Join the Hays Area Interagency Coordinating Council in celebrating the Week of the Young Child April 10-16, 2021. The Week of the Young Child® is an annual celebration sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the world's largest early childhood education association.
This national organization first established the Week of the Young Child™ in 1971, recognizing that the early childhood years lay the foundation for children's success in school and later life. The purpose of the Week of the Young Child® is to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs.
I would personally like to thank all those who work with young children and all our families of young children. This is such an important profession and is a more difficult job than it looks from the outside. These professionals are planning a fun-filled week for the young children and their families and the community. You can learn more about the activities being planned in Hays at: https://www.usd489.com/o/early-childhood/page/week-of-the-young-child
As a community member you can be involved too! First, support all families of young children. If it has been a few years since you have had youngsters in your house, think back about how tiring just one day of the week was. These parents, grandparents and guardians are working 24/7 to make life just a little better for their little ones. Offer your help in some small way if you can.
Second, support our educators in this field. They leave the job each day tired and worn out but they come back the next day because they love children. If you know of a young adult who does an excellent job working with this age group, encourage them to consider a career in Early Childhood Education. It is a profession that won’t make their pocketbook rich but it will make their life rich! We need the best of the best working in this profession to give children a step up in life.
Third, everyone can improve the life of a child in some way. If you have the financial means, donate to organizations who can help those families in need.
My hope would be that a child has someone in their life who will read to them every day. I still believe books are the path to the future. Would you step up and see if you can help make that happen?
Berny Unruh is the Family and Community Wellness Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District. She can be reached at 785-628-9430 or at [email protected]