As you may have read last week, I am exploring the website of Zero to Three (www.zerotothree.org). This organization's focus is to provide parents, professionals and policymakers with the knowledge on how to nurture early childhood development. Their mission is to promote the health and development of infants and toddlers, setting children on a course for lifelong discovery.
As part of my exploration, I was able to subscribe to their free e-newsletter From Baby to Big Kid. This is a newsletter geared toward parents, designed to teach parents scientifically based information about how children learn and grow, month to month, from birth to age three. It is tailored specifically to the general developmental age of your child (you enter your child's birthday when you register). While I have not received a copy of this newsletter yet, because of it is published on the first of each month, I can share that this newsletter includes general information about child development, articles about common child rearing issues and challenges, activities that promote bonding and learning between parent/caregiver and child and research on child development and how parents can apply it to their daily lives.
Since I have not received a newsletter, I tried to obtain more information about Zero to Three's other publication, the Zero to Three Journal. This journal is costly to subscribe to, and I was hoping that Walden University had a subscription for us to use, but alas, it does not. I was able to preview the current issue (blurred, so you can't read it very well), and found that this journal addresses topics such as well child care, brain development, safe environments, the importance of reading to infants and young children, and the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program.
Another source of information Zero to Three provides on its website a series of twelve podcasts for parents and families, featuring an interview with an expert and how to apply current research to daily interactions with your infant or toddler. Focuses include coping with crying, sleep issues, emotional development, nutrition, self esteem, the development of self control, nurturing healthy brain development, the influence of television and other media on young children, the role of grandparents, the influence of fathers, partnering with your child's caregiver, and encouraging parents to reflect on their family history and how it influences the way we choose to raise our children. I can't wait to be able to have time to sit and view these podcasts! As a parent and educator of three year olds, these really caught my attention, both as personal resources and resources to pass on to the parents of children in my class!
There are other resources to explore on this website, such as a section on public policy, but I ran out of time to explore it!
A search of the website for "changing demographics and diversity" produces a wealth of information regarding different types of families, including the different pathways to parenthood. It also includes exploring cultural differences to communication, television viewing, and points to consider when observing children psychosocially. Unfortunately, to view the articles in their entirety, you have to be a subscriber to the Zero to Three Journal. I wonder if I send a request to the Walden University Library, perhaps a subscription could be purchased for Walden University student use?
Hi Celeste!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this information. I was a little familiar with this website due to my previous position but this helps to understand it much more. I like that they gear their newsletters towards parents to give them information on their developing child, however it would be nice if they had a newsletter for professionals too to learn and grow from.
Hi Celeste
ReplyDeleteGood job on the information you posted I enjoyed reading the information because I was not familiar with it, but I like that it gives parents information on how they children are developing.