Further Exploration of the Zero to Three Website

   I really enjoyed reading the article, "Make the Most of Playtime". It provides background information about all of the great skills and understandings that are developed during child-guided play. At work, we are frequently bombarded with accusations from parents that their children are not learning anything, just playing. This is a great resource for parents and early childhood professionals. It is important for early childhood professionals to share their knowledge with parents in order to get the parents' buy in to the program and curriculum.
   The Baby Brain map feature is an example of neurologists' influence on the early childhood field. It provides information about the parts of the brain, their function and how it affects development. The new Policy videos, accessed via the home page, provide information and inspiration about how to advocate for children and early childhood programs with legislators. I'd always thought that influencing policy was not within my reach, but these videos provide enough information and inspiration to allow me to begin to become active in this area of my profession.
    I found the sidebar of questions about specific situations written by parents and caregivers along with  answers from professionals to be very informative. The questions, ranging from how to manage a toddler's behavior in a blended family to a parent's concern about a child who has begun to stutter, are great resources for parents and caregivers.
    I downloaded the Policy Guide from the Zero to Three website. It provides the background information required to lobby for funding for quality early education programs. The Policy Guide also provides information about brain development, Human Capital Investment in terms of early childhood programs and early medical care, information required to influence policy in early care adn education, steps to assessing and changing policy. There is a tremendous amount of information contained within this policy guide. It should be required reading for those in the early childhood field.

http://www.zerotothree.org/

Childhood Poverty in India

    Since my attempts to make contact with early childhood professionals from other nations have, thus far, been fruitless, I will share what I have learned about childhood poverty in India from the website http://www.childhoodpoverty.org/ .

India has the greatest population of children participating in the labour force in the world. One-third of children under 16 years of age work. Most child-workers are female due to the low enrollment of girls in the school system (CHIP).

A cultural preference for male children exists in India. Male children are of greater value based upon their earning potential and the perception that males are permanent members of the family This bias toward male children contributes to the neglect of female children. As a result of the low value of female children, there is a higher rate of mortality for infant and young girls. Consequently,the number of girls per one thousand boys aged 0-6 is steadily declining (CHIP).

In the last 50 years, India's government has made concerted efforts to reduce the poverty rate through attempts to increase economic growth. Efforts include reforms in land and tenancy policies, programs that empower and encourage active participation in the economy including those that promote self-employment and the creation of jobs in rural areas. Food subsidy programs are targeted to rural areas where accessibility to resources is severely limited. The development of villages and local government systems are an integral part of the distribution of resources in less populated areas of the country (CHIP).

An increase in the population of India, the country's industrialization and the globalization of the economy in India in this information age make it difficult for the schools to remain competitive on a world scale. This, in turn causes hiccups in the country's development efforts. Education is an important factor in development (CHIP).


Reference
www.childhoodpoverty.org/index.php?action=countryo#11

Professionalism and Parenting

I chose to explore the website http://www.zerotothree.org/ . The focus of Zero To Three, a not for profit organization, is to educate and assist those Early Childhood professionals, politicians (and others who create and vote regarding early education legislation) and families in their quest to enhance the experiences of infants and toddlers. The mission of Zero to Three is to advocate for the health and development of infants  and toddlers from birth to three years of age.

The balance between parenting and professionalism can be difficult to achieve. While perusing the Zero to Three website, I was drawn to an essay, "Parenting and Professionalism: The Myth of Having It All"  by Robin B. Thomas, PhD. RN. that relayed her experience with this issue. Thomas writes of her struggle to come to terms with having to give up some aspects of her career in order to spend more time with her family. Thomas makes the important point that, "professionals and institutions need to become more supportive of the transition to, and the experience of, parenthood among professionals need to become supportive of the transition to and experience of parenthood among professionals" (Thomas, 1990). 

Reference

Thomas, Robin B, PhD. RN (1990). Parenting and Professionalism: The Myth of Having It All. retrieved from http://www.zerotothree.org/early-care-education/child-care/parenting-professionalism-myth.html

Attempts to Establish International Contacts and Exploration of a Site to Expand My Knowledge of the EC Field

In an attempt to establish contact with EC professionals in other countries, I consulted the NAEYC site. I have reached out to the following professionals via email:
Mr. Eric Atmore of South Africa
Nives Milinovic of Croatia
Lucie Rastocna of Czech Republic
Iryna Lapitskaga of Belarus
In the emails I explained my relationship to the field and the assignment. I asked each of the professionals if they would be interested in participating in this activity. Hopefully, I will receive responses from at least two professionals. If I receive no responses by Wednesday, I will contact other professionals from the lists.

      I chose to explore the website http://www.zerotothree.org/ . I've subscribed to the newsletter and become a member of the site. I chose this site because I have been studying infant/toddler brain development and developmentally appropriate practice for  infant-toddler age groups as a part of my job as curriculum coordinator for an early childhood center. This site will be a great resource for this area of interest. Zero to Three's mission statement:

ZERO TO THREE is a national, nonprofit organization that informs, trains, and supports professionals, policymakers, and parents in their efforts to improve the lives of infants and toddlers. Our mission is to promote the health and development of infants and toddlers.

   

 The homepage of the site is chock full of information. The tabs at the top of the page enable quick and easy navigation of the site. The headings for the tabs are Behavior and Development, Maltreatment, Care and Education, Public Policy and About Us. My two favorite features of the Zero to Three homepage are the Infant Brain Development Map and the Download of the Week. The Infant Brain Development Map allows one to explore the functions of the infant brain by age and area of interest. Questions and Answers are available as well as what can be done by caregivers to facilitate  healthy development. The Download of the Week for this week is "Healthy Eating Strategies for Young Children", a handout geared toward parents of young children about what they can do to help their infants/toddlers develop healthy eating habits.

The Value and Nature of Relationships

Relationships are comprised of  repeated interactions between two or more people.The more the interaction is repeated, the more significant the relationship. The significance may have a positive or negative flavor. For example, a  relationship that I once had with a negative significance was an elderly lady who would shout insults at me as I ran by with my children in a jogging stroller. She would yell from her porch how  I was "jumbling up my [toddler sons'] brains" by running with them in the stroller. This relationship was significant because her rantings were a daily occurrence. Our tiny village only has sidewalks within its limits and she lived on one of the two main streets in the village. I would vary my run times to avoid her criticisms, but she always seemed to be sitting on her porch! I stopped once to explain to her that my sons were safe in the stroller, but her rantings became louder and her tone acrid, so I ran away and ignored her for the rest of her days.

Positive quality relationships share the main components of trust, time, consistency, commitment and availability. Relationships are the basis for work, social and family life. Without relationships, it would be impossible to get anything done in the home, school, or out in the world. Healthy and strong relationships are built through listening, the empathy, the expression of respect and concern, clear and open communication between the participants.Without relationships, we would all be hermits living in close proximity to one another.

Quotes about Children and Childhood

"If life were measured by accomplishments, most of us would die in infancy". - AP Gouthey

I love this quote because it speaks to the amount that humans grow during the prenatal period and early infancy.

"Children are like wet cement. Whatever falls on them makes an impression".- Dr. Haim Ginott

This quote refers to the amount of information that children can absorb and process during childhood.

The Whole Child

When one considers the whole child, it is important to consider the parts that comprise the whole. Organic elements of a child including temperament, physical and cognitive affinities and challenges. Environmental factors such as culture, family structure, social class and income level must also be considered. No two children are completely alike. Therefore, comparisons are invalid. Children should only be compared to themselves. Their progress and current state should be assessed based on their previous state. All assessments should be considered within organic and environmental factors.