The Pandemic Had a Major Impact on Children's Socialization Skills. Here's How the Early Childhood Education Industry Is Helping Them Bounce Back!

lba-admin — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 12:22:07 +0000

lba-admin Wed, 07/14/2021 - 08:22

Without the ability to interact with other children, children do not develop some of the essential life skills, such as taking turns, sharing, following a schedule and communicating with others, which are foundational for healthy social development and school readiness.

While children are lower at risk for contracting the COVID-19 virus, the psychological effects of the global pandemic have hit society’s youngest members especially hard. In particular, young children in the formative early years, have been most vulnerable as they are at a critical time of social and intellectual development, according to a 2020 study released by the Canadian Journal of Public Health. As schools closed across the country, many children lost an entire year's worth of social stimulation they would have normally experienced outside their home. Now, parents remain rightfully concerned about how the pandemic may have impacted their children’s long-term social and academic development.

Play and socialization are key components to a child’s early education. Children are naturally social creatures and in many ways, “play” is how they learn essential life skills such as taking turns and regulating emotions. They also stimulate synaptic connections in the early stages of development through the development of conversational skills and emotional expression. Due to the isolation and lack of social interaction over the past year, children have not only fallen behind in this regard, but they may also be hesitant or anxious to return to the in-person classroom as schools and child care centers start to reopen. While parents should work with their pediatrician on any developmental concerns, there are a few tips on how to support your child in their development of social skills.

For example, creating a diligent schedule can go a long way in helping children adjust to new environments. As parents tried to juggle working from home and virtual schooling over the past year, some days children never got out of their pajamas. This lack of structure can have an overall negative impact on a child’s emotional well-being — a proper schedule is proven to eliminate stress, which allows children to better develop healthy social and academic habits.

A great way to ease children back into a social environment is with a hybrid approach where children can attend a program in a small group environment such as a child care on a part-time basis and balance the remaining days at home. Children are resilient and parents are often surprised at how quickly their child adjusts and thrives in a new environment. Through play and with nurturing and positive reinforcement, they will learn to make new friends and seek interactive learning experiences. As children adjust, so can their schedule.

Enrolling in a child care is a great way for children to regain the structure they need to feel secure and the support needed to progress. Choose a center that offers a quality curriculum and the technology to provide peace of mind with online cameras and other communication tools to help ease the transition.

Luckily, the future of a child’s socialization isn’t completely reliant on the parents. Across the board, school districts and supplemental education centers have also been prioritizing the social and emotional health of their students. Some child care centers even incorporate yoga and mindfulness programs into the daily curriculum, for example. During the back to school adjustment period, children may become anxious and early childhood education providers will likely pay more attention to these self-soothing practices moving forward.

In addition to incorporating mindfulness and other calming activities into the curriculum, educators will likely be more focused on encouraging play and interaction through STREAM classes. When children can collaborate with peers in a classroom, it encourages the development of essential life skills, such as taking turns, sharing, and communicating with others.

Looking ahead, elementary schools, supplemental education centers and parents should all understand that most children are going to need more support and may even struggle to meet previously set benchmarks.. The good news is that children are resilient and likely to bounce-back quickly. Hopefully, the COVID-19 crisis has helped educate the general population to recognize that children’s social development is just as important as academics, and that the two are inherently linked. By keeping social and emotional development at the forefront of everyone’s mind, we can help children return to a healthy school routine, reduce anxiety and ensure academic success.

Jennifer Romanoff, MA ECE, is a trainer of early childhood teachers, center administrative teams and owners. A published author of three books on responding to toddler behavior, Jennifer has been teaching and training in the early childhood education field for over 29 years. She has presented nationally both through live sessions and webinars. As VP of Education and Training for Lightbridge Academy, Jennifer also creates trainings to support best practices, excellence in education and the accreditation process. A supervisor series of trainings, developed specifically for center administrative teams and child care owners, as well as a distance learning training module are Jennifer’s current focus, utilizing a production studio, an online learning platform, and virtual classroom capabilities. Jennifer is the proud mom of a 19-year-old daughter Madelin, and two fur babies, Scarlett and Buttercup.

Understanding the Difference Between Daycare and Educational Child Care

lba-admin — Fri, 28 Jul 2017 12:59:30 +0000

Understanding the Difference Between Daycare and Educational Child Care

lba-admin Fri, 07/28/2017 - 08:59

Understanding the Difference Between Daycare and Educational Child Care

Most people remember the major life changes that occurs when becoming a parent. Even though it’s one of the most special times in their life, with change often comes stress. Every decision regarding a child’s well-being seems to be of paramount importance and none are more stressful than the decisions new parents face when preparing to go back to work.

Should I stay at home longer? What about enrolling my child in a local daycare? Or is an educational child care center the right fit? In order to make this decision, it is important to determine your expectations and understand the difference between daycare and educational child care.

Local Daycare – Mom & Pop
Local daycare centers are often smaller in size and focus on caring for the needs of young children. While some educational activities are included, these programs usually do not have a comprehensive curriculum that progress along with the development of the child. Caregivers are usually employed and educational requirements vary greatly. For parents with shorter work schedules, local daycares offer shorter programs with part day programs but may be limited in extended day programs.

Educational Child Care Centers
Educational child care combines high quality of care along with an early childhood curriculum. These types of centers vary in philosophy and focus. Many have higher educational requirements for lead teachers including CPR and First Aid certifications. For parents with longer work hours, extended programs accommodate their busy schedules and goes above and beyond to provide a higher quality service. With unique programs and curriculums put in place to help children grow and develop, centers focused on educational child care offer parents peace of mind by providing a nurturing environment designed to make both you and your child feel comfortable.

However, the differences between daycare and educational child care don’t end there. Here are a few benefits of the Lightbridge Academy educational child care program that stand out to parents:

Supportive Environment for Parents: Educational child care thinks beyond the needs of children. For example, at Lightbridge Academy, technology is implemented inside the classroom to give parents even more access to their children throughout the day. By using an internet monitoring system and staying connected through an eCommunication app, parents never have to miss a moment—or milestone—while they’re at work.

Trained Early Childhood Educators: Most of the people that choose to work in this field share the same passion for working with children. However, that passion is accompanied by training and certification at educational child care centers. Depending on state requirements, staff may be required to possess a Child Development Associate credential, hold an Associate degree in child development or Bachelor of Arts in education.

Keys to Success: Providing qualified teachers’ with training goes a long way. But the whole child needs to be considered when preparing them for future success and grow into happy, confident, independent, and well-socialized individuals. With this in mind, children are guided through an age appropriate curriculum preparing them for academic success at an early age. In fact, assessments show that 93 percent of Lightbridge Academy’s pre-K students are already functioning at the Kindergarten level. And because educational child care also creates a well-rounded experience for children, learning is always fun.

Positive Culture: Beyond academics, Lightbridge Academy programs are designed to create a happy and supportive environment for everyone that walks through the doors. The Lightbridge Academy’s Circle of Care philosophy places equal weight on the needs of everyone in a child’s life creating a trusted and nurturing environment where families can thrive. That means that your needs as a parent are considered as just as important as those of your child’s!

Choosing the right fit for family is a very personal decision. Hopefully this blog will help provide you with
Some helpful information to make the best child care choice for your family. You are invited to visit a Lightbridge Academy center for more information on our programs and services. Hope to see you soon!