Early childhood education years in children has proven to be the best and most memorable formative years of children because it is crucial for children’s development. The formative years, typically ranging from birth to age six, play a significant role in shaping the social, emotional, intellectual and physical development of a child.
In view of the myriads of trials many parents are facing in getting their children ready for education at early stage, I write this article to explore strategies on how parents and family coaches can help parents and individual family solve the challenges associated with the early childhood education of their children. I acknowledge the multifaceted roles of parents in early childhood education and I want to draw on a wide range of researched papers from education, psychology, and sociology. All these have made it possible for me to recognize the pivotal importance of the early years in a child’s development and the same I want to pass on to parents coaches.
My article seeks to examine the ways in which parental involvement influences educational outcomes. From nurturing intellectual development to shaping social and emotional well-being, my findings revealed the diverse roles parents play in the early education of their children.
The introduction provides an overview of the significance of early childhood education and sets the stage for understanding the various roles parents play in shaping their child’s educational journey. It emphasizes the need for a collaborative approach between parents and educators to optimize the learning experiences of young children.
A formidable scholar who has done tremendously great work in this field is Anne Henderson. In the review, they looked at 51 recent studies, all but two published from 1995 to 2002. Every one of them sheds some light on the relationship between parent involvement and, in some cases, community involvement and improved student achievement. Together they cover children and youth of all ages, from birth through high school and into the postsecondary years. These studies also cover a wide range of perspectives and approaches. Some studies evaluate programs that are designed to engage families in improving achievement, while others look at high-performing schools or students to study how parent involvement may have contributed. Several studies analyze long-term databases drawn from large-scale surveys of families, students, and educators, while others focus closely on how families and educators interact in a single setting.
From the above findings, we could see that parental involvement in early childhood education is crucial for a child’s overall development. It encompasses various activities and behaviors through which parents participate in their child’s learning experiences. It then become imperative to sensitize parent coaches to up their game in this regard and it is my responsibility to raise the awareness for parent coaches to develop intervention curriculum so the challenges can be mitigated.
In view of this, I suggest the following interventions for parenting coaches to tackle the encounters parents and families face in their bid to engage their children in early education.
- The first challenge to tackle is the problem of ignorance. The ignorance among some parents about their core responsibility which is to provide the first cognitive experience for the children. Parents coaches can embark on an intervention I call Parent Education Workshops; this workshop will provide parents with knowledge about child development, effective parenting techniques, and strategies for nurturing a positive learning environment at home. I know there some coaches doing well in this regard through print and electronic media but we can up the game by extending the advocacy to the inner communities to reach out to parents in the densely populated area.
- Tackling the challenge of ignorance will be made easy by engaging sub-groups to propagate this intervention. Breaking into sub-parent support groups. These groups provide a supportive environment where parents can share experiences, discuss challenges, and learn from each other. This is needed for parents to ask questions within the group without any judgement or castigation. These groups will be co-facilitated by a few of the main-stream educator for stress-free relevant knowledge dispensation.
- Integration of mother tongue linguistics will drive the core knowledge of early education in the children especially in the rural areas of the country. This is tailor-made interventions which will be culturally and linguistically appropriate for different families with educative materials and coaching in the family’s native language putting into consideration cultural values and practices in intervention design
- The intervention must cover broader family needs. Parental needs of a group of parents differs from family to family; some families have challenge of malnutrition, health, learning spectrum of every child, social and economic instability. All these put together portend hindrances to early education in children but when integrating curriculum like health screenings, nutritional counseling, learning assessment on children, and financial planning into the coaching program.
- Early childhood education intervention curriculum can help parents manage their children behavior through positive reinforcement. A consistent routines and clear expectations are guaranteed when parents coaches provide parents with strategies and support to address specific behavioral challenges through one-on-one interaction
The above interventions from parent coaches will bring the following benefits to parents on the seamless administration of the curriculum of early education on their children
- Intellectual development: Parents play essential role in stimulating a child’s cognitive abilities regardless of the ages. Activities like reading together, engaging in educational games, and discussing daily experiences contribute to language development, problem-solving skills, and overall cognitive growth. Cognitive support provided by parents during the early years of a child’s life plays a crucial role in shaping their intellectual and emotional development. This support encompasses a range of activities and interactions that stimulate a child’s cognitive functions, fostering a solid foundation for future learning. I recall during the early years of my children, I was intentional enough about what development I hoped for them even though I started my intentionality late but I still caught up with time. One of those things I did was responsive interactions. I engaged my infants in responsive interactions, I acknowledged their cues and expressions. This responsive communication helped my children develop a sense of security and attachment because I laid the groundwork for effective communication and social skills
- The intervention will nurture long term educational attainment. It has proven to be effective that children will receive early educational support are more likely to perform well academically and emotionally as this will reduce emergency social cost of remedial classes and therapy session cost. We should also know that we are all products of our early emotional life. Everyone we see today was once a child decade ago and we bring into leadership in some cases the formation we received from those who raised us. When early education is strictly involved and effective in a child at infanthood, there are long-term benefits through a better educated and more productive workforce in any sphere of influence.
- I will not also forget language development. The intentionality of Parents to actively participate in language development by talking, reading, and singing to their children in their mother tongue exposes children to a rich linguistic environment which enhances comprehension and communication skills. Reading together promotes not only literacy but also cognitive and emotional bonding.
- Early education intervention encourages play therapy in children. If you want your children to learn faster, explore play therapy. A coach once told me if you want your kids to learn faster hide the nuggets in play. Encouraging exploration and play allows children to develop cognitive skills such as problem-solving, spatial awareness, and fine motor skills. Play is a child’s natural way of learning, fostering creativity and curiosity. One of those irreparable loss my generation suffered while growing up is not to ask our parents many questions on why they did what they did. We were raised to accept what they told us regardless of objectionable nature of such. But we must do better with today’s kids by nurturing their innate curiosity by providing opportunities for exploration and discovery. Asking and answering questions, encouraging curiosity, and allowing children to explore their surroundings contribute to the development of critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. A supportive and nurturing home environment positively impacts a child’s emotional well-being. Parental involvement helps build a secure attachment, fostering emotional resilience, empathy, and a sense of belonging.
- Emotional development during the early stages of childhood is a critical aspect of a child’s overall well-being. Parents play a pivotal role in nurturing and guiding their children through a range of emotional experiences, laying the foundation for healthy social and emotional learning.
I conclude, parental involvement in early childhood education establishes a strong foundation for a child’s holistic development, impacting cognitive, emotional, social, and moral aspects of their lives. It creates a collaborative partnership between home and educational institutions which will nurture an environment conducive to optimal learning and growth. This I believe parent coaches can do to help families navigate the early childhood education of their children seamlessly.
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Akinropo Akinola is the visionary founder of Parenmark Consulting, a pioneering parenting and fatherhood initiative based in Lagos, Nigeria. As a leader in private field research, Akinola is driven by a passion to revolutionize the art of parenting and nurturing African children. Through Parenmark Consulting, he is dedicated to enhancing the quality of parenting and family life by providing expert education and guidance for Parenting and Family Life coaches across Nigeria and Africa.
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