The “Early Years Opportunity ” Supporting a Healthy Environment for Development

1. 1 The “Early Years Opportunity” Supporting a Healthy Environment for Development

2. Hosting Notes Early Years Parent Café Goal: To build awareness and capacity of parents and caregivers in support of early childhood development through: • strengthened awareness of “the core story” and the early years opportunities. • fostering relationships, connections and mutual support by bringing people together in dialogue. • validating the current knowledge and capacity of parents and caregivers by creating a space for sharing of successes and challenges. • highlighting and sharing available resources and supports. • learning together to support capacity building that inspires further learning and action.

3. 2 The “Early Years Opportunity” Supporting a Healthy Environment for Development How does a child’s environment impact healthy brain development and learning? How can stress impact development? How can you help to limit stress for your child? How do you play and have fun with your child? Why is play important? Are you aware of your own stress?What helps you to minimize and cope with stress? What do you enjoy most about parenting?What are your strengths? Education for Communities, Communities for Education

4. Hosting Notes Are there are other questions about early years development parents would like to discuss? Suggestion: • Use a flipchart/blackboard/newsprint on table/ to record these questions and revisit them at the end of the session. • Invite parents to offer questions throughout the conversation. Explore: Start the conversation by asking parents/caregivers to share something about their child(ren), or share something their child has most recently learned.

5. 3 For you, what was most important about our last conversation? Explore: Have you done anything differently since then?

6. Hosting Notes Parents sharing impressions from the last conversation… • What made the biggest impression? What sparked you to try something new? Did you have the chance to share this information with others? • Collecting the ideas that parents felt were most important as well as ways that they have integrated ideas and responded can spark further discussion and exchange. • Recording these ideas can be helpful for further reflection and is very important for monitoring the impact of the conversations. Suggestions:

7. 4 How does a child’s environment impact healthy brain development and learning?What should it include?…not include? Explore: What is stressful for infants and young children?

8. Hosting Notes An environment supportive of healthy development … • Meets physical needs, including sleep, nutrition, exercise and protection from physical harm. Things that are tolerated by a mature brain can be toxic to a young brain. • Is secure and predictable, with limited stress. Babies and young children do experience stress! • Includes a consistent, loving caregiver! Infants and young children can experience stress from: • A changing, unpredictable environment, something unexpected. • Transitions from one situation to another. • Parents feelings of stress, tone of voice and the manner they communicate, too many “no’s”. • Not getting the attention and comforting that they are needing. • Frustration from either their own or parents expectations. • Its not just about bad things that happen but also good things that don’t happen! Lack of “serve and return” is stressful for a child.

9. 5 Explore together this short video from the Centre on the Developing Child, Harvard University:Toxic stress Derails Healthy Development What are your reactions? What strikes you most?

10. Hosting Notes Key messages on the impacts of stress on infants and young children … • Some stress is a normal part of life! • “Positive stress”, or minor, short-lived stress events, like meeting new people, is a part of healthy development. Children learn to moderate and deal with stress through these experiences. • High levels of prolonged stress without a loving caregiver can be “toxic” and derail healthy development, leaving a child with: • changes in brain architecture. • permanent “signatures” on genes. • a more reactive stress response system • increasedlifelong risk of developing physical and mental health struggles, including addiction. • children are less likely to explore, practice and learn new skills. • Positive care-giving can protect and buffer a child from the impacts of stress. Even a traumatic life event, like a death in the family, doesn’t leave a lasting impact on the developing brain when a child is supported and nurtured by a consistent caregiver. Researchers call this “tolerable stress”.

11. 6 Are you aware of your own stress?What helps you to minimize and cope with stress?

12. Hosting Notes Healthy ways parents cope with stress… Examples: • Getting enough rest • Eating well • Physical exercise • Spending time talking with friends • Gardening, playing music, … • Yoga and meditation • Spiritual practice • Others?

13. 7 How can you help to limit stress for your child? Explore: Some stress is a normal part of life and part of healthy development! How can you support your child as they learn to moderate their own stress?

14. Hosting Notes Parents helping to minimize and moderate stress with their child: • Creating an environment that feels safe and secure with predictable routines and regular patterns • Bedtime routines help children transition and relax at the end of the day. • Morning routines can help to get the day off to a good start. • Adequate rest and sleep – tired children are more easily stressed. • Making time for exercise and play time. Get outside! • Providing healthy food that can helps children cope with stress more easily. • Having realistic, developmentally appropriate expectations of their child, communicating with a firm and kind voice, clear expectations and limits. • Spending time with their child, showing them they are loved for who they are. • Slowing down and turning off the technology. • Having fun together and remembering to laugh! • Supporting children as they learn to manage their own stress response: • Offer warm, responsive care-giving, i.e. comforting our child when upset. • Model how you manage your own stress. • Talk, talk, talk. Allow children to express what they feel and why. • Share strategies like “count to ten”, “breathing buddies” and “calming bottles” (see resources for more ideas).

15. 8 How do you play and have fun with your child? How is this supporting learning and development? Explore: Have parents write down their ideas – one per sticky and match to the 5 areas of development (next slide).

16. Hosting Notes Parents are supporting all areas of development when having fun together! e Note: Many activities will support more than one area! Most important is to highlight the impact of ‘just playing” on all realms of development.

17. 9 Why is play so important?How can you ensure there is time for play? Explore: For a more in depth look at play, share Stuart Brown’s TED Talk: Play is more then just fun.

18. Hosting Notes “Play is the work of childhood.” - Mr. Rogers • Play is not a distraction or break from learning but HOW children learn and develop! Play is important for: • Fun! • Providing opportunities to rehearse, refine, practice and extend skills. Remember that brain connections (synapses) need repetition to strengthen! When its fun and interesting we are more likely to persist and extend our efforts. • Building confidence and self esteem - by doing things over and over children can experience success. • Opportunities to build our understanding of and make sense of the world. • Supporting learning and growth in all realms of development (physical, social, thinking, emotional). • Explore ways to make • sure play happens… • Incorporate play in daily activities – keep it fun! • Embrace free time • Turn off the “screens” • Get outside! • Take the pressure off – limit structured activities • Remember you can still play too!

19. 10 What are the best toys for infants and young children? Explore: What are the common household objects that can be great play toys?

20. Hosting Notes The best toys for young children … • Allow the child to explore and create. • Provide opportunity for sensory stimulation. • Are developmentally appropriate: provide an opportunity to practice and explore the skills a child is learning or refining. • Are safe! • Do not need to be expensive, electronic or complicated (think of a child on the floor with a cardboard box, pots and pans, plastic containers in the bath…..) • i.e.: building blocks, balls, dramatic play props, pots and pans, plastic containers… • Others? Toys are also a way for us to enjoy, relate and build relationship with our children. In fact… a loving, responsive caregiver can be said to be a child’s “best toy”. (see Apple magazine). Explore: What is your child’s favorite toy? What do you think they like about it?

21. 11 Sharing your gifts and talents…What do you enjoy most about parenting?What do you find most challenging? Explore: What are your strengths and talents? How can you share them? Have parents brainstorm their talents of the head, hands and heart (see activities: Gifts I can give my child and community*). Have parents note one idea per sticky note and add to wall chart.

22. Hosting Notes Parents sharing diverse gifts and talents… Examples: • “Love to sing – We sing silly songs together!” • “I am very patient – I enjoy all the “why?” questions.” • “I love to be active – We walks to the park and play soccer together.” • Others…? By recognizing our own strengths we can bring out the joy and delight of parenting and helps us to overcome the challenges. Explore: What special characteristics do you have that are really great for your child?

23. 12 After our discussion today, would you like to set a goal or try something new to? Explore: What would you like to share with another parent or caregiver?

24. Hosting Notes Great ideas from parents: Examples: • Try some of the breathing and calming strategies. • Take the time to get down on the floor and play! • Take time for myself to relax and relieve stress. • Others? Reminder: provide any follow up information requested… Read more: Check the accompanying Resources for recommendations!