Winter 2016 Outcomes
- 20 graduates
- 25 Getting Ahead participants
Before Baby U:
- 40% of parents reported never reading to their child
- 60% reported reading less than 5 times per week
- 0% read to their child every day
- Average number of children’s books available in the home before Baby U: 8
After Baby U:
- 30% of parents reported reading to their kids at least 4 to 5 times per week
- 70% read to their children every day
- 0% reported never reading to their children
- the number of parents reading to their children daily increased by 70%
- average number of children’s books available in the home after: 44. This is a 430% increase.
Pre/Post Test Results
When asked to rate their Baby U experience on a scale of 1 to 10, all parents rated Baby U at 10.
Realistic Expectations: Inappropriate parental expectations of their children at different stages of development.
- Pre test average score: 4.41
- Post test average score: 5.11
Empathy: Parental lack of an empathetic awareness of their needs and their children’s needs.
- Pre test average score: 4.05
- Post test average score: 4.37
Belief in Corporal Punishment: A strong belief in the use of corporal punishment as the means of disciplining children.
- Pre test average score: 4.59
- Post test average score: 4.95
Reversal of Family Roles: Reversing parent-child roles: expecting children to meet the needs of the parents.
- Pre test average score: 4.59
- Post test average score: 6.16
Allowing power and independence: Oppressing children’s power and independence by demanding obedience to the parent’s variable set of rules.
- Pre test average score: 4.45
- Post test average score: 5.05
Parents’ comments. When asked to name 3 things they learned.
- “I started reading to my child. I learned the right way to talk to him. I learned to better understand him.
- “Don’t hit [a baby]. Redirect. Praise is the best teacher.”
- “How to discipline. How to talk to kids more so they learn more words.”
- “Reading more. Discipline. Talk to my kids and ask what happened.”
- “I listen more. I read more so my kids. I don’t get mad now. I understand.”
- “Being more patient. Learning how to deal with stress. I thought I knew it all but I didn’t. Thanks to the lass I’ve gotten more wisdom.”
- “Discipline, reading more, talking to my children at their level.”
- “Reading is most important. Sympathy, discipline.”
- “Awards for good behavior, reading more.”
- “More patience, speak more words to build their vocabulary, violence on TV affects their emotions.”
- “Stop saying bad words in front of kids. Kids are just like you. Kids are not the same.”
Getting Ahead Class:
- 25 started in September 2015
- 3 dropped out because they got jobs
- 4 to 5 did not come back after the first class
- average attendance was 18 per class
- still have 5 weeks to go
Getting Ahead Class national statistics - Within 6 months of completing the program:
- Employment outcomes increase by an average of 63%
- Family income increases by 84%
- Involvement in further education increases by 69%
- Social support increased by 84%