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Young Children and TV

Monday, August 31st, 2009

TV Time

by Kyle D. Pruett, M.D

 

Are you surprised that the American Academy of Pediatrics says no television before age two?  This standard alerts parents of infants, toddlers and preschoolers that their children are strongly affected by the talking tube and that they need to consider the way their children are exposed to its powerful influences.

 

  • If you chose to allow your children to view television, consider limiting the amount of “watching time” in their first three years to 30-90 minutes per day. This is more than enough for their young brains and eyes.  Children prefer, and benefit from, interacting with people far more.
  • The programming you chose should be specifically directed at the age of your child. Most good parenting magazines regularly publish guidelines that tend to be more objective and reliable than an advertiser’s suggestions.
  • Commercial-free is far better for eyes, ears, and minds.  Fewer interruptions and a generally higher level of intellectual and emotional content are the benefits.
  • A child’s room does not need a television. Television may inhibit a child’s desire to read and play imaginatively for years.
  • When your children watch television, watch with them.  They may need your help to decipher the barrage of messages, and only you know when they have had enough.  Occasional babysitting by means of television so you can get something done is understandable, but may be a waste of your child’s time and mind.

 

These guidelines should be discussed regularly by all adults in your household. The evening news may matter to the grown-ups, but it is frequently incomprehensible and somewhat frightening to your little ones. Media-literate parents are great blessings to their children.

 

Suggested resource: Coalition for Quality Children’s Media www.cqcm.org 

 

Kyle D. Pruett, M.D. is an advisor for The Goddard School®.  Dr. Pruett is an authority on child development who has been practicing child and family psychiatry for over twenty-five years.  He is a clinical professor of child psychiatry at Yale University’s Child Study Center. 

To learn more about The Goddard School located in Ballantyne click here.

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Grandparents

Friday, August 28th, 2009

Grandparents

by Kyle D. Pruett, M.D

 

Love and time…need we say more?  How about wise historian, mentor, confidant, elder, counselor, spiritual guide, financier, playmate or parental antidote?  These are all roles that grandparents play in the lives of their grandchildren.  And grandparents are a growing force!  The number and percentage of the population that grandparents account for has grown dramatically in the last 15 years – from 58 million to 78 million. 

 

Here are a few ways that you can help foster a healthy relationship between your parents and your children:

 

  • When planning a visit, talk about how you can help and what you should bring to help things go smoothly.  Discuss recent routines and help your parents childproof their house – more to keep your child safe than to protect the crystal. This communication
    provokes less defensiveness in grandparents, and helps them be a part of the solution from the start.
  • Relax some rules, but don’t compromise your core values. For instance, sweets seem to be a generational prerogative, but television monitoring should continue according to your child’s habits and your beliefs.
  • Children and grandparents are so close because they share something in common – you!  They can share stories, secrets, etc. that allow children the experience of close relationships with a loving family member who is not wholly responsible for their future happiness, homework or well being.
  • Spoiling is not a helpful approach to grandparenting and most of them know it.  Positive expectant attention is best.  Interestingly, today’s grandparents are so busy, I think this is less of a problem these days.
  • Enjoy the relationship your children are developing with your parents. 

 

When misunderstandings or problems occur (and they are bound to), it’s better to figure out a way to talk about them than to avoid each other. That is too steep a price for your children. We all want this relationship to work because the benefits are forever.

 

Kyle D. Pruett, M.D. is an advisor for The Goddard School®.  Dr. Pruett is an authority on child development who has been practicing child and family psychiatry for over twenty-five years.  He is a clinical professor of child psychiatry at Yale University’s Child Study Center. 

To find out more information about The Goddard School located in Ballantyne click here.

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How do I teach a second language?

Thursday, August 27th, 2009
Second Languages for Young Children

 

According to language experts, six-month-old babies babble using 70 different sounds that make up all of the languages of the world.

 

Children are not preprogrammed with the language(s) of their parents; they learn the language of their environments. For example, the child of parents who consistently speak multiple languages in everyday conversations will naturally speak both languages.

 

Learning a second language is not as challenging for a young child as you may think. Teaching a one-year-old the word “red” and the Spanish version, “rojo,” is similar to teaching the words “stone” and “rock”. There is nothing confusing about this for a young child.

 

The key to teaching your child a second language is to immerse him or her in the language. Your child’s teacher probably does this throughout the day by labeling and referencing items and actions in the classroom in different languages. You can work with your child’s teacher by referencing these labels and incorporating the language into your child’s play at home. With your participation, the immersion is complete.

 

Remember, there are many forms of communication. Introducing young children to second languages such as Spanish, French and sign language encourages brain development in areas that would typically fall dormant. (Sign language can also demonstrate an infant’s listening vocabulary and fine motor development.)

 

Second languages celebrate cultural diversity and help to create an understanding of the written word. A second language can open doors and unleash curiosities of the world.

 

Whether your child is an infant or a preschooler, immersing him or her in a second language is the key to success. If the language is new to you as well, label your surroundings so the words are readily available. Following are some age-appropriate activities to help you incorporate a second language into your child’s daily routine.

 

Infant to One Year

  • Sign as you say words.
  • Sign in one word syllables (e.g., more, mom, dad, ball).
  • Gently move your child’s hands to make a sign.
  • Play music from around the world.

 

First Steps (12 to 18 months)

  • Add to signing vocabulary, use signs with verbal cues.
  • Say both the English word and the second language word for an object.
  • Practice the second language while playing ball (e.g., As you roll the ball to your child say, “Here comes the red ball, pelota roja.”)
  • Use the second language words interchangeably in your own speech.
  • Name body parts, animals and colors in the second language.

 

Toddler and Get Set (18 to 36 months)

  • Repeat everyday words in all languages.
  • Link words together.
  • Prompt your child to attempt new words.
  • While playing a game, such as “Memory,” recite words in both languages.
  • Begin to use common words in the second language without repeating in your native tongue.
  • Listen to music in other languages.

 

Preschool to Pre-Kindergarten (36 months +)

  • Use your everyday experiences for language opportunities (e.g., sign the food item you want your child to find at the grocery store).
  • Sing songs in other languages.
  • If your family has two native languages in your household, speak one language at home and the other outside of the home to practice proper language use.
  • Watch your child’s favorite movie in another language. Many DVDs now offer language choices.
  • Visit cultural fairs, food markets and restaurants of other cultures.

For more information about The Goddard School in Ballantyne click here.

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Sleep Tight

Monday, August 24th, 2009

Sleep

by Kyle D. Pruett, M.D.

Children’s sleep issues are among the more challenging developmental stages for parents to master.  But biology is on the parents’ side in this one, because sleep patterns mature over time just like other developmental skills.

 

  • Polls tell us that one-third of American children and their parents sleep together some or most of the time before children start school. Co-sleeping varies hugely by culture and ethnicity. So think about what you want to do, and discuss the pros and cons with your pediatrician.
  • Make sure your crib is safe (locking rails), that your older child’s ‘big bed’ has side rails, and if you are co-sleeping, that there is plenty of room.
  • The human brain is active during sleep, but the deepest sleep is typically at the beginning of the night.  Babies spend more time than older children in stimulating REM sleep, with eye movements and irregular breathing. Don’t worry about all that action in your child’s body – it too is growth.
  • Start them young – do not ignore the importance of naps, watch for the yawn, and start bedtime early in the evening.
  • The transition from crib to bed is also a time of sleep pattern changes, but most kids want it to work. 
  • To instill good sleep habits remember that consistency matters so much:
    • Bath Time
    • Goodnights
    • Tuck and Talk Bedtime Story
    • Lullabye (yours are best)
    • Goodnights

 

This all sounds well and good, but it is a rare family that hasn’t had to handle some sleep trouble along the way.  If your family is trying to re-establish a lapsed routine, stay calm and reassuring.  We almost all need more sleep than we get, and it is a tremendous gift to our children to teach them how to sleep well.

 

Suggested Resource: American Academy of Pediatrics http://www.aap.org

.

Kyle D. Pruett, M.D. is an advisor for The Goddard School®.  Dr. Pruett is an authority on child development who has been practicing child and family psychiatry for over twenty-five years.  He is a clinical professor of child psychiatry at Yale University’s Child Study Center. 

For more information on The Goddard School located in Ballantyne click here.

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Can My Child Really Learn Through Play?

Wednesday, August 19th, 2009
What Your Child Learns Through Play

 

There are a myriad of developmental skills that children learn through play. From their infant to Pre-Kindergarten stages, children are experiencing and learning new things each and every day. With play consuming most of their time, there are different things children learn during every stage of their growth.

 

Infant to Six Months: Everything is a baby’s first. For example, the first time a baby opens his eyes in his bassinet, he discovers something new – an animal on his mobile. The next morning, there it is again. Will it be there tomorrow? Yes, and then baby learns to trust that when he opens his eyes he will always see the mobile’s giraffe looking back at him. Babies will engage in play first by responding to sounds, then by following objects and people with their eyes. Your baby will demonstrate his memory by repeating an action that made you laugh yesterday. Once infants can hold a rattle a whole new world opens up – you will watch them turn it over, bang it, shake it and even taste it. Rolling over also widens a baby’s world from what is placed before him to 360 degrees of eye-catching curiosity. The new world is fun.

 

Six Months to One Year: Baby is now his own driving force to play. He no longer needs an adult or older sibling to spark his interest. Rolling over and sitting up has created choices and as he discovers how to move from lying to sitting, he is covering ground and taking aim at his own source of interest. Place toys within and outside of your baby’s reach to encourage self-discovery and motion. Your child is brilliant and will look at a familiar object when called by name. Babies not only want to turn objects around, they want to talk to them and use them the way you tell them to use them. See my hands! You say “clap” with a smile on your face and baby wants to clap and smile, too.

 

First Steps (12 to 18 months): No longer a baby, a First Stepper “steps” into everything. A First Step child will play with water, smell a flower (which is not as easy as you think) and recognize animals like the ones from the mobile. He will join in the conversation with simple words and phrases and respond to “bye, bye,” with an unsolicited wave. One-year-olds love to demonstrate their knowledge – they will point to anything you name and find body parts, like their ears, when they cannot even see them. They have learned to trust their own experiences with their ears. Your one-year-old will play with you and imitate your actions. Watch your child reflect your love a baby doll with “hugs and kisses” and help you the way you have guided him.

 

Toddler (18-30 months): A toddler’s world is all about ME – “Me do it”! This demonstration of independence is an exercise in trusting the child’s own limits. A toddler will speak on a play phone and answer questions such as “Why?” and “Where?” Playing is on his terms – when and how. Toddlers love new experiences, too. They have graduated from ‘turning it over and tasting it’ to doing it right. A toddler will put a puzzle together, hold crayons in his hand, hum and sing as he plays, and join activities without prompting. Give your toddler plenty of opportunities to join in imaginary play – pour from one cup to another and manipulate play dough.

 

Get Set (30 to 36 months): Just like the name states, get set for more play. The Get Set child is truly developing an identity. He knows his own name – first and last – and can tell you where his friends are playing. Get Setters know ‘they can do it’ and want to be like adults. They will share and wait turns, communicate in short sentences and demonstrate their personal understanding of the world around them in their play. Get Set children will soak up any information you share with them. They can understand words like “under” and “over” and the description of how a plant grows. Art is no longer about exploring the material itself, but rather what they can do with the material. They will even paint with the opposite side of the paint brush just to see what it will create. Get set for your child to amaze you with his knowledge of good hygiene and specific book choices. A Get Set child can also multi-task now; try singing and doing the motions to the song or have a conversation while he paints.

 

Preschool (36 months +): This is the age of expectations. The preschool child’s play looks like going to work. As he mingles among the Interest Centers he is also playing out a role. Preschoolers have a large vocabulary and understand the intonations of language. As they act out a role, they will try on different emotions and see how they fit into their own personality. Preschoolers have begun to connect the spoken word to written language and can orally retell a favorite story. They are interested in cause and effect and can identify their colors, shapes, sizes and weights; and they want to explore what happens when they change them. A preschool child may remain in a particular Interest Center for long periods of time until he has exhausted his curiosity. Don’t forget to stand back because the preschool child also needs his space to move. Watch as he develops rhythm and tempo as both an individual or group learner. Either way, preschoolers are movers and shakers.

 

Pre-Kindergarten (48 months +): Complexity is the nature of the Pre-K classroom. Pre-Kindergarteners are complex social beings wanting to play with specific friends and still identifying when they want to do it alone. They can recognize how objects and people are the same and different simultaneously, and they can appreciate those attributes. Playing is beginning to turn into concepts. For instance, all of the exploration at the water table develops into an understanding of water – floating, sinking, absorbing, dissolving, etc. Pre-K children use their four years of play experience to develop an identifiable knowledge – they can match by relationships and verbalize invisible concepts, such as time and calendars. They no longer need to see or hold the toy to play; they can recall previous experiences and use the knowledge. While listening to music they can name the instrument, move to the beat and sing along. In Pre-K, phonemic awareness and the written word are magical – writing words is play.

 To learn more about The Goddard School located in Ballantyne click here.

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How Do I Control Worrying in My Child?

Monday, August 17th, 2009

Worrying

by Kyle D. Pruett, M.D

 

As a (former) pediatrician and child psychiatrist for three decades, I increasingly respect the significance of children’s fears in shaping our shared everyday lives. Inconvenient though fears of the dark, animals, water, and monsters may be, they are meaningful clues about what children are trying to master about their world. 

 

Worries all mean something, and we let our children down when we ignore and belittle, not to mention waste opportunities to master, so let’s spend a minute to understand them better:

 

  • Fears appear like clockwork in childhood. The adrenalin fears stimulate heightens learning of vital lessons, like when to run in the face of real danger, when to cry for help, and eventually to distinguish what is really dangerous (speeding cars) from what is not (family dog).
  • Fears only seem to emerge ‘from nowhere.’ Actually, they typically surface during periods of accelerated development – when children lose their old equilibrium while looking for a new one. Actively toilet- learning toddlers are often more afraid of the dark than before or after they get the potty thing solved.
  • Stranger anxiety begins when children start to crawl around and need to be more aware of who knows them and who doesn’t. 
  • Other common fears which emerge and fade with predictability during preschool years may be insects, animals, loud noises, the dark (and its imagined inhabitants – monsters, witches, ghosts), high places, and parental loss to name a few.

 

Listen thoughtfully to your children as they describe their fear.  Their fears have their reasons, though they may not be instantly clear to you. Reassure your children that you’ll help them feel better- get your flashlight out and check under their bed.  Cuddle them a little extra during such times, and let them slip back toward babyhood a little.  Finally, when children work it out, remind them that they worked it out.  This will help them as new fears emerge. 

 

Suggested resource: American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry website www.aacap.org

 

Kyle D. Pruett, M.D. is an advisor for The Goddard School®.  Dr. Pruett is an authority on child development who has been practicing child and family psychiatry for over twenty-five years.  He is a clinical professor of child psychiatry at Yale University’s Child Study Center. 

For more information on The Goddard School located in Ballantyne click here.

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How Critical is a Father’s Role?

Friday, August 14th, 2009

The Fathering Phenomenon

A Father’s Involvement Is Critical to a Child’s Healthy Growth and Development.

 

Prior to the 1970’s, being a parent meant taking the place of a child’s mother.  In fact, the word mother is synonymous with to look after, care for, and protect.  Today, we know that men and women differ in their ways of relating to their child.  The role of each parent is significant but research supports that a father’s role is not only essential but unique.

 

Research on fatherhood shows children who perform better in school and exhibit less behavior problems have involved nurturing fathers.  This may be due to a father’s unique perspective on parenting.  A father’s interaction with their child differs from their mother’s on everything from discipline to play.  An everyday child rearing task can turn into a stimulating event because fathers tend to engage more physically with their children, especially when playing.  However, fathers want their children to have good behavior and discipline them knowing they will not suffer as many consequences and will be more easily accepted by the outside world.

 

Quote from Dr. Kyle Pruett

“Children raised by involved dads are thriving, healthy kids, and fathers do not mother any more than mothers father” says Dr. Kyle Pruett, a clinical professor of child psychiatry at Yale University’s Child Study Center.

 

That is why The Goddard School® proactively builds a foundation of trust with parents to help them accomplish the difficult job of parenting.  Several elements work simultaneously to develop the cooperative relationship Goddard strives to have with their families.  The Goddard School® provides families with Goddard Parent Guides featuring Dr. Kyle Pruett’s advice on fathering, biting, and many more child development topics.  These parents also receive the Goddard Parent, a quarterly publication with topical information.  In addition, the parents receive a “Daily Activity Report” to establish ongoing communication about what happens each day with their child.

For more information on The Goddard School located in Ballantyne click here

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Back To School

Wednesday, August 12th, 2009

Getting Your Child Back into the Routine of Things

The Goddard School® located in Charlotte gives advice and tips to parents on how to prepare their children for the coming school year

 

(Charlotte, NC) August 12, 2009 – Back-to-school season is here and Charlotte-area children are probably getting excited about shopping for new clothes and being able to see their school friends. And, while education is an essential part of growing up, Dr. Susan Monbarren of The Goddard School located in Charlotte, says other factors like waking up earlier in the morning, brushing teeth and packing a school lunch are also important, as it helps develop an organized lifestyle and further a child’s growth.

 

“It is so important for children to get into the routine of going to sleep at a reasonable time, knowing what daily morning chores they need to accomplish each day and other things of the like,” Monbarren said. “In addition, the school year is great because it allows children to be around their peers more often throughout the day, and this promotes social stability. We encourage parents to get the ball rolling and start implementing these routines – even before the school year begins.”

 

Routine establishes many aspects of healthy living, good habits and good behavior that even the slightest structure can make a huge difference in a child’s day-to-day life, Monbarren said. Monbarren suggests parents, with young children, ask themselves the following questions:

 

  • Do you post a list of nighttime and morning to-dos on your child’s bedroom door or on the kitchen refrigerator as daily guidelines for your children?
  • Do you read a bedtime story to your child each night?
  • Do you have a designated area in your child’s room or elsewhere in the home for your child to store his or her coat and school book bag?
  • Does your child have a bedtime on school nights and on weekends?
  • Do you wake up your child in the morning? Or, does your child have an alarm clock in his or her room to wake up on time?

 

If you have answered “no” to most of these questions, it might be time to implement more routine chores. Monbarren suggests the following ideas that could help parents save time and institute organizational skills for their kids:

 

  • Be sure to discuss the highlights and events that happened at school with your child each day.
  • Help your child prepare for school the night before, including assisting your child in selecting clothes to wear for school. After a while, he or she will be able to do this without your assistance.
  • Designate a time each night that your child should go to sleep. Children need 9 to 11 hours of sleep each night, depending on their age.
  • Choose an area in the home, such as by the front door, to store your child’s school bag and any supplies he or she may need for school (e.g., art projects, thank-you notes/gifts for teachers).
  • Have a daily to-do list posted in an area your child will see each day.

 

“Just like we practice at The Goddard School, regular schedules create a day with structure. The repetition of routines encourages your child’s memory development, and the consistency helps him or her adjust to a regular schedule,” Monbarren said.

 

The Goddard School located in Charlotte offers a year-round program for children from six weeks to six-years-old. Children are encouraged to develop at their own pace in a warm environment supported by a team of dedicated teachers. The Goddard School FLEX Learning Program™ is based on a unique learning continuum that encompasses developmental guidelines, formative assessments and child-focused lesson plans that are delivered in a creative and fun environment with a child-centered approach to meet each child’s individual needs.

 

For more information on why The Goddard School located in Charlotte is the place for fun and learning, please contact Dr. Susan Monbarren at 704-544-1998.

 To find out more about The Goddard School located in Charlotte click here.

About The Goddard School

The Goddard School (www.goddardschools.com) is a nationwide franchise of Goddard Systems, Inc. headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. With over 330 franchised schools nationwide and 42,000 children enrolled, Goddard is the fastest growing preschool in the United States. Goddard was recently recognized by Entrepreneur magazine as the “#1 Childcare Franchise” for the eighth consecutive year (January 2009) and Franchise Times magazine as one of the Top 200 Franchise Systems (in worldwide sales) for the second consecutive year (October 2008).

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Learning Through Play-The Piaget Way

Monday, August 10th, 2009
What Your Child Learns Through Play

 

There are a myriad of developmental skills that children learn through play. From their infant to Pre-Kindergarten stages, children are experiencing and learning new things each and every day. With play consuming most of their time, there are different things children learn during every stage of their growth.

 

Infant to Six Months: Everything is a baby’s first. For example, the first time a baby opens his eyes in his bassinet, he discovers something new – an animal on his mobile. The next morning, there it is again. Will it be there tomorrow? Yes, and then baby learns to trust that when he opens his eyes he will always see the mobile’s giraffe looking back at him. Babies will engage in play first by responding to sounds, then by following objects and people with their eyes. Your baby will demonstrate his memory by repeating an action that made you laugh yesterday. Once infants can hold a rattle a whole new world opens up – you will watch them turn it over, bang it, shake it and even taste it. Rolling over also widens a baby’s world from what is placed before him to 360 degrees of eye-catching curiosity. The new world is fun.

 

Six Months to One Year: Baby is now his own driving force to play. He no longer needs an adult or older sibling to spark his interest. Rolling over and sitting up has created choices and as he discovers how to move from lying to sitting, he is covering ground and taking aim at his own source of interest. Place toys within and outside of your baby’s reach to encourage self-discovery and motion. Your child is brilliant and will look at a familiar object when called by name. Babies not only want to turn objects around, they want to talk to them and use them the way you tell them to use them. See my hands! You say “clap” with a smile on your face and baby wants to clap and smile, too.

 

First Steps (12 to 18 months): No longer a baby, a First Stepper “steps” into everything. A First Step child will play with water, smell a flower (which is not as easy as you think) and recognize animals like the ones from the mobile. He will join in the conversation with simple words and phrases and respond to “bye, bye,” with an unsolicited wave. One-year-olds love to demonstrate their knowledge – they will point to anything you name and find body parts, like their ears, when they cannot even see them. They have learned to trust their own experiences with their ears. Your one-year-old will play with you and imitate your actions. Watch your child reflect your love a baby doll with “hugs and kisses” and help you the way you have guided him.

 

Toddler (18-30 months): A toddler’s world is all about ME – “Me do it”! This demonstration of independence is an exercise in trusting the child’s own limits. A toddler will speak on a play phone and answer questions such as “Why?” and “Where?” Playing is on his terms – when and how. Toddlers love new experiences, too. They have graduated from ‘turning it over and tasting it’ to doing it right. A toddler will put a puzzle together, hold crayons in his hand, hum and sing as he plays, and join activities without prompting. Give your toddler plenty of opportunities to join in imaginary play – pour from one cup to another and manipulate play dough.

 

Get Set (30 to 36 months): Just like the name states, get set for more play. The Get Set child is truly developing an identity. He knows his own name – first and last – and can tell you where his friends are playing. Get Setters know ‘they can do it’ and want to be like adults. They will share and wait turns, communicate in short sentences and demonstrate their personal understanding of the world around them in their play. Get Set children will soak up any information you share with them. They can understand words like “under” and “over” and the description of how a plant grows. Art is no longer about exploring the material itself, but rather what they can do with the material. They will even paint with the opposite side of the paint brush just to see what it will create. Get set for your child to amaze you with his knowledge of good hygiene and specific book choices. A Get Set child can also multi-task now; try singing and doing the motions to the song or have a conversation while he paints.

 

Preschool (36 months +): This is the age of expectations. The preschool child’s play looks like going to work. As he mingles among the Interest Centers he is also playing out a role. Preschoolers have a large vocabulary and understand the intonations of language. As they act out a role, they will try on different emotions and see how they fit into their own personality. Preschoolers have begun to connect the spoken word to written language and can orally retell a favorite story. They are interested in cause and effect and can identify their colors, shapes, sizes and weights; and they want to explore what happens when they change them. A preschool child may remain in a particular Interest Center for long periods of time until he has exhausted his curiosity. Don’t forget to stand back because the preschool child also needs his space to move. Watch as he develops rhythm and tempo as both an individual or group learner. Either way, preschoolers are movers and shakers.

 

Pre-Kindergarten (48 months +): Complexity is the nature of the Pre-K classroom. Pre-Kindergarteners are complex social beings wanting to play with specific friends and still identifying when they want to do it alone. They can recognize how objects and people are the same and different simultaneously, and they can appreciate those attributes. Playing is beginning to turn into concepts. For instance, all of the exploration at the water table develops into an understanding of water – floating, sinking, absorbing, dissolving, etc. Pre-K children use their four years of play experience to develop an identifiable knowledge – they can match by relationships and verbalize invisible concepts, such as time and calendars. They no longer need to see or hold the toy to play; they can recall previous experiences and use the knowledge. While listening to music they can name the instrument, move to the beat and sing along. In Pre-K, phonemic awareness and the written word are magical – writing words is play.

To learn more about The Goddard School located in Ballantyne click here

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How to Choose a Preschool

Friday, August 7th, 2009

How Do They Measure Up?

 

At The Goddard School® located in Charlotte, NC we understand that selecting your child’s preschool may be one of your most important decisions.  That is why we have developed a helpful checklist.  Although you can’t measure everything in ten simple questions, we think you’ll agree that Goddard is raising the standard.

 

 

  1. Children are treated with respect in an atmosphere that nurtures their independence and self confidence.

 

  1. Fitness, foreign language, music appreciation, nutrition, sign language, and/or manners are incorporated into the program.

 

  1. An Education Director and School Owner are on-site to provide dependable staff management and open communication with parents. 

 

  1. A Daily Activity Report is prepared for each child and sent home with parents every day.

 

  1. Each classroom offers a multi-cultural and developmentally appropriate environment.

 

  1. Goddard teachers have access to professional development and continuing education credit authorized by IACET.

 

  1. Teachers are CPR and First Aid certified.

 

  1. Detailed Corporate Quality Assurance Reviews are conducted semi-annually in addition to state license inspection.

 

  1. Corporate Developmental Guidelines provide the foundation for individualized lesson plans which are brought to life in fun and imaginative ways.

 

  1. Programs are developed in coordination with child development specialist, Kyle D. Pruett, M.D.  Dr. Pruett is an authority on child development and has been practicing child and family psychiatry for over 25 years.  He is a clinical professor at Yale University’s Child Study Center.

To learn more about The Goddard School located in Ballantyne click here.

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