| What
you can do to help |
| |
Today's children
need our help. Whether you're a parent, an educator, a business
professional, or a neighbor, there is something you can do.
Together, we can ensure that every child in South Central Idaho
enters school ready to learn |
| This
Is What We Know About The Brain |
| • |
Early interactions
actually direct the way your brain is wired! |
| • |
By the time children reach age three, their brains are twice
as active as an adult's; activity levels drop during adolescence. |
| • |
Learning starts
at birth and education needs to start at birth as well. The
first six years of life are critical! |
| This
Is What We Know About Children In South Central Idaho |
| • |
One of every
5 children in South Central Idaho live in poverty. |
| • |
Thirty percent
of the babies born in South Central Idaho are born to mothers
who lack adequate prenatal care. |
| • |
The teen birth
rate for South Central Idaho is 26% higher than the state rate
of 24.7 per 1,000 females ages 15-17. |
| WHAT
YOU CAN DO TO HELP…. |
| |
As
A Parent... |
| • |
Read to your
child constantly - it's never too early or too late! Babies
love to hear the same stories over and over. |
| • |
Turn off the
TV and read, play a game, or go for a walk! |
| • |
Take your
kids everywhere! Real life adventures, like the beach and even
shopping, will improve language development. Make sure you talk
as you go. |
| • |
Talk, sing,
and laugh with your child constantly - while feeding, diapering,
and dressing. |
| • |
Take your
child to your local library for children's story hour. |
| • |
Create a learning
environment in your home that is developmentally appropriate.
Your pediatrician can help you with ideas that are age appropriate. |
| • |
Never, ever
shake your baby. |
| • |
Begin giving
responsibilities to your child between the ages of two and three.
Taking the towels to the laundry room or putting the blocks
away is well within the range of most toddlers. |
| • |
Establish clear
and age appropriate rules for behavior and stick to them! Children
feel more secure when they know what the adults around them
expect in the way of behavior. |
| • |
Talk to your
child! Your child learns language by hearing you speak. |
| • |
Make sure your
children are immunized. Call your pediatrician or local Health
Department for a schedule of appropriate shots. |
| • |
If you are
feeling overwhelmed by the pressure of parenting, and need advice
on how to manage, call the Idaho Careline 1-800-926-2588. |
| |
As
An Individual... |
| • |
Get involved
in a child's life. Become a mentor to a child or a young person. |
| • |
Make every
child you see feel special. Smile at children. |
| • |
Participate
in organzied youth activities. Get involved with Boy Scouts,
Girl Scouts, Boys & Girls Clubs, Big Brothers and Big Sisters
or your local YMCA. |
| • |
Donate items
to a local childcare center. |
| • |
Be a volunteer
reader at your neighborhod day care or pre-school. |
| • |
Represent a
child's best interse. Become a Guardian Ad Litem. Call CASA
for more information at (208) 324-6890. |
| • |
Volunteer in
the pediatric or infant section of your hospital. |
| • |
Volunteer to
coach a children's sports team. |
| • |
Become
the ultimate role model - become a foster or adoptive parent.
Call your local Department of Health & Welfare. |
| |
As
An Educator... |
| • |
Help create
family reading nights at your childcare center or school library. |
| • |
Encourage and
sponsor parent resource meetings in your childcare center or
school through your Parent/Teacher group. |
| • |
Get to know
your students' families. |
| • |
Encourage parents
to volunteer in the childcare center/classroom. Parents will
begin to see what is expected of their children and my learn
techniques to take home. |
| • |
Write parenting
tips for discipline and language development in your class or
school newspaper. |
| • |
Help develop
a parent bookshelf and video library containing literature on
discipline, school readiness and parenting. |
| • |
If you teach
pre-kindergarten, kindergarten or work with small children,
look for warning signs of possible learning problems. |
| • |
Volunteer as
a tutor/mentor for a teen parent. |
| • |
Hold a diaper
drive and donate the collected diapers to a neighborhood child
care center that serves low-income families. |
| • |
Have family
fun nights to encourage families to come to school for dinners
and special programs on learning styles, dicipline and parenting. |
| |
As
A Neighbor... |
| • |
Read to a child. |
| • |
Listen to a
child read. |
| • |
Get involved.
A child is more likely to succeed in school if a caring adult
is involved. Celebrate small successes to reinforce that learning
is fun. |
| • |
Learn to tolerate
noise. Kids learn when they play, and fun is not quiet. |
| • |
Many young
teenagers don't find it easy to talk to adults. Listen and share
your values. Talk about goals and dreams. |
| • |
Respect parents'
wishes. Offer help when they seem overwhelmed. |
| • |
Offer to baby-sit
or run errands. |
| • |
Know the warning
signs of child abuse. If you suspect abuse, call the Child Abuse
Hotline at 1-208-734-4000. |
| • |
Make sure the
areas where kids play are safe. |
| |
As
An Employer... |
| • |
Promote a healthy
work and life balance. |
| • |
Experiment
with job sharing or flexible schedules. |
| • |
Offer family
sick days and time off for parent/teacher or other school conferences. |
| • |
Adopt a childcare
agency! Hold diaper drives, make donations, provide volunteers,
or offer management advice for childcare agencies. |
| • |
Match your
employees' contributions to local organizations that support
children. |
| • |
Sponsor employee
memberships to local educational organizations. |
| • |
Host work/life
educational forums. |
| • |
Provide parenting
education and training for employees. Invite employees' parenting
partners to attend sessions. |
| • |
Create a print
and video library for parents. |
| • |
Offer time
off for employees to volunteer in schools, day cares, or other
classes. |
| • |
Include parenting
articles in company newsletters. |
| • |
Provide child
care referral service information. |
| • |
Look into an
on-site day care for children. |
| • |
Become involved
in the public policy debate about children. |
| |
As
a Religious Organization... |
| • |
Create a resource
center for your members, and provide information on available
health, support, and early intervention services in the community. |
| • |
Develop transportation
systems to help members get their children to doctors' appointments. |
| • |
Educate your
members on the importance of family healthcare and prevention. |
| • |
Organize a
"new baby" welcome wagon program to let parents know
they have support. |
| • |
Provide meeting
space for agencies serving young children and their families. |
| • |
Establish a
baby-sitting cooperative to give parents a needed break. |
| • |
Maintain a
clothes closet for needy families. |
| • |
Sponsor a book
or toy swap for children. |
| • |
Celebrate the
successes of your youngest members. Include children's accomplishments
in your newsletter, or on a special bulletin board. |
| |
As
A Civic Organization... |
| • |
Educate your
membership on the needs of local children. |
| • |
Hold a book
drive. Donate collections to a local elementary school or library. |
| • |
Sponsor a child's
trip to camp. |
| • |
Help build
or remodel a playground. |
| • |
Offer free
or low-cost space to a childcare center serving low-income families. |
| • |
Offer a child
a scholarship. Donate funds to childcare centers serving low-income
families. |
| • |
Adopt a childcare
center. Attend their fund raisers, provide help with bookkeeping
or public relations or donate art supplies and other materials. |
| • |
Send children
to a concert, a play or a museum. You can donate tickets or
pay the admission fees. |
| • |
Hold a diaper
drive and donate the collected diapers to a local childcare
agency. |
| • |
As A Social
Service Provider... |
| • |
Target service
hours to accomodate working families. |
| • |
Establish a
system for reminding clients of their appointments. |
| • |
Make every
effort possible to reduce waiting periods. |
| • |
Help with transportation
needs. |
| • |
Offer childcare
during service hours for employees and customers. |
| • |
Streamline
intake procedures. |
| • |
Encourage questions
from parents. |
| • |
Offer gifts,
coupons, or other incentives for women who continue with prenatal
care. |
| • |
Provide information
in waiting areas on prenatal care, family planning, childhood
immunizations, child development, the effects of substance abuse,
parenting and early intervention. |
| • |
Assist providers
in becoming aware of available intervention support services.
In almost all cases, the earlier the intervention, the better. |
| |
 |
What
You Can Do