Information and Helps
 for McNairy County Pre-K Parents

In conjunction with Imagination Library of Tennessee, which supplies books to the homes of children from birth until age five, McNairy County's local chapter can be reached here:

McNairy County Imagination Library
Books from Birth
P.O. Box 391
Selmer, TN 38375
731-645-5383

Please realize that the tips below are developed for McNairy County schools, the entire system, and that some may not be as relevant as others for Pre-K children. 

Ten Benefits of a Quality Preschool Program*

1.  Higher IQ at school entry

2.  Decreased referrals for special education

3.  Decreased grade repetition

4.  Increased scores on standardized tests

5.  Increased completion of higher education

6.  Less juvenile delinquency

7.  Less teenage pregnancy

8.  Fewer criminal arrests and drug usage

9.  Increased economic and socio-economic status of mother

10.  Less welfare assistance/increased economic well-being
(more likely to own a home and even a 2nd car)

*as determined in longitudinal research studies by Fuerst & Fuerst, 1993; Gotts, 1989, Schweinhard et al, 1993; Ramey and Ramey, 1999

If I Had My Child To Raise Over Again

If I had my child to raise all over again,
I'd fingerpaint more and point the finger less.
I'd do less correcting, and more connecting.
I'd take my eyes off my watch and watch with my eyes.
I would care to know less and know to care more.
I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.
I'd stop playing serious and seriously play.
I'd run through more fields and gaze at more stars.
I'd do more hugging and less tugging.
I would be firm less often and affirm much more.
I'd build self-esteem first and the house later.
I'd teach less about the love of power
and more about the power of love.

--Diane Loomans

Please also see Links for Pre-K for many great sites for parents to use to help their children in many ways.

"If there is anything that we wish to change in the child, we should first examine it and see whether it is is not something that could better be changed in ourselves."  --Carl Jung