If you have head start programs in the area that you live in, I highly recommend that you use them. After all, the early head start program is really crucial for kids to succeed. Although it is not mandated, almost all parents want to send their children to preschool or some type of other program before kindergarten starts. This gives them advantages over kids who don't go. Their kids will learn to socialize at an earlier age, begin to develop a longer attention span, and in general learn all of the skills that they will need in school a bit earlier than everyone else does. Without federal head start programs, poor kids will not have this advantage. They will be at a permanent disadvantage over other children.
Unfortunately, in recent years federal head start programs have been slashed and cut. Although the head start program has had tremendous success, nevertheless conservatives wanted to gut it, as well as anything else that helps the poor. While they spend money on the war program, fund so-called “faith-based initiatives,” and give kickbacks to large corporate donors, they take away anything that the poor have in this country. In my opinion this is a shame. I can testify to the amount of good that head start programs do.
You see, when I was growing up my family was very poor. We did not have the advantages of early childhood development software, preschool programs, or anything else. My parents loved reading, and really wanted us to succeed. Unfortunately, they did not have the resources on their own. Head start programs really helped them out. It meant that, instead of going to daycare programs where we would not have learned anything, we were able to go to a preschool program where we really began to get an education. I can still remember the federal head start program, hard as it might be for you to believe. It really was a sensational program.
Instead of cutting back on head start programs, I think the government should be expanding them. They have been proven over and over to do great things for children. In fact, at the best head start programs can compete with the most expensive early childhood development programs. Why not make these advantages available to all children? All parents want their children to have the advantage of a good early education, so why not make sure that all children have this advantage?
|
