It is easy to get caught up with all the demands being made on your time. But, as a parent, it is your obligation to see to your toddler’s welfare especially when he starts going to school. Your involvement in his school is one of the most important things you can contribute to his development. Plus, research has shown that parents’ involvement in education improves student behaviour and participation. After all, what your toddler wants is to see you happily supporting him.

Getting involved in your toddler’s school need not be done on a daily basis. It can be as simple as making regular visits to his school, doing volunteer work or being updated with the latest news and developments.

How to Get More Involved In School

Higher grades, better social skills and an improved behaviour, these are some things you wish for your toddler to achieve. Your school participation causes a big impact to help your toddler accomplish all these. Here are a few suggestions on how to get parents involved in school.

Get to Know The Right People

The principal, teachers, coaches, school counselors and directors should be at the top of your list. Introduce yourself and make an effort to get to know the school’s staff every school year. When you drop off or pick up your toddler in school, take a few minutes to talk to the right people. Ask them questions. By doing so, you get to be updated with your child’s performance in his class. Exchange contact information so in case of any concerns, you can easily contact his teachers or the administrators for help.

Attend The PTA

Parent Teacher Association meetings serve as the excellent ground for getting involved in his school. Even with a busy schedule, find an hour or two to join the PTA. You get to meet other parents who you can relate to. Your toddler’s local school association can keep you updated with the latest happenings around the campus. You can even join and raise funds for materials and projects for the school.

Do Volunteer Work

Volunteering not only helps the school but it also helps you build a network involving other parents and teachers. You will also become more aware of how well he performs in school. Volunteer in your child’s class. Teachers always welcome help especially from parents. During your free time assist his teacher with projects. Read to the class. You can even make class decorations or prepare needed materials for class projects at home. Volunteer to tutor students. Act as the chaperone during your little one’s school field trips, sport fest and family events.

Join A Network For Parents

If your toddler’s school has a parent center, actively participate in it. A parent center serves as a place for parents where they can hold weekly meetings and tackle different issues about their children and the school. Hold various fundraising events or programs that can help improve the students’ involvement.

Sign Up For Online Monthly Newsletters

If you are too busy to be physically present to offer help, you can still get involved by signing up for his schools monthly newsletters. Through e-mail and the school’s website, you can still help whenever you are available. In this way, you still get to be updated with the latest happenings, issues, developments and future plans of the school.

Help Him With His Homework

The easiest way to be involved in his school is to help him accomplish his assignments and projects. Take him to the library to help him with his science research. Assist him in his painting project. Solve math problems together.

Your active involvement in your toddler’s school helps you show your dedication to your toddler’s education. Your support helps your child focus more, giving him the best learning experience.

The big question of whether or not to pursue early childhood education is one of the many issues parents of toddlers consider. These days, a lot of parents send their children to school at an early age. In particular, moms and dads might be thinking about the option of day care and preschool. But, the question remains, which option truly maximizes a toddler’s potential?

To send your toddler to a day care or preschool is one tough decision to make. As a parent, you want what is best not only for your little one but as well as for your family. Although both are synonymous, each of these options present diverse advantages and disadvantages. To help you out, here is a comparison for day care vs. preschool.

Day Care or Preschool – A Comparison

Day Care

Day care, also known as childcare entails the supervision of a toddler during the day by another individual other than the legal guardians (parents) of the toddler. It acts as a program wherein parents who work can entrust their toddlers to professional child handlers. Childcare can be given at the toddler’s home where a nanny is responsible for the toddler’s welfare. It can also be done in nurseries such as day care centers where qualified and highly trained caregivers are present. Its main obligation is to keep toddlers amused, well fed and rested. At the same time, it offers motivating activities that can help boost the overall development of toddlers.

Advantages

• At an early age, your toddler learns how to interact with his peers increasing his self-confidence.
• Through social interaction, your toddler’s speech and language development rapidly progresses.
• Motor and cognitive skills are boosted through the help of stimulating exercises.
• Safety and security is provided by this child friendly environment.
• Personal attention is being given, eliminating the chances of your toddler to feel neglected.
• Learns how to follow and obey simple rules.
• Helps your toddler adjust better in new environments.

Disadvantages

• 100% one on one personal attention may not be given due to the number of kids present in the day care.
• Style of childcare and way of discipline might be different from your own.
• Your toddler can easily acquire diseases and infections since children are less immune to viruses.

Why choose day care?

If you work long hours during the day, then getting your little one to go to a day care makes more sense. It is very practical since it has longer hours of operation as compared to preschools. If your toddler is still 1 or 2 years old, sending him to a day care is more realistic since playtime is still his preferred activity. Learning activities are incorporated into fun exercises that can help boost his mental, cognitive and physical development.

Preschool

A preschool targets toddlers who are between ages 2 to 5. A preschool involves a structured educational program that provides young toddlers a solid foundation for learning. It also functions as a preparation for kindergarten and elementary schooling.

Advantages

• More focused on learning rather than entertainment.
• Its curriculum is organized around a more definite educational approach.
• Has a smaller number of children per class ensuring one on one attention and care.
• Teachers are highly trained.
• Gains better exposure to different types of activities and materials, hence, achieving an optimized development at an early age.
• Thinking skills are honed which is essential to your toddler’s being.

Disadvantages

• Negative social skills can be acquired when not monitored properly.
• Can get sick more often due to unlimited exposure to viruses.
• Tuition fee is more expensive as compared to day care centers.

Why choose preschool?

If you want your toddler to be ready for the coming school years, enrolling him to a preschool can help him gain exposure to different types of activities and situations. He learns faster through the help of the preschool’s structured course. He gets to learn how to adapt, adjust and interact at an early age.

The most important thing to keep in mind when choosing between a day care and a preschool is how comfortable your toddler feels in his new environment. After all, your toddler will spend a lot of his time there. In this way, you get to be at ease that he gets all the right leisure and nurturing he needs even when you are away.

Early childhood is one of the most gratifying moments of any parents’ life and the most enjoyable phase of a toddler’s life. This is where every child begins to be curious, explore, discover and imagine the wonders of human existence. However, there are inevitable times wherein mental hindrances occur. It may be delayed or there is no possibility to learn at all. During this circumstance, one must never loose hope or be overwhelmed with fear. What every parent can do is to help their children cope with whatever challenges they are facing and will face as they grow.

Children having toddler learning disabilities such as ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), cognitive and literacy issues and other learning problems may tend to need extra attention and care. As parents, feeling sorry for your child or go through self-pity does not help at all. Learning to accept your toddler’s case is a big help towards improving your child’s condition. Honing should always start at home. Thus, showering him with honesty, love and patience will boost your kid’s self-esteem.

There are various disabilities your child can go through. But regardless of what it may be, knowing how to counter attack it will lessen the burden your child can face as continuous development towards adulthood takes place. Below are various ways to deal with toddler with learning disabilities:

Learn About The Disability

Every toddler disability is a case to case basis. Thus, what your friend’s child is going through might be different with your child’s case. Identify the weak areas of your child. From there, you can now focus on how you can help him more effectively. Do your best as much as possible to learn about the deficiency. Research it and look into library books like medical references, visit various medical websites. Better yet, ask a specialist to give you advices. Having a professional specializing in your toddler’s disability lessens your burdens.

Focus On The Strengths Rather Than The Flaws

There is no point at all to spotlight your child’s weaknesses. Your child least expects you to ponder on what he can and cannot do. Every child is unique and will remain to contribute joys to every family. Rather than pinpointing faults, praise your kid instead for every job well done and for the traits and talents he has been gifted with. In this way, you get to enhance your kid’s self-confidence. He needs all the support system he can get; it is your duty to provide that.

Promote Toddler’s Mental Inquisitiveness

Toddlers with knowledge troubles are said to be inactive learners. Furthermore, they have a harder time adapting, concentrating and conceptualizing with their surroundings. To help your toddler, direct him every step of the way by being curious and asking questions about the littlest things. This helps your child’s brain to be more active affecting his intellectual, motor, and cognitive skills.

Another effective tip is to exercise guidance especially when it comes to identifying letters in the alphabet, numbers and shapes. For enrichment of categorization skills, assist them in activities such as grouping of blocks of the same shape and size or colors of the same family. Challenge your child by doing easy to learn activities. Allow him to conquer tasks independently.

Be More Patient

Having a child with a learning problem requires special attention. As the parent you need to exercise patience. His environment and peers may be harsh enough on him so getting mad or scolding him with the minor mistakes he makes will not help him. Understand your toddler’s needs. Constantly listen and always talk to him. By doing this, you get to easily deal with the problem, identify ill feelings he has inside and tackle them one by one.

Hold Daily Educational Tasks

Aside from focusing on the intellectual aspect of your toddler, you also need to pay attention to your kid’s other skills. Just because your child is a slow reader or has a short attention span does not mean you only have to make him sit in his chair and go on for hours just to let him finish reading his book. Always strive a balance between fun and serious. Incorporate playtime with your daily learning activities. Use educational tools that are bright and colorful as this will draw your toddler’s attention. Moreover, it will not hurt to give your toddler a reward for a job well done after he has completed his day to day tasks.