Importance of Parent Involvement in Early Childhood

Education Engrossment

• Involvement in your child's preschool program isn't the only way you can contribute to his educational success. Taking him to children's museums provides him with opportunities for sensory exploration; working on simple science projects -- like diet soda pop and mint explosions -- helps to foster a love for science and learning; and playing counting games helps to reinforce the concepts he̵7;s learned at school. Keep apprised of what̵7;s happening at school for opportunities to expand upon the lessons he̵7;s learning each day. You can follow up a lesson on ocean life with a trip to a nearby aquarium or plant a miniature vegetable garden in the backyard to reinforce a lesson on nature. The collaboration between home and school during your child̵7;s early years helps to ensure he has the best academic start possible.

Young Models

• You̵7;re not just your child̵7;s caregiver; you̵7;re the most significant influence in her life. From table manners to social interactions, she̵7;s learning every value and skill from you during early childhood; this is particularly important given the messages children are bombarded with from television and computer access that are sometimes contrary to the values in the home. You can teach her how to handle emotions, by labeling your own, helping her to identify her feelings and giving her words to express them - - hence the phrase, ̶0;Use your words.̶1; You teach your child how to handle conflict when she sees how you approach disagreements and arguments in your life; by listening to what your child has to say, you show her that she is important and teach her how to listen to others, according to Health Nexus's Best Start article "Building Resilience in Young Children."

Sending Messages

• Your interaction with your child during the early years lays the groundwork for his viewpoint of himself and his relationships with others throughout his lifetime. When you give him plenty of hugs and kisses, you're clearly showing your affection -- he knows he̵7;s important because you want to be close to him. When you give him your full attention and show interest in the things that interest him, it helps build his self-esteem, too.

Nurturing Development

• Your involvement in your kiddo̵7;s early years affects her brain structure. Nurturing parental involvement has been associated with a larger hippocampus in children -- up to 10 percent larger -- according to a study in the "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America." The hippocampal region of the brain plays a primary role in activating the autonomic nervous system in response to stress to help the body cope. A larger hippocampus insinuates that children nurtured early in life have a larger capacity to cope in stressful situations. Furthermore, the hippocampus plays a key role in memory and learning, contributing to a child̵7;s academic success.