Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, August 13, 2003
GOOD NIGHT FOR GOLF - A woman visiting from California practices her swing at Illinois Valley Golf Course on a
recent evening.
(Photo by Steve Fairchild)
Parents first, most important teachers in child’s life
By KinderCare
Your children’s educa-
tion begins long before he
or she is enrolled in
school.
As the first teachers of
children, parents are al-
ways teaching -- with ex-
amples, words and experi-
ences.
But many parents
don’t realize how impor-
tant is their role, and if
they do, they don’t always
know how to participate
most effectively in their
child’s education.
“There are many
things parents can do to
encourage their children to
learn,” said Barbara
Anderson, vice president
of education for Portland-
based KinderCare Learn-
ing Centers.
The firm operates
more than 1,250 early
childhood education and
child-care centers nation-
wide.
“Children learn all the
time,” said Anderson, “and
through all their senses:
Additional Listings
Besides the program listings
Provided, the following also are
among those available from
Charter Communications. For
information about costs that
might apply,
contact the company.
1-800-338-8838
*12 - QVC
*14 - Better Life TV
*16 - Home Shopping
*23 - Community Bulletins
*25 - Fox News
*26 - C-Span/House of Rep.
*27 - C-Span 2 (Senate)
*28 - ESPN 2
*31 - CNN Headline News
*33 - Fox Sports Northwest
*36 - Country Music TV
*37 - Nashville Channel
*40 - The History Channel
*41 - The Learning Channel
*42 - Cartoon Network
*43 - Home & Garden TV
*44 - The Weather Channel
touch, taste, hearing, sight
and smell.
“These sensory experi-
ences form an intellectual
understanding that will be
refined and developed as a
child grows,” she said.
Listening is an impor-
tant skill in learning.
Encourage your chil-
dren to ask questions about
what they hear.
Share your favorite
poems and songs with your
children. Read to them and
tell them family stories.
You may want to limit
television time, but talk
about what you watch to-
gether.
Learning to follow
directions is important to
developing new skills, too.
When you show your
children a new skill, dem-
onstrate each step and let
them participate.
Even young children
can help with such house-
hold chores as meal prepa-
ration.
They’ll learn se-
quences by first washing
their hands, then setting
the table, tearing up lettuce
or tossing the salad.
Using some newspa-
pers, parents and children
can talk about the weather
report, which often in-
cludes illustrations of the
forecast. Then go outside
and look at the clouds. If
it’s raining, wade in the
puddles or play in the mud.
Experiencing abstract
ideas in a concrete way
like this can help children
make intellectual connec-
tions.
Pick up toys together
and ask your child to col-
lect all the blue toys, then
all the red.
Count the number of
toys before stashing them
in the toy box, turning
cleanup into a learning
experience.
Showing your children
that learning is fun will
help them enjoy it as a life-
long pursuit.
124 S. Redwood Hwy.
592-2892
Open 5 to 9 p.m.
Restaurant parking in rear
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