The process of money management should be taught as soon as the child becomes aware of money, usually as early as ages 3 or 4. At this level, teaching may be in the form of explaining the difference between the value of a nickel and a dime. Money management training often begins with the allocation of an allowance. Parents are advised not to link…

The article examines reasons to send young children to preschool or keep them home, discussing populations that are unable to send their children at all. It notes characteristics of a good preschool, lists things to look for, and suggests selection criteria. (SM)

There has recently been an explosion of interest and writing about autism, autism spectrum disorders, pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDDNOS). This issue of the "Early Childhood Bulletin" suggests readings for parents, therapists, and professionals serving on Interagency…

The guide to evaluating children's books for "handicapism" (the attitudes, stereotypes, and discrimination by society against people with disabilities) offers specific guidelines, reviews 25 children's books, and discusses handicapism in fairy tales. Readers are encouraged to evaluate books by asking 14 questions such as: (1) Are the…

This editorial describes the role of early intervention programs in helping children with disabilities, focusing on parents' and infants' needs, the Family Service Plan, and the role of case managers. The editorial cautions that: early intervention's effectiveness is unproven, early is not always better, and more is not always better. (JDD)

Aspects of the spoken language development of the preschool and primary school child are briefly covered, with specific attention given to receptive and expressive language, semantics, syntax, memory, articulation, pragmatics, and metalanguage. Developmental norms are indicated in the areas of vocabulary development, sentence structure…

This collection of brief reports on educational matters of interest to parents contains the most popular titles in the Report to Parents series issued by the National Association of Elementary School Principals as a service to its members. Reports cover the following topics: (1) buying books for children; (2) dealing with child abuse; (3) helping…

The National PTA President writes about the PTA's desire for parents to cherish their children, noting the importance of the early years in developing emotionally and physically strong children. The article introduces the National PTA book, "Growing Up Confident," which presents practical ideas on good parenting. (SM)

Preschool children experience literature early on through nursery rhymes, being read to, and tales told by parents and grandparents. This introduction to the literature of a child's culture, family, and times should be a most comfortable experience. On reaching school, however, the child will find that the demands of pedagogy become insistent over…

A more effective partnership for the advocacy of integrated educational options can be formed when parents and professionals work in concert. Eleven strategies for securing integrated options are offered, including working with the media, working within other advocacy organizations, influencing others in the school system, and consulting with…

Proposes a precrisis curriculum for nursery and elementary schools to prepare healthy young children for hospitalization as an alternative to current preadmission preparation programs. Key elements include such stress-immunization techniques as systematic desensitization, modeling, and rehearsal. (AS)

An electric preschool is a classroom or center for children 3 to 5 years of age in which the curriculum with its supportive activities, materials, and equipment depends more on technology that is powered by electricity than on manually operated objects. Certainly, preschoolers need stimulating and safe environments managed by adults who allow them…

Advocating preschool children's introduction to microcomputers, this document describes the advantages of computer learning for the child, academic skills that can be taught, results of an experiment that field tested microcomputers in a nursery school, and guidelines for parents to use when selecting software for their children. An introductory…

What can parents do to guide pupils to achieve well in reading? Parents may look at and discuss picture books with their preschool and kindergarten age children, without pressing them to read. School or public libraries are good sources of free reading materials. Parents must take ample time to read for themselves at home, thus modelling enjoyment…

This book contains a series of essays in education intended for those who teach or plan to teach, and for parents of children in schools. The book argues that educators need to focus on the seminal thinking which developed in the 1940s and 1950s and utilize the insights developed then to focus on critical areas that the teaching profession faces…