A Parent's Realization:

"I am my child's first teacher!"

July 2005

If there ever was someone who believes in bettering herself by learning, it’s Javonna Smith, a young mother from New Orleans. Javonna admits that she was “accustomed to doing certain things out of habit,” and was hoping to “learn something new” about parenting by signing up for the Right from Birth classes at the Louise Head Start in uptown New Orleans. But not even Jovanna was prepared for what would happen. Immediately after starting the classes, she was so impacted by what she learned that she became a voracious learner – she was so eager to attend the classes each week that not even the oppressive June heat and humidity nor the threat of Hurricane Dennis could keep her from attending.

Javonna didn’t just absorb the information; she implemented it. She once fed her child whenever it was convenient, whether anyone else was eating or not. There is now a mealtime routine. The family eats together as a cohesive unit at a consistent time. Understanding now how important it is for a child to have “quality” time with a parent individually—and with the family as a whole--mealtime now provides her family with such an opportunity.

When asked what she had learned that had the biggest impact on her, Jovanna replied that realizing that parents are their children’s first teacher, and, as their children’s mentors or teachers, how very important it is to a child to imitate what a parent says and does. She added, “…a child imitates what you do…they might copy or mock what you say…you have to watch what you say and do because it makes an impression on them, and they are likely to repeat what you say or do.” Learning that has made her work hard to model the behavior and language she wants her child to learn.

After completing the Right from Birth series, Jovanna reports that she is now more at ease with a new confidence in her ability to parent.

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Craig and Sharon Ramey consider CDL the official ‘trainer of trainers’ for the Right from Birth Parenting Series.To learn more about how to bring the Right from Birth Parenting Series to your area, contact CDL at learn@cdl.org or 985-893-7777.