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True Partner in Readiness: Cami and Her Mom Discover the True Magic of SPARK
SPARK Parent Partner is a job title. But it’s also a description—of a true partner in readiness, for both the parent and the child.
Cami and her mom know this all too well. Their parent partner is right alongside them on their school readiness journey, encouraging and guiding—and offering lots of easy, practical strategies.
Cami’s mom has a really busy life. She’s trying to make sure Cami’s ready for school while also wrangling Cami’s younger brothers. She appreciates that the family’s parent partner helps her understand all of the things Cami needs to know and the skills she needs to develop, and she’s grateful that she’s learned so many fun and easy ways to keep Cami on track.
As Cami was learning to use scissors, she heard her parent partner’s voice guiding her: Open, close; open, close; and keep your
thumb to the sky. It was almost like a song. And it’s definitely something Cami can say to guide herself every time she practices.
She also told Cami’s mom how to keep the learning process fun and easy: have her cut pictures out of your junk mail, set a little time aside
each day, be patient, and keep practicing.
Cami’s mom really appreciates getting easy instructions that break down readiness into do-able steps that are easy to work into an ordinary day.
Cutting and writing both require hand and finger strength and coordination. The family’s parent partner had lots of easy suggestions: have
Cami use tweezers to pick up cotton balls, or fill a large zip-top bag with
shaving cream and have Cami write or trace her name with her finger.
Cami’s like a lot of SPARK kids: she could definitely use more practice with her math skills. The parent partner’s suggestion? Work counting right into dinnertime by asking who has the most peas on their plate, or simply make a point of using comparison words throughout the day: more or most,
bigger or smaller, short or tall. Is this toy bigger than that toy? Please
bring me the smaller spoon.
By making readiness as easy as an intentional conversation, parent partners help parents keep learning fun and engaging. And kids don’t even realize they’re learning!
There’s no school readiness skill that can’t be made easier when you have a parent partner by your side to guide you. That’s the true magic—and the secret—of SPARK.