We Have to Get Back to Celebrating Children

During the most critical days of the pandemic, when the attention of so many providers was on meeting the pretty stringent safety guidelines that were set by the State of New Jersey, the focus was hardly on celebrating children.

It’s high time we recalibrate and bring our eyes back on the prize – emotionally supported and happy children with parents who are involved and engaged in the progress of their development, which is essential. Here is what Programs for Parents did recently to bring us back to that.

PfP just celebrated its annual Week of the Young Child Breakfast. Along with inviting outstanding veteran experts like Barbara Reisman and Annette Strickland, who answered my questions about their perspective on the needs for Early Childhood Education, we also brought in a panel of the next generation of early childhood leaders, who shared valuable information and best practices on operating a successful child care business. They also focused on the need for self-care for our directors and staff.

I am very proud of the work our staff has accomplished with Books, Balls, & Blocks. During the Breakfast, we showed this fun, educational activity, which features children playing challenging games while their parents fill out a developmental screening questionnaire. During the Week of the Young Child, our staff successfully screened 40 children.

One thing we have never taken our eyes off of at Programs for Parents is the all-important factor of family engagement, the systematic inclusion of families in activities and programs that promote children’s development, learning, and wellness. Programs for Parents’ Essex County Council for Young Children (ECCYC) recently challenged 125 parents to commit to reading with their children, and the response was incredible. Parents submitted videos and photographs of their time reading with their children and some were shown at the Breakfast.

PfP continues to innovate by having its second Virtual Job Fair for child care providers. The Job Fair provided on-the-spot interviews between child care centers and providers to fill a number of different roles. Getting our child care centers sufficiently staffed with qualified providers is one of the most pressing issues on our agenda today.

Celebrating children means nourishing and encouraging their progress and growth. It is at the heart of the most effective child care by providers and child-rearing by parents. Be assured that in the weeks and months to come, Programs for Parents will continue to develop, innovate, and spread the knowledge we have learned so that children and their success remain at the heart of what we do.

Dr. Beverly Lynn, CEO