Candace, Ethan’s mom, shares how the Parents as Teachers program has made an impact with her family.
Our Ethan started Parents as Teachers (PAT) just before his 2nd birthday. As our first, we were always able to work on learning activities and have read to him since he was a baby. Our PAT home visitor brings so much more to us that enriches his natural abilities and meets him where he is at.
We have watched Ethan’s curiosity grow and he has learned so much in his first five years. Everyone says time goes by in the blink of an eye with your kids, and now I am experiencing it firsthand. I can’t believe he is going to kindergarten this year!
Ethan has always been so interested in puzzles, building, reading, and creating. Like any kid, he loves being outside no matter what he is doing. Socially, he has really come out of his shell in the last few years. We definitely attribute this to his PAT visits, his time at childcare, and in preschool. When we started PAT, he was our only baby, and now he does the activities as a big brother to his two sisters.
All three of our kids do PAT, and all three love it and look forward to the sessions, no matter whose turn it is this week. With COVID, we of course went virtual, but the sessions have become even more meaningful and important in this time.
Since we have spent so much more time at home with each other, these sessions offer social interaction with someone outside of our family and different activities in our day. I love seeing how excited and engrossed in the activities our three kids are together. These activities now also enrich our time together as a family.
Going to kindergarten is a huge milestone for Ethan (and for us). We are so proud of how far he has come and are so excited to watch him thrive and grow in kindergarten and beyond. We also feel grateful that our younger two will have the chance to continue with PAT for the next few years and will have the opportunity to develop the same strong foundation that Ethan has.