What does a parent educator do?

As stated in a previous post, one way that parent educators reach families is through individual education. Individual education occurs mainly through personal visits which are most often held in the family’s home. At these visits parent educators talk with the family about the developmental stage that their child is in and what to expect next. They also talk about any issues or concerns the family is having and help them through it. A main event of the visit is the parent-child activity. This activity uses materials that can be easily found in the home and compliments the developmental stage that the child is in.

Recently Imprints collaborated with Frank Eaton and the Bully Documentary Company to film a parent educator on a home visit. Please view the video below to better understand the role of a parent educator.

What's on our bookshelf....

The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant - Illustrated by Stephen Gammell

This is a heart warming story about a family who receives relatives from Virginia for the summer. You are sure to fall in love with this family as you follow the the story of their loving reunion. The illustrations are so wonderfully detailed that you could spend hours looking at them. The facial expressions alone will touch your heart. This book would be a wonderful read when preparing for or recalling a family reunion.

What's on our bookshelf...

Finklehopper Frog by Irene Livingston - Illustrated by Brian Lies

Finklehopper Frog noticed that all of the animals in his neighborhood had taken up jogging so he went out and bought a fancy suit so he could join them. He is soon made fun of for his funny outfit and the way he jogs. Thank goodness for Ruby Rabbit who hops by and teaches him the lesson that he is special just the way he is.

The story with a simple message of “just be yourself” is brought to life by a great rhythm and amazing illustrations. We love looking at all the animals and their jogging outfits. Who knew snakes wear headbands?

Check out the next Finklehopper Frog book called Finklehopper Frog Cheers. Finklehopper and his friend Ruby Rabbit appear again in a story about overcoming fears, standing up to bullies, and being a good sport.

Sun Safety

On Tuesday I wrote about water play and put a little blurb on the bottom about sunscreen. But sunscreen is a big deal and deserves more of a blurb so I’ve decided to expand a little. I’m a very fair-skinned person and have had numerous sunburns over the course of my life. I hated having sunscreen put on when I was a kid and often ended up with burns so bad I got blisters. In my adult life, I’ve gotten so much better and always start my day with a lotion containing SPF on my face. I’m also in love with sunscreen in a can. It’s so easy to apply and I don’t feel greasy afterwards. (One piece of advice – make sure to apply it when you’re not in a windy area because you end up wasting quite a bit.) Even though I've determined that I like sunscreen in a can, I'm still unsure of which one to pick.

Sunscreen is a little tricky to buy because there are so many choices. There are several brands and each one advertises something different. You can choose anywhere from SPF4 to SPF100+ which come in several different forms. I began to do some research and was sent this article by WebMD from a friend. It certainly gave me some things to think about when I choose my next sunscreen. I dug a little more and found an article called Summer Sun Care for Kids, also on WebMD. It has some really helpful tips but I know you’re really busy so I thought I would highlight some great points.

Adelaide Hebert, MD, from pediatric dermatology at The University of Texas Medical School in Houston stated that for younger kids “it’s easiest to get them to wear protective clothing.” I agree with that, going shopping for swimwear this year, we found that there are several colorful options for kids to choose from. WebMD states that sunscreen and cover-ups are just as important for older kids and teens plus the “tan” look is very popular. According to Hebert the safest way to get that look is to use spray or lotion self-tanners and some even provide some sun protection, just make sure to read the label closely.

The article also lists some Rules for Smart Summer Skin Care:

Rule #1 – Stay inside or in the shade between 10am and 4pm
Rule #2 – Everyone is at risk regardless of skin color or type
Rule #3 – Dress your kids in protective clothing
Rule #4 – Use sunscreen!

Purchasing sunscreen is a personal choice because only you know your family's needs. The important thing is to be knowledgeable about your choices and to read the label.

Water Wonders

The local weather people have forecasted beautiful weather this week. Warm and sunny weather makes me want to spend every minute outside. Visiting a local pool or lake is a wonderful idea but if you would rather stay in your own backyard, there are several ideas for educational water play.

Fill a kiddie pool or large plastic tote with water. Even if it isn’t big enough for the child to climb into, they can still have fun. Collect several waterproof materials from around the house such as: corks, non-electric egg beater, egg cartons, food coloring, funnels, measuring cups and spoons, paintbrushes, plastic dishes, empty squeeze bottles, strainer, sponges, and regular water toys.

Children can use these materials to experiment with water which will help facilitate math and science learning. They will learn about measurement when using the measuring cups and volume when trying to pour water from one container to another. Science is about asking questions and testing theories. Water play provides many opportunities for this. Children can experiment with the materials to find out if something floats and how to sink the object if it does. Encourage them to ‘paint’ outdoor items with paintbrushes or squirt bottles and see what areas dry faster than others. This is also a good time to discuss the properties of water especially the way water can change from a liquid to a solid into gas and back to liquid. Allowing kids to see this cycle during the discussion will help them to understand it.

Water play has several benefits other than learning math and science. Working with these materials will help to strengthen their hand muscles which is important when learning to write and with hand eye coordination. Experimenting with the water will increase problem solving skills and talking about their play will improve language skills.

Overall, water play is a fun-filled activity that provides several educational opportunities. Let us know your ideas for water play, we would love to hear from you!

Please practice safety during outdoor and water play. Never leave your child alone while he plays with water as drowning can occur in only a few inches and remember to apply sunscreen.

What's on our bookshelf.....

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn - Illustrated by Ruth E. Harper and Nancy M. Leak

The Kissing Hand is a wonderful story about a raccoon who is a little apprehensive about starting school. Mom tells him a secret called the Kissing Hand which will help him get through the time spent away from her. This book is perfect for any child that will be temporarily separated from their parents for occasions such as school, a sleepover, or summer camp. It also helps the moms and dads who are a little apprehensive too.

What's on our bookshelf....

The Going to Bed Book - written and illustrated by Sandra Boynton

Sandra Boynton's books always make me smile. They are filled with simple yet adorable illustrations of animal adventures. This particular book has a silly story but has a very soothing tone. Perfect for reading at naptime or at night.

Happy reading!

The life of a bookworm....

When I was a little girl, my favorite activity was reading. I can remember getting books read to me all the time and then after I learned how to read, all I wanted to do was read to anyone who would listen. If no one in my family was available, I would recruit my dog and my stuffed animals to be my special listeners. Thankfully, they were always willing.

Thinking back to what I was exposed to, reading was a part of everyday life around my house. I often saw people reading the mail, newspaper, books, magazines, and even the TV Guide. The library was a regular destination for my family and personally I thought it was better than a trip to the amusement park. Spending hours reading about my favorite animals or getting some Little Golden Bookswas great fun for me. I have always thought of reading as an adventure because it transports me into the lives of the characters whether or not they are real. Who doesn’t love a free vacation?

I credit all of those experiences to my love of books today. I would still much rather go to the library than the amusement park. As I have grown, my tastes have changed but I’m always in the middle of a book of some kind.

Instilling this love of books in children is very important to me. I never turn down a child who wants to be read to and I always try to give books for gifts rather than toys that will be pushed to the side after a few minutes. I also get to share books with the families that I visit, as does each parent educator. We incorporate a book into every visit to promote literacy and its importance.

Every Monday and Friday, I will post a children’s book to recommend to our readers. I welcome your feedback on the choices and please feel free to tell me about your own favorites so that I can showcase those.

Welcome to the new Imprints blog!

Imprints is a non-profit agency located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina that is committed to helping families with young children thrive. We help families nurture and prepare their children for success through individual and group parent education, collaborations, and referrals. Through our programs, we support parents in our community because we believe that family is critical to the success and well being of every child. Our programs and services are all based on the belief that parents are children’s first and best teachers. In fact, research shows that learning begins even before birth. Imprints can show you how to make the most of your child’s early learning experiences.

Here at Imprints, we love sharing parenting tips and information to the families that we serve. With this blog, we hope to share stories, ideas and information to the people that we don't get to reach everyday. We want to inform and inspire people and feel our readers will do the same for us. We welcome your comments and suggestions for future posts. Happy reading!