The Importance of Initiating Your Baby's Education from Home

I'm just a few weeks from completing my very first year working in the public schools system of New York as a teaching assistant. Currently for the Summer, I am working with younger students (grades 4 thru 8) in a special art academy program which only lasts 3 weeks. Coming from the fashion industry, it was a totally new world stepping into this position back in September. After completing my teaching assistant certification last Summer, I was offered a position at the high school where I graduated from. I really had no idea what I was walking into when I accepted the position but, I was going in with an open mind and a willingness to learn all that I could because I had already made the decision of becoming a fashion teacher.

   One of the many things I have been able to learn from working as a teacher assistant and from my college education classes is that child education begins at home. I strongly believe that the education of children can be highly ineffective if it is not nurtured and valued at home by parents.

   From the moment, I found out that I was going to bring another human being into this world, I knew that it would be my responsibility to make sure that I do all that I can to educate my child. I knew that it would be my duty as a parent to give my daughter all the tools necessary in order to successfully attain an education. To me that meant, that although she would be receiving some form of education outside of home, (whether in a daycare center or in school) I needed to do my part at home.

   So how did my husband and I start implementing this? Well, to begin with, for our baby shower we asked our guests to please gift our baby a book instead of a card and to write her a message inside the front cover. Hence, we started building her a collection of books even before she was born! Today, all those books we received at our baby shower sit in a bookshelf just for her in our living room. Also, every time I walked into a target and stopped by their Bullseye section, I would find so many learning tools for children. I was able to purchase a huge range of flashcards, shapes & colors puzzles, and so much more. Even though, my daughter was obviously too young at the time to even begin using these tools, I wanted to be prepared for the day she would be old enough. (I have to admit though, I did go home and read flashcards to her every time I bought a new one.) In addition, I purchased through amazon very special bilingual (English & Spanish) flashcards for her, which I absolutely love!

    As you can see, in my opinion, it's never too early to start educating your children right from home. My husband's aunt once told me about a wonderful child education website: www.ABCmouse.com. After taking a look at what this site is all about and all they have to offer, I felt compelled to share it with my readers, fellow mothers, and school teachers. ABCmouse.com is an excellent tool, not just for parents but, also for daycare facilities, home-school teachers, and school teachers. The site offers, online lesson plans, educational games, printable worksheets, and an entire curriculum for children ages 2 all the way up to 8 years old! Best of all is that, every single resource available on the site is made in collaboration with nationally recognized early childhood teachers who are part of their team and can ensure quality and effective core skills standards. Use the link below to take advantage of a special Summer offer exclusively for my readers and enjoy some fun learning with your little ones all Summer break long!

Reading to my daughter at about 3 months old.

*Disclosure: This post is sponsored by ABCmouse.com. However, all opinions and ideas are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that earn me a small commission, at no additional cost to you.