As parents brought their children to Iola High School for USD 257’s district-wide enrollment Wednesday, some may have taken the opportunity to see to the educational needs of the smallest members of their family.
Parents as Teachers, an early learning program geared for parents of children from prenatal to 3 years, hosted a booth to raise awareness and promote the free program.
Parents as Teachers, part of the Southeast Kansas Education Service Center in Greenbush, offers a number of services that target all aspects of development, from learning to read to health and development.
“We like to make sure we have a happy, healthy child enter the school system,” said DeAnn Hauser, parent educator.
Health, vision and hearing screenings are provided for early detection of any developmental delays. Dental health also is emphasized to ensure baby teeth grow in correctly. Organizers provide information for parents on local resources, such as the library and, if they need a little extra help, the local food pantry or other charitable groups. Parents as Teachers also provides free, age-appropriate books delivered by mail to encourage early reading development.
Hauser has worked with the program for about 13 years, first in the Humboldt and Moran areas, and more recently in Iola. She said the program is excellent for first-time moms who have lots of questions about what to expect.
“A lot of times they have questions like, what should a daytime routine look like?” Hauser said. “How much sleep should my child get?”
The programs tries to help step-by-step through each part of the child’s development and provides information the parent may not have thought of, like safe-proofing the house for crawling babies.
Parents as Teachers also tries to help parents with issues such as discipline.
“Sometimes, parents have a good foundation” from their own upbringing, Hauser said. “Other times, parents may not have had the best examples and are looking for a gentler, more nurturing method.”
Hauser also emphasizes involving the whole family, not leaving discipline as the sole responsibility of one member, or having differing methods between parents, to be more consistent.
Hauser said while the program has a lot to offer for first-time moms, those who have had multiple children also find it useful.
Enrollment in Parents as Teachers is free for the parents because it’s funded by the school district. It is available for parents in Iola, Humboldt and Marmaton Valley. For more information or to enroll a child, visit www.greenbush.org/early-learning.html or call 800-554-3412.
Parents as Teachers aids development
