Young children to be center of attention

By: Ashley Vasquez

For early childhood centers across the country, April is a special time of year, and Smithville is no exception.

Just Like Home Daycare Center in Smithville will celebrate the Week of the Young Child Monday to Saturday, April 23 to 28, with a variety of special events at the center for children, parents and educators.

The week, which can be celebrated any time during the month of April, is designed to recognize the needs of young children and thank teachers and other adults who work for children, according to the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

“Early learning experiences are crucial to young children's growth and development,” said Mark Ginsberg, National Association for the Education of Young Children executive director, in a press release. “Week of the Young Child is an opportunity for all of us to recognize the importance of the early years and work together to ensure all children have safe care and quality learning experiences that will help them succeed in school and beyond.”

Kris Shipley, co-owner of Just Like Home, said the event was important to the center's overall success. Just Like Home has been celebrating the week for the past eight years.

“Our celebration is in honor of every child and our commitment to them,” she said. “Everyone at Just Like Home realizes the impact that we have in the lives of children. We set out everyday to make a difference.”

The theme for this year's Week of the Young Child at Just Like Home will be “Children are the Seeds of the Future,” and most of the week's activities will be centered on growing and planting.

Some of the events for the week include a staff appreciation day, donuts with dads, muffins with moms, the creation of a family tree, planting of flowers and a special sidewalk painting of every child's footprint at the center. The week will end with a balloon release Friday, April 27.

“Everything coincides well with Earth Day and that children are the seeds of the future,” Shipley said. “I think the family tree will be really cool because we have family portraits of all the families here that will go on a special tree to show how important the family is.”

Shipley also said staff appreciation, which is being coordinated by the center's parent committee, would be special.

“Our staff works hard every day to educate the children through the most important years of their lives,” she said. “They deserve the recognition.”

Shipley said the most important purpose of the Week of the Young Child was to educate the community.

“We want to create community awareness about young families and the need to be careful where they send their children during the day before they are old enough for school,” she said. “Here, we are dedicated to a child's learning, and we make sure they have the most valuable experience they can and make a positive impact on their lives.”

For more information about the week, contact Just Like Home at 532-4495.

Smithville Editor Ashley Vasquez can be reached at 532-4444 or ashleyvasquez@npgco.com.