Braces: A Love Story

My 12 year old is getting his braces on right now.

It's a pretty standard childhood rite-of-passage. I wore braces when I was a kid. (Ditto with elastics and the dreaded retainer.) Who knows? You may have done your time in the orthodontic trenches, too.

I didn't think anything of it when one of my other sons got his braces, but I'm a bit more nervous about how my 12 year old – my child who has Aspergers – is going to react, both to the process of getting the braces cemented on his teeth and the inevitable afterpains as his mouth gets used to the new hardware.

We discovered a long time ago that my husband is better suited to the orthodontic beat than I am. He worries just as much as I do about these things, but he doesn't show it. (As I type this, my husband is either pretending to read magazines in the waiting room at the orthodontist's office, waiting for news on how our son is doing; or he's been called in to provide on-the-spot cheerleading and reassurance.)

My husband and my 12 year old have another tough mission ahead of them in the next few weeks: Operation Tooth Extraction. They've been through it together in the past; so I know they can do it again. And as for me? I'll be sitting across town, appreciating the fact that I was wise enough to pick a man who has the right stuff (the ability to be a great dental parent, among other things); and loving the fact that my 12 year old and his dad have always had a super-special bond.

It goes back to the very beginning, in the moments after my son was born. I had sustained a bad tear while giving birth and the midwives were busy attending to me, so my husband held our newborn baby boy for the longest time. I remember my husband speaking softly to him and welcoming him to our family; telling him about his brothers and his sister. This pregnancy (after my previous baby's stillbirth the year before) had been the longest 41 ½ weeks of my life. But now this baby was here, safe, cradled in my husband's arms.

Suddenly I felt safer, too - and ready to face the future as a family.

When You and Your Partner Don't See Eye-to-Eye About Parenting

Being married can be challenging enough. Add kids to the mix and sometimes couples reach the breaking point. (For other couples, the parent piece is the only non-broken part of a couple relationship that was in trouble long before the kids come along.)

I have life after baby on my mind for a couple of reasons.

First, I spent my weekend speaking at the Winnipeg Baby and Kids Show, which gave me the opportunity to chat informally with a large number of parents about the biggest challenges they are facing in their lives as parents. Many mentioned feeling out of synch with their partners about the decisions they were making as parents.

Secondly, I just finished watching the documentary Married in America 2 (available for purchase via iTunes and elsewhere). The film catches up with nine couples who were the subjects of the original Married in America documentary to find out how they are faring individually and as couples as their relationships hit the five-year mark.

Some of the couples have had a baby; others are thinking about having kids. Some are grappling with deaths in the family or the complexities of blended family issues. Some couples are together; others are not. They all have different perspectives on life and relationships than they did five years earlier, some for better and some for worse.

The documentary is definitely worth watching. The film is fun and fast-moving and each of the couples is uniquely fascinating. My only quibble is that we never get a chance to see the couples arguing (something that does tend to happen in real life). No one swears on camera either. Ever. Perhaps the film was edited to make the film more palatable to faith groups (for marriage preparation courses) and educational organizations (for parenting classes). Or perhaps the folks at the Hallmark Channel (where the film initially aired) has rules about real life getting a little too real.

- - -

But back to the broader issue: coping with problems in your couple relationship after you have kids; or, more specifically, what to do if you and your partner don't see eye-to-eye about how to raise your kids.

Here are some points to consider.

Don't assume that the problem will take care of itself once the baby is no longer a baby, the toddler is no longer a toddler, etc. You've still got a lot of years of parenting ahead of you -- and you definitely want to be on the same page of the parenting playbook by the time your kids hit the preteen or teen stage.

Try to engage your partner in a heart-to-heart discussion about the hopes and dreams that led you to want to become parents in the first place: the types of parents you want to be and the types of kids you want to raise. If you've never had this type of conversation, there's no time like the present to have it. Try to have this conversation when you're both relaxed and in a positive and upbeat mood. If you can't have this type of conversation without the conversation dissolving into an argument, consider couples therapy (so that you can work on your communication skills and resolve the outstanding issues you have as parents and as a couple).

Consider taking a parenting course together. That way, the information you're trying to discuss with your partner will be reaching your partner via a neutral third-party rather than always being filtered through you.

Share parenting materials that you've found particularly helpful. And encourage your partner to share parenting materials that express his or her ideas about parenting, too. (You don't have to agree with all the viewpoints expressed. What you're trying to do is get an understanding of what your partner is thinking and feeling about a particular issue. That's the first step to talking the issue through and finding some common ground.)

Take stock of all the things you do agree about rather than just focusing on all the things you don't. Then find ways to build on that common foundation in your lives as parents.

Pregnancy and Depression: Two Studies Add to What is Known About Prenatal Depression in Moms and Dads

Parenting Lab

New Study Highlights Risk Factors for Prenatal Depression in Mothers

It wasn't that long ago that people had difficulty even grasping the concept of prenatal depression. ("What does she have to be depressed about? She's having a baby!")

Now it's common knowledge that as many as one in eight pregnant women experience depression at some point during pregnancy. And people know that biology, genetics, and environment can all play a role in perinatal mood disorders, as they do in other types of mood disorders.

A study published in the January 2010 issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology contributes to what is known about depression during pregnancy by identifying the risk factors for depression during pregnancy.

These factors include maternal anxiety, life stress, a history of depression, a lack of social support, an unplanned pregnancy, domestic violence, lower income, lower education, smoking, single status, and poor relationship quality.

Because many of these factors may change over the course of a woman's pregnancy, the American College of Obstetrician and Gynecologists recommends that healthcare providers screen women for symptoms of depression during each trimester of pregnancy.

The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada doesn't currently have such a recommendation on its books, according to Natalie Wright, the SOGC's Director, Communication and Public Education. The SOGC only recommends that women be screened for symptoms of depression during pregnancy in very specific cases: when a mom-to-be is experiencing domestic violence, mastalgia (breast pain), or chronic pain.

When Dads Get Depressed During Pregnancy, Newborns More Likely to be Colicky

Screening fathers-to-be for prenatal depression seems like the logical next step. A study published in the July 1, 2009, issue of the medical journal Pediatrics found that paternal depression during pregnancy could be a risk factor for excessive infant crying (crying for more than three hours per day on more than three days during the past week).

Have you or your partner experienced depression during pregnancy? What advice would you offer to other parents or parents-to-be who are struggling?

Related Resources:

PerinatalWeb.org: Perinatal Depression Resources:  Resources related to perinatal depression (prenatal and postpartum depression) for both women and their healthcare providers.

Postpartum Progress: Women's Mental Health Resources:  List of women's mental health treatment programs in Canada, the US, and Australia, as selected by the creators of this popular blog.

Depression in Pregnancy: Public Health Agency of Canada: Additional information about depression during pregnancy.

New Year's Stress Resolutions: Resolving to Become a Less Stressed Out Family in 2010

Resolving to become a less stressed parent - or to have a less stressed out family - in 2010?

You're certainly in good company.

Stress levels in Canada have sky-rocketed since the start of the recession, with 36 percent of Canadians reporting an increase in stress and 28 percent reporting a drop in employment income, according to an annual survey conducted by Desjardin Financial Security. The top three sources of stress, according to survey respondents, were money (30 percent), work (25 percent), and family responsibilities (10 percent).

In 2008, 28% of Canadians between the ages of 35 and 54 reported that most days were extremely or quite a bit stressful. (This is the age range when family and career responsibilities peak, according to Statistics Canada.) Women were more likely than men to report that most days were quite a bit or extremely stressful.

Juggling work and family can be stressful. Families with children may face a particular set of challenges related to work–life balance when one or both parents are working long hours. Families with children are less likely to have both parents working consistently standard schedules (14%) than families without children (21%). Concern about how school-aged kids are faring during the hours after school has become so severe that it's earned its own acronym in recent years: parents' after school stress (PASS). A 2006 study concluded that parental after school stress affects the psychological health of a large number of employed parents of school-aged children.

Are we having fun yet?

Parenting is stressful for dads. A 2006 survey conducted by the American Psychological Association found that 43 percent of fathers feel overwhelmed by the demands they are shouldering at work and at home.

Parenting is also stressful for moms -- and not for the reasons media stereotypes would have you believe. (It's not about the carpools.) A 2006 American Psychological Association survey found that stress is higher for the parent who makes the health care decisions for other family members, including children, and women disproportionately serve that role for their families (73 percent versus 40 percent of men). This also explains why stress levels soar even higher for mothers (and fathers) of children who have special needs.

Being a kid is stressful, too. What stresses kids out may be different from what stresses us out, but they need to know that we care about what's going on in their lives and that we'll help them with their problems, large or small. Having that kind of caring connection to at least one adult means everything to a child; and determines to what extent that child thrives in the world.

Related Resources:

• Canadian Mental Health Association Stress Test: Just how stressed are you? Find out by completing this online quiz.
• Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention Centre of British Columbia: Tips on coping with stress.
• MayoClinic.com: Relaxation techniques: Learn ways to reduce your stress
• Health is Cool: Back to School Stress brochure: Available for Download (pdf).

From Airbrushed Photos to Motherhood Realities to a Quiet Fish

NEWSWIRE

A roundup of essays, opinion pieces, and/or noteworthy news items about all things parenting.

PICTURE TOO PERFECT

"When writers take a news item or real event and considerably embellish it, they are required to alert readers by calling the work fiction, a novel or a story based on dramatized facts. Why should it be any different for photographs?"
- French Parliamentarian Valérie Boyer, quoted in France Considers Warning Labels for Airbrushed Photos, Time, October 5, 2009

"Cosmetic surgery rates are rising dramatically as are the numbers suffering from eating disorders. We need to bring some honesty into advertising."
- British MP Jo Swinson quoted in Lib Dems Call for Ban on Airbrushed Photos, guardian.co.uk, September 19, 2009

PARENTING GRAPEVINE

A roundup of parent wisdom via parent blogs and/or Twitter.

ANGER

"I haven’t been blogging lately because I’ve been angry," Tatiana writes in her blog Was It A Very Good Year. Then she goes on to explain why. The result is a powerful post about motherhood, womanhood, and wanting more from a world that too often disappoints.

BEDREST

"What started as a very cutting edge pregnancy -- all those high-tech fertility interventions! -- has ended up an anachronism," writes Deborah Siegel (formerly Girl w/ Pen, now Mama w/ Pen). "I now understand, in a very personal way, why pregnancy was once called 'confinement,' or 'lying in.' Hospitalized for early contractions at 30 weeks, I’ve spent the past 3.5 flat on my side.... "

RELATIONSHIPS

"I'm still coming down from the buzz I felt this past weekend," confesses Carly Cooper, Balance the Mother Load columnist at SweetMama.ca. "And it's not from the dessert wine I learned to love after my dinner. My husband Marc and I took a much needed mini-vacation. For the past six months, life got in our way. Work was demanding (spring and summer are Marc's busiest time), stress and overwhelm took over and as a result our relationship got off track. We knew things had to change."

WORK

Home-based business owner and mother Michele Dortch wonders, in her blog The Integrated Mother, if she should stick with the life she had created or go back to the traditional workforce. "I love my flexible, work-at-home lifestyle. But in the last year, there’s been a distant whisper that’s beckoning me to return to the “traditional” workforce. Whenever I hear it I think, “No way! I’ve been on my own since 2003. It’ll be impossible to go back to…that.”

ONE-QUESTION INTERVIEW

A one-question interview about something to do with parenting.

Today's interviewee: Andrea of A Peek Inside the Fishbowl -- a very popular Ottawa, Ontario, blogger (and blog).

ANN: I can't remember exactly when you launched your blog or how it got its name. All I know is that it was one of the first blogs I started reading -- and that I've never stopped reading it -- and you've never stopped writing it. Obviously, you're enjoying writing your blog as much as your readers enjoy reading it. I'm hoping you will answer this question for me: How has blogging made your life better as a parent and a writer?

ANDREA: My blog got its name from my business, quietfish, which comes from a line in a Dr.Seuss book called My Many Colored Days: “Green Days. Deep deep in the sea. Cool and quiet fish. That’s me.”

Blogging has had an immensely positive impact on my life. It’s opened up many new opportunities for me as a writer but it’s also my community. I’ve connected with other parents, challenged my creative brain, and gotten a boost when I needed one. I love to write.  I love being a parent. Combining the two has made me a happier person. Vive le blog!

PS -- Let me know what you think of the new/evolving blog format. As I noted in a recent post, I'll be rotating a variety of different departments in and out of the blog, to mix things up a bit and bring you more of what you want (according to the results of the recent reader survey). - Ann

The Mother of All Parenting Blogs: Watch for Big Changes Starting Thursday

The blog will be undergoing a makeover, starting this Thursday. Here are the new departments that I will be introducing to the blog. You won't find all of them each time I post. (That would make for a very lengthy post.) I'll be rotating these departments in and out of the blog, two or three at a time, to keep things fresh and interesting.

Newswire

A roundup of essays, opinion pieces, and noteworthy news stories about all thing parenting. I'm hoping my picks will prompt you to contribute some suggestions of your own.

Resource Swap

The best places to gather info on the hot topic or issue of the day. If you've got resources to share, link up via your blog or have your say via the comments section below the post. More brains: better resources.

Parenting Lab

Short items summarizing noteworthy research from the world of parenting.

The Art of Parenting

Art (literature, visual art, film, theatre, etc.) that addresses some aspect of parenting or family life.

Parenting Grapevine

Tap into the online world of parent wisdom via my roundup of highlights from parent blogs and Twitter.

One Question Interview

Pretty self-explanatory. A one-question interview about something to do with parenting. What will keep this feature fresh and interesting is that you'll never know who will be answering the question. (Expect the unexpected.)

What Early Childhood Educators Have to Say About the Move to Full-Day Kindergarten: A Three-Part Series

After reading Kristen Rushowy's article last week and discovering how close the Ontario government is to making its final decisions about full-day kindergarten, I felt that we needed to hear more from early childhood educators. (We've heard a lot from the teachers and the politicians and policy-makers, but I don't think we've head as much from the early childhood educators about the role they hope to play in the early learning classroom of the future, circa September 2010.)

The result is this three-part series of blog posts:

• Part I: An interview with Julia Lipman of the Association of Early Childhood Educators of Ontario (AECEO) about what early childhood educators bring to the table - and why they deserve to be treated as full partners in our kids’ education.
• Part II: An interview with early childhood education professor Pat Dickinson about the traditional power imbalance between certified teachers and early childhood educators, and how the McGuinty government has the opportunity to right this wrong.
• Part III: The correspondence file: What others who are passionate about early learning are saying about the role that early childhood educators should play.

First up: Part I.

The Correspondence File: Letters About Early Childhood Educators, Teachers, and Early Learning in Ontario (Part III)

Part III in a three-part series about the move to full-time kindergarten in Ontario. Part I featured an interview with Julia Lipman of the Association of Early Childhood Educators of Ontario. Part II featured my interview with Pat Dickinson, program director for the Bachelor of Early Childhood Studies, Charles Sturt University (Ontario).

The following letters highlight the strengths of early childhood educators and/or urge the government to proceed with full-day kindergarten programs with early childhood educators and teachers working as equal partners.

ECEs HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT IN COMMUNICATING WITH PARENTS AND CHILDREN

My experience with ECE’s is through the Best Start Hubs. I have been able to recognize that ECEs have a special talent of communicating with parents and children. If an ECE has a concern about a child and they bring it up to a parent,  a parent is more apt to act. A parent feels less threatened by an ECE than a teacher.  ECE’s have more experience with children having behavioural or health issues. I believe that the ECE’s would be a definite asset in bridging the gap between parents and the health of children. ECE’s seem to be better trained in dealing with and understanding children. They also have more time to focus on the children and their difficulties than on the work that must be accomplished by the teachers’ mandate.
 
Sheri Johnson Purdon
Community Mental Health Worker - Postpartum Depression
Canadian Mental Health Association - Sudbury/Manitoulin Branch


WHY IS THE GOVERNMENT BENDING TO PRESSURE FROM TEACHERS?

As an early childhood educator and Professor of Early Childhood Education at our college, I feel that the qualifications and general opinion of ECE teachers are not taken seriously and are still considered "babysitters".

As a Professor of Early Childhood Education, I can tell you that the ECE teachers have a 2 year concentration in child development and are very capable of teaching in a Kindergarten setting. Do the primary teachers have the same education necessary for this age group? ECE teachers also belong to the College of ECEs.

Why is the government bending to pressure from the teachers when the study clearly states that the children/program would benefit from a blend of primary teachers and early childhood educators? Would you not want to put the best combination of teachers together for the benefits of the children/program? A good boss/team leader puts the best people in the positions for maximum benefit. Do you want teachers who are not educated in child development to plan a program for the children? ECE teachers know how to do this and are taught by very qualified professors.

It is time to listen to the ECE teachers and to give them the recognition they deserve.

Judy Rose, R.E.C.E.
Director
A Child's Secret Garden Daycare Inc.and
Professor of Early Childhood Education
St. Lawrence College
Cornwall, Ontario


ABOUT TURF PROTECTION

To me this issue is about protectionism/turf protection, and the union exerting pressure to protect what they believe is an opportunity for new jobs. Meanwhile, I believe that relationships could be damaged and there needs to be a big push on the ECE side. (College/university ECE teachers need to advocate for the way the system can work.)

Beth Anne Currie
works with many early childhood educators and has provided workshops, training, and support to early childhood educators over the past 5 years

RESENT INCREASED COST TO TAXPAYERS WHEN ECES HAVE EXPERTISE

Hello Ann,
I am the Nipissing Best Start coordinator.
Here is a copy of the letter I sent to [my] MPP when I saw this article.
Karen Cobb
 

Monique Smith,
Member of Provincial Parliament

Dear Monique:
Today’s article in the Toronto Star regarding the favouring of implementation of full-day learning for four year olds by certified elementary teachers deeply concerns me and I wanted to take a minute to express my views from the perspective of a parent, a teacher and now the Nipissing Best Start Coordinator.
 
It has been my very great pleasure to work with many community partners including teachers and early educators in the child care system during my time as Nipissing Best Start Coordinator. From that perspective and from the perspective of a working parent whose children did not have the advantage of an early learning system and who entered school at the SK level for half days, I am disheartened that the expertise of early educators who have been entrusted with the early learning and care of our children for many many years is now being diminished under pressure from teachers who feel that their expertise should supersede that of early educators. Each educator brings to the child very specialized skills that together enrich the early learning environment for the child who may be as young as three years eight months.
 
There are many examples of early learning environments in schools now where the responsibility for the child and his or her early learning is shared extremely effectively by JK teachers and Early Childhood Educators including one in our own area at EW Norman Public School which I invite you to visit at your earliest convenience. During the past year responsibilities for curriculum, care, parent contact, referrals and many other classroom teaching strategies are planned and handled cooperatively and effectively. Together with the parent, the children’s optimal development is supported holistically and together with our specialized community partners extra help is provided as required.
 
As a taxpayer I resent the anticipated increased cost to taxpayers. These dollars would be better used to support children with identified needs where early educators and teachers are being highly challenged to provide the extra contact, intervention and reporting that may be required. Yes, many schools have been providing full day early learning for some time but this was a decision made by school boards at a time when other more cost effective options were not available.
 
Dr. Pascal’s report is well researched and suggests a model that will meet the needs of all families and children effectively and this should be implemented using the cost effective strategies described in the plan and that certainly do not compromise the education of our children.
 
I would welcome the opportunity to arrange a visit for you to EW Norman Public School where you can witness for yourself how well the model proposed by Dr. Pascal can work and at which time we can discuss this in more depth with the educators at that school location. You will then be able to provide extensive and accurate feedback to Premier McGuinty about a very successful shared teaching arrangement right here in North Bay.
 
I look forward to sharing a few moments with you about this topic at this year’s Let the Learning Begin Family Conference.
 
Sincerely,
Karen E. Cobb
 
P.S. The content of this email is the opinion of the writer only.
 


SUCCESS REPORT FROM ONTARIO'S LARGEST FRANCOPHONE DAYCARE PROVIDER

Hello,

The Centre de ressources familiales de l'Estrie is proud to inform you that
we are the largest francophone daycare provider in Ontario.

We would like to share with the public the we have established and
maintained successful partnerships with the two school boards in our region.
We are proud to collaborate with them in offering the full day learning
program.

Our qualified early childhood educators and the teaching staff have worked
in collaboration since 2000, to offer the best possible program for the
children and their families. We continue to build ont that success. Parents
are elated with this approach.

On day one the child attends class with the teacher and on day two he
attends class with the educator. Both staff complement each other in the
common goal to help the child attain his or hers developmental milestones.

Each professional has their own defined role: the teacher works with the
ministry's curriculum and the educator teaches through play-based activities.

The model that we have implemented in the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry
region is proof that a partnership between the two professionals can be
successful and rewarding for all involved.

Thank you,

Manon Tailleur
Directrice générale- Executive director
Centre de ressources familiales de l'Estrie
1500 boulevard Holy Cross
Cornwall, Ontario
K6H 2X1

Le CRFE est fier d'être le plus gros pourvoyeur des services de garde
francophones en Ontario.

Finally, this blog post contains another correspondent's views:

Ontario's McGuinty Urged to 'Do The Right Thing' for Ontario's Children

ECEs Eager to Work in True Collaboration with Teachers: Early Childhood Educator (Part II)

Part II in a series examining the changes to early learning in Ontario from the perspective of early childhood educators (ECEs). Part I featured an interview with Julia Lipman of the Association of Early Childhood Educators of Ontario. Part III will allow others who are passionate about early learning to have their say as well.

In part II in this series, Pat Dickinson, program director for the Bachelor of Early Childhood Studies, Charles Sturt University (Ontario), shares her views on the future of early learning in Ontario. Her responses focus on the power imbalance between certified teachers and early childhood educators and the fact that the McGuinty government has an opportunity to resolve this long-standing power imbalance.

What would ECEs consider to be the ideal staffing arrangement for full-day kindergarten?
 
PAT DICKINSON: I think ECEs would accept any staffing arrangement that reflects a true partnership between themselves and the kindergarten teachers.  The recommendations in the Pascal report [a.k.a. Early Learning Advisor's report] were a big step in helping to resolve the power imbalance between certified teachers and early childhood educators which is a pervasive international issue in this field.
 
What do ECEs want parents to know about the strengths/capabilities of early childhood educators?
 
PAT DICKINSON: Early Childhood Educators have had two years or more of intensive education and practice working with children in this age group and have earned a diploma or a degree that is an indication they have demonstrated competence in this regard. They have entered this profession because of the satisfaction they receive from interacting with children and parents on a daily basis, as opposed to other rewards such as financial remuneration or status.

"In order for the profession to continue to attract Early Childhood Educators
and to help them better meet your needs and those of your children,
they need to be given professional recognition and status for the specialized education
they have received and the competence that they demonstrate on a regular basis."

What do ECEs want to say to parents as the Ontario government is set to make really key decisions about the future of education in this province?

PAT DICKINSON: In order for the profession to continue to attract Early Childhood Educators and to help them better meet your needs and those of your children, they need to be given professional recognition and status for the specialized education they have receive and the competence that they demonstrate on a regular basis.
 
Have ECEs and teachers traditionally functioned as allies/partners? Do you think a misstep by the Ontario government has the potential to damage relations between members of the two professions? What would be your advice to the people who making these decisions?
 
PAT DICKINSON: There has always been tension between these two groups because they both feel that they have rights and responsibilities in relationship to this age group of children. It is hard to enter into true partnerships unless there is a recognition of equal status, or at the very least, the respective strengths of both groups.

It is critical that the issue of staffing of full day early learning programs take these tensions and imbalances into account when making decisions for the future.  Early Childhood Educators are eager to create partnerships that will better meet the needs of children and families, and would welcome working in a true collaboration with Kindergarten teachers.
 
Do you think ECEs’ knowledge of the very early years and the holistic approach they take to understanding the needs of the entire family would serve them well in the kindergarten setting?
 
PAT DICKINSON: I have taught four and five year olds in both kindergarten and preschool settings and I have worked with early childhood educators and kindergarten teachers throughout my professional career. I have met exceptional early childhood educators and exceptional kindergarten teachers, but I have long advocated for the need for more specialized education for kindergarten teachers that is consistent with the type of education provided to early childhood educators. I know from working in both faculties of education and colleges of early childhood education that teachers receive very little specialized education in how to best support the growth and learning of four and five year olds.   

We've Heard from Teachers, Politicians: Now Let's Hear from Early Childhood Educators (Part I)

We’ve heard from the teachers. And we’ve heard from the policy-makers and the politicians. But how early childhood educators (ECEs) feel about the changes that are being made to early learning isn't being heard quite as often or as loudly.

After reading Kristen Rushowy's article last week and discovering how close the Ontario government is to making its final decisions about full-day kindergarten, I felt that parents really needed to hear what early childhood educators have to say about the role they hope to play as the province acts on the recommendations of the Early Learning Advisor (the so-called Pascal Report). This three-part series is the result.

PART I: INTERVIEW with JULIA LIPMAN, AECEO

Julia Lipman, Communications and Marketing Manager for the Association of Early Childhood Educators of Ontario (AECEO), responded to a series of questions I posed about the future of early learning in Ontario. Her answers focus on the professionalism of early childhood educators; the specialized training they have received in dealing with young children; and the long-established tradition ECEs have in working in partnership with teachers.

What do ECEs want parents to know about the strengths and capabilities of early childhood educators?

JULIA LIPMAN: In addition to their commitment to parental engagement and play-based learning, registered early childhood educators work in a regulated profession. Early Childhood Educators, under the newly legislated Early Childhood Educators Act (2007), must be registered members of the College of Early Childhood Educators to use the professional title of Early Childhood Educator or Registered Early Childhood Educator. Members of the College are held accountable to a complaints and disciplinary process and standards of practice. Under the Act, registered early childhood educators have a mandated scope of practice to plan and deliver “inclusive play-based learning and care programs for children in order to promote the well-being and holistic development of children.”

Have ECEs and teachers traditionally functioned as allies/partners? Do you think a misstep by the Ontario government has the potential to damage relations between members of the two professions? What would be your advice to the people who making these decisions?

"The two professionals ultimately have a shared interest in
what is best for children, and registered early childhood educators
embrace the potential to serve children and families through
an equal partnership with certified teachers in a
full-day early learning environment."

JULIA LIPMAN: There are many examples across the province of learning environments in which registered early childhood educators and certified teachers work together in equal partnerships for the benefit of children and families. These programs result in happy learners and families, but have also produced very positive and professionally fulfilling relationships between registered early childhood educators and teachers. The two professionals ultimately have a shared interest in what is best for children, and registered early childhood educators embrace the potential to serve children and families through an equal partnership with certified teachers in a full-day early learning environment. The AECEO strongly urges the Ontario government to respect the research and expertise of the Early Learning Advisor’s report by implementing the vision of a blended team approach.

What do ECEs want to say to parents as the Ontario government is set to make really key decisions about the future of education in this province?

JULIA LIPMAN: Ontario’s families are diverse in many ways, and their needs are individual. The new early learning and care system outlined in the Early Learning Advisor’s report would support children and families with a continuum of learning and one-stop resources including health and nutritional guidance, developmental assessment and support resources, community connections and parental engagement strategies. These services would be widely available and open to all those involved in the care of young children, not just to families who utilize full-day learning programs for four and five-year-olds.

The time has come to take a fragmented system of valuable programs and resources and turn it into a cohesive system that works for Ontario’s families. In order to do that, the Early Learning Advisor’s Report must be implemented in its entirety. This is an interdependent systems approach. If the Ontario government follows through on this plan, our province will become an example of innovations in early learning and care on the world stage.