an expert in the economics of human development has been discussing how early childhood development drives success in school and life.  As the brain develops rapidly from birth to age 5, the foundations for cognitive and character skills are being formed.  Here at Parents’ Place you are helping to foster not only the cognitive skills but also attentiveness, motivation, self-control and sociability.  These character skills (learned now) allow your child “turn knowledge into know-how” later on.  Your child will have the opportunity to become a more productive citizen in the future because of the chances you give them by coming to classes and interacting with you and the other students you will both encounter.  Here is to giving our children the best start towards a happy and productive future…and having a fun time at Parent’s Place!