Parents as Teachers National Center
2228 Ball Drive
St. Louis, Mo. 63146
314-432-4330
www.ParentsAsTeachers.org
Call Parents as Teachers National Center  at 1-866-PAT4YOU or
call your local School District for more information about Parents as Teachers

Click on a topic below to learn more:

IMPORTANCE OF ACTIVITY
ATTACHMENT
FATHERHOOD
FEEDING
FEEDING 2
LITERACY
MATH SKILLS
PLAY
UNDERSTANDING YOUR BABY’S SLEEP
HELPING CHILDREN COPE WITH WAR AND TRAUMA
VISION SCREENING
LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT
MUSIC
SELF-REGULATION
SLEEP
TEMPERAMENT
HELPING CHILDREN COPE WITH TRAUMA

IMPORTANCE OF ACTIVITY
Do you know what happens when you allow your baby to crawl and explore? She builds self-esteem! An infant interacts with her environment through movement. Her selfesteem increases as she develops confidence and competence with her body in motion.
What happens when you allow your baby to crawl and explore? You help her brain grow!
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ATTACHMENT
All children want a deep and enduring connection with their parents. This relationship, called attachment, influences every aspect of your child’s development, says Parents as Teachers National Center. It’s important to remember that attachment is not something you do to your child. It is the relationship you and your child create together. When a securely-attached child is challenged with a difficult task, he will look to his parents for a solution. As he matures, he becomes more independent. Parents who are encouraging and supportive help their child separate easily, develop a sense of competence, and feel securely attached and able to explore his environment. Here’s a parenting tip: play games together so your child can practice taking turns and
sharing. This parenting moment is brought to you by Parents as Teachers, a nationwide organization providing parents with information on their developing child.
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FATHERHOOD
When fathers are actively involved in their children’s lives, the benefits are tremendous, say the early childhood specialists at Parents as Teachers National Center. Research shows that infants learn better how to deal with a variety of people and personalities when they experience the different touch, vocal and play patterns of both father and mother, says this national parent education organization. Children with highly involved fathers are more confident and less anxious in unfamiliar settings. For example, infants cope better with strangers when their fathers have been one of their primary caregivers. They’re also better able to deal with frustration and to adapt to changes in their routine. Boys are especially likely to be readers if their fathers read to them.
Here’s a parenting tip: arrange for your baby’s father to have time alone with his newborn and encourage his active involvement.
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FEEDING
Do you know what happens when you let your toddler feed himself? He builds self esteem! Self-esteem increases as a child develops confidence. The repetition of daily meals increases fine motor skills and the ability to do things for himself. What happens
when you allow your toddler to feed himself? You help his brain grow!
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FEEDING
Getting youngsters to develop a healthy relationship with food in the early years is important, says Parents as Teachers National Center. Toddlers use food to test, experiment and wage a campaign for control, says this national parent education organization. And while there are no rules for getting them to eat, understanding the division of responsibility between parent and child can help. Parents are responsible for what their child is offered to eat and for where and when it is presented, say early childhood experts. The child is responsible for what and how much he eats. Here’s a parenting tip: let your child’s appetite guide you. Serve less than you think your child will eat, but assure her she can always have more. You may have to serve a new food 10 times or more before your child will try it.
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LITERACY
Do you know what happens when you read to your children? They become better problem solvers! Watch your baby try figure out where your voice is coming from when you read to him! Let your child learn to anticipate what comes next by reading repetitive
nursery rhymes. Help your child focus by talking about pictures as she points to them. Imagine the thinking a child does when you ask, “What do you think will happen next?” Here’s a parenting tip: hold your children in your lap as you read. The warm atmosphere
of closeness helps nurture a positive attitude toward reading.
Involve older children as you read: let them hold the book, turn the pages, point to pictures or words. When you ask, “What do you think the little boy should do?” you help strengthen your child’s thinking skills and encourage her to put ideas into words.
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MATH SKILLS
Children learn best from experience, say the early childhood specialists at Parents as Teachers National Center. As they explore the world around them they notice how things are alike and different. They notice whether another child has more cookies.
They compare sizes of people. Comparing and ordering are important concepts for math skills such as measurement,
subtraction and division. Children learn math concepts by making observations in their everyday world. How quickly they learn depends to a large extent on the opportunities available to them for informal counting experiences. Here’s a parenting tip: expose your child to numbers in everyday life. Just as you encourage reading by sharing books, encourage math skills by counting, matching,
sorting and comparing.
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PLAY
One of the most important aspects of childhood is play; in fact, it’s the primary process through which young children learn and develop, says Parents as Teachers National Center. Very important things happen when your child plays. It’s through sensory experiences, such as those children encounter through play, that cells in the brain develop connections. Play encourages these connections to multiply and become more efficient. Play enhances all areas of a child’s development. Play helps develop a child’s curiosity, self-esteem, strength and coordination, self-direction and values. Children become more skilled at math, language, cooperation and problem solving. Here’s a parenting tip: encourage problem solving by asking questions like, “Oh, my
blocks keep falling over! What should I do?”
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UNDERSTANDING YOUR BABY’S SLEEP
Many children experience difficulty sleeping, parents can help by establishing a routine for sleeping and waking, says Parents as Teachers National Center. By 6 months, most babies are starting to sleep through the night without waking, say early childhood specialists for this national parent education organization. At this age, a baby needs about 14 hours of sleep each day. Around six months, her sleep changes to become more like that of an adult, so it’s important to help your baby develop healthy sleep habits by this time. Here’s a parenting tip: prepare for bed the same way every night…with a story, a last feeding, a warm bath or a song. Put your baby in bed before she is completely asleep. Let her coo, babble or cry for a few minutes. If she awakens, give her a chance to go back to sleep on her own.
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HELPING CHILDREN COPE WITH WAR AND TRAUMA
It can be confusing to know just what to say to young children and how much to discuss war and violence, say early childhood specialists at Parents as Teachers National Center. Children under 2 probably don’t understand what is happening in the world around them but react to the tension and anxiety in their environment. Keeping routines constant and providing quiet downtime will help your young child cope. Children between 3 and 5 years old need to have their questions answered at a developmentally appropriate level. Reassure them that responsible adults are in charge of the crisis and that they and their family are not in danger. Here’s a parenting tip: turn off news programs when young children are around. YOU control the information they need to have and how it is presented.
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VISION SCREENING
Early detection and treatment of eye problems are essential to a child's visual health, says Parents as Teachers National Center. Many conditions can be detected by a vision screening during the preschool years. Left uncorrected, poor vision can cause children to have difficulty learning. Since so much learning involves visual processing, children with poor vision can get easily frustrated in school. That’s why organizations such as Parents as Teachers offer free vision screening for preschoolers who might otherwise not have their vision checked until school-age. Here’s a parenting tip: watch for signs that your child may have vision problems. Things like constant eye rubbing, sensitivity to light, squinting and frequent headaches can all be signs that your child may have vision problems.
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LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT
Do you know what happens when you talk to your baby? You help her brain grow! “Parentese” is a high-pitched, more animated way of speaking. Babies tune in to “parentese” and learn from it. When your baby is playing with or looking at something, name it for her: “Book. Do you want to read a book?” What happens when you talk to your baby? You help her brain grow!
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MUSIC
Do you know what happens when you sing to your child? She builds her math skills! Music helps build memory and concentration, two essential math skills. As you sing to your child, clap to the beat of songs. Clap out the rhythm of her name and the names of her friends. Which have more claps? Which have the least? “Most”, “more than” and “less than” are important math concepts. What happens when you sing to your child? You help her brain grow!
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SELF-REGULATION
Do you know what happens when you play with your child? He becomes more focused! It’s an important skill for your child to have when he enters school. Here’s one thing you can do: talk about what you’re doing as you play together. This promotes “self-talk”, a
child’s private dialog that reminds him what to do, keeps him on task and helps control his behavior. What happens when you play with your child? You help his brain grow!
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SLEEP
Do you know what happens when you develop a bedtime routine with your baby? He has a better chance to learn! Children function best within a routine. Bedtime rituals can relax a restless baby and ease the transition from day to night. What happens when you
develop a bedtime routine with your baby? You help his brain grow!
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TEMPERAMENT
Do you know what happens when you understand your child’s temperament? She learns to control her behavior! Temperament influences how she responds to people and situations. When you understand your child’s temperament, you can help her learn to
control her behavior. What happens when you respond to your child’s cues? You help her brain grow!
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HELPING CHILDREN COPE WITH TRAUMA
Do you know what happens when you help your child follow a daily routine? She learns to cope with stressful events. Children’s basic needs remain the same, especially during times of crisis. Regular mealtimes and bedtime routines help reassure your child and
allow her to predict what comes next. What happens when you help your child follow a daily routine? You help her brain grow!
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