I have heard comedians, scholars, and sleep-deprived new parents say the same thing, “Babies don’t come with instruction manuals.” Think about that for a second. Babies don’t come with instruction manuals, yet the toaster I recently purchased had a full-color, 8-page instruction booklet right in the box.
Brain science tells us that the first three years of life are critical in developing the brain architecture that provides the framework for all future learning. We know that the parent-child relationship and the environment of the family provide a foundation for a child’s healthy development. Wow! That’s a lot of pressure for a parent. Parents can feel overwhelmed and underprepared for the hundreds of decisions they make daily in the lives of their children. The Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading wants to help parents succeed. We spoke with hundreds of parents and came up with a way to support them through their parenting journey. We call it, Everyday Hero.
We know the daily back-and-forth interactions between parents and children, the sharing of songs, books and rhymes, the simple routines that add structure to a child’s learning, all of these are ways that parents can help their children build their brains. These are the activities of an Everyday Hero. The Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading has assembled a library of textable tips and reminders that will help parents help their children. It’s easy to sign up for the tips.
Parents can text EverydayHero to 77453 for weekly tips on how they can create learning experiences for their children. We look forward to supporting parents as they propel their children to success.
