The population of the United States is growing more culturally diverse each year, and this diversity is clearly evident among families with young children; however, individuals who work in early childhood programs are not as diverse as those they serve. Moreover, many early childhood professionals have little preparation for working with families…

Because family and school represent the primary environments in which young children grow and develop, it is important to build and maintain strong parent participation in preschool education. Teachers can plan parent participation strategies to give equal consideration to the needs of all families represented in a class. Teachers can plan for…

This ERIC/EECE Digest was adapted from a position paper of the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (NACCRRA). Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) organizations are important for their ability to meet the needs of: (1) consumers, for a single point of access that can help them understand their child care…

The population of the United States is growing more culturally diverse each year, and this diversity is clearly evident among families with young children; however, individuals who work in early childhood programs are not as diverse as those they serve. Moreover, many early childhood professionals have little preparation for working with families…

Noting that parents are their children's first and most important teachers, this digest provides suggestions and recommends resources to help parents become involved in their children's literacy development. The digest discusses visiting the public library; reading aloud and modeling reading; playing with children; listening to children read;…

One of the most important decisions that parents make is choosing child care for their children. Child care consumer education provides parents with the information they need to help them assess their needs, locate services, evaluate quality, and choose the best possible care for their children. There are two broad strategies for disseminating…

Skills in science (observing, inferring, measuring, communicating, classifying, predicting, controlling variables, interpreting data, and developing models) are not just essential for careers in science, but they are important for almost any career, as well as in daily life. This digest presents information on how parents can help develop their…