What did you learn today?

I've been busy reading lots of Great Start web sites from around the state as I prepare for a job interview. They all say that the period from birth to five has a massive impact on this developing human's future potential (and abilities to really enjoy life). They're sucking up knowledge and experiences as fast as they can be spewed forth by their environment. When they learn to "learn"- to listen and make connections, it moves this process along even more efficiently.

So, this early childhood is vitally important. We all know that, BUT it is also most likely the time when young parents are most overwhelmed and stressed. Help that child learn to learn?! Parents are just trying to figure out how to get through the day without any major problems. That's what has me thinking about our Safe Kids activities that I'm involved with and how to apply this insight further. The kid's don't know what they need to know, and the parents most likely don't either (through no fault of either party), so we gotta help creatively and without judgement (not always easy).

I'm reminded of many years ago when I asked Kimberly "what did you learn today," and she'd most likely tell me "nothing special" (pretty much what I would have said in middle school too). Well, that just can't be, I figured. I had her start a journal listing just one thing that she learned each day, and challenged her to keep it going for just one month. She did a great job with that and had a bit of fun. I found that little notebook a while back and saw some real insights in it. It's a nice exercise, but I guess I'd like to suggest the same for parents. What did you learn from 0r about a child today? Just one thing. Think I'll try it and see what I've learned in a month. Perhaps that's how I'll know more about helping a child learn how to learn.

OK, I now have an actual web site that, if you use it correctly, will send you right back here. I guess that's some kind of progress, eh. You can find it at http://web.me.com/doaktc/Site .

I'll be off to Escanaba this week for the UP Traffic Safety Committee. I'll see several of the folks that I attended a Michigan Department of Community Health meeting in St. Ignace with a week ago. We're excited about the prospect of coordinating hospital policies and procedures for sending newly minted infants off in to their family vehicles. There doesn't seem to be widespread standardization of this procedure and so we will be working on that.

The first snowfall is on its way. Don't forget how to drive. Just allow more time and space.

I welcome you to visit my Linkedin page until I have the time to compete construction of my facebook identity and this blog. Find me at www.linkedin.com/in/freddoelker . You are also welcome to visit my photo gallery at http://gallery.me.com/doaktc . Nope, I haven't gotten Twitter going, but you can be assured that'll be next.