Everybody Ready Brochure

“Study Reveals How Downriver Parents of Preschoolers Prepare Their Children for Kindergarten”

 Downriver parents take an active role in helping their young children be ready for kindergarten, according to the results of a survey recently released by Everybody Ready, a southern Wayne County community initiative that focuses on the concerns of children 0-5.  The skills parents most commonly taught their young ones were personal care skills (95.2%), colors (91.7%), how to get along with others (90.0%), the alphabet (89.1%) and numbers (88.1%). Three fifths of the caregivers indicated they would be interested in receiving additional support from workshops, discussion groups and/or printed materials. Topics of interest to parents include developing the child’s self esteem (54.5%), improving the child’s reading skills (50.9%) and learning about discipline and guidance (46.3%). One third indicated that they were not interested at all in receiving outside assistance.

 Other findings in the report revealed:

·        Children who were read to at least once a week (96.7%) were more likely to have someone in their home who reads for pleasure

·        Only 44%  of the caregivers stated that they took their child to the library and a meager 2.6% stated that they attended a story hour

·        When children misbehaved, parents most commonly talked with the child (89.3%) used time-out (77.6%) or revoked privileges (70.9%). Approximately one in four used spanking (27.4%) or scolding (23.1%).

·        The two activities that caregivers most often shared with their children (watch movies 83.3% and watch television 70.5%) indicate that they choose passive activities more often than inter-active ones. Many researchers believe that heavy television viewing can slow down intellectual and language development that is needed for solving problems, developing imagination and creating.

·        Over half of the caregivers indicated that they played with their child every day. This high level of caregiver interaction with the child should help to create a more developed brain capacity.

·        Only 1% stated that arranging transportation for their children’s health-related matters was a problem

 Everybody Ready commissioned the survey to find out what parents are doing with and for their young children and to see what help, if any, they would like in preparing their children for kindergarten.  Results are being shared with schools, parents and other caregivers and organizations that advocate for young children. Says John Colina , President of Everybody Ready,  “Everything we do in a child’s life from birth to age 5 is critical to our future. Eighty-five percent of brain development occurs between birth and age five. Everybody Ready wants to work with parents and professional early childhood educators to see that every child is ready to enter kindergarten ready to learn and ready to succeed. This survey will help us see where money should be spent to help young children.”

 The survey was given to parents of children entering kindergarten in fifteen Downriver school districts: Allen Park , Ecorse, Flat Rock, Gibraltar , Grosse Ile, Huron, Lincoln Park , Melvindale-North Allen Park, River Rouge, Riverview, Southgate , Taylor , Van Buren, Woodhaven and Wyandotte . The survey was made possible through a grant from the Whitney Fund. 

This and much of the work on the survey project was done by Mary Zahler, who recently retired from the Guidance Center. Mary has done so much for Everybody Ready, we appreciate it deeply and we miss her already.  Thanks Mary!