home…but not alone

Are you home with children during the day holding down the fort? Are people that have stayed home with children during the day the only people that know what a challenging job it is? Babies and preschoolers in particular require constant attention to keep them safe and out of harm’s way, not to mention establishing rapport or a parent-child bond.

Here are some resources and ideas to check out to help fill your days with meaningful and entertaining activities.

Fortunately, Plano was developed with family activities in mind, and a park exists in nearly every neighborhood, plus elementary schools usually offer some good facilities for play. If you have toddlers, you may be frustrated with playground equipment that may be a little too high-wire daredevil for your comfort. Most local parks have slides and climbing equipment that is good for kids once they are aptly skilled in running, jumping and climbing without wobbling and tipping over. I did find that there is at least one park that is better equipped for toddlers: Enfield park, located on Legacy Drive near the Alma intersection.

Enfield park, I learned, was actually constructed to be handicapped-accessible. In the process, they accidentally made a park that is good for toddlers, as it has ramps and decks that are safer for little ones to explore (somewhat) independently from their caregiver/parent. A shaded area with picnic tables is adjacent to the playground, and there are some restrooms nearby at the ball fields, although they are a small hike from the playground.

There may be a little more driving involved to get to Enfield park, but sometimes it is worth a little extra drive to allow a little more freedom for your toddler, and a little less stress on you.

If you would like to explore more Plano parks, check out the Park Directory on their website, which offers a map for each of the city’s park facilities:

Some parks, such as Hoblitzelle and the park across Custer Rd. from Schimelpfenig Library, have small creeks that run through them. With adult accompaniment, these creeks can provide a very accessible mini-hike and commune with nature. Be careful about wading on the rocks as they can be very slippery and sometimes sharp-edged. Ideally, it is good to wade in the creek with old tennies or aqua shoes, or not at all! Don’t forget to watch for woods-hazards, such as poison ivy/oak or thorny vines.

In your repertoire of Plano parks, you must include the grand-daddy of all Plano parks, Bob Woodruff South. It is vast, and offers open green space for running, a pond with ducks and geese, walking/jogging path, large covered pavilion with picnic tables, outdoor grills, restrooms, short fishing pier, large playground and nearby woods for light exploration. It is the location for numerous public and private events all year round. It is a fun place to be on a beautiful weekend afternoon.

I’m not talking about serious angling here…I’m talking about putting a line in the water to see if anything bites…but that can be good learning experience when beginning to fish. After all, you may not want to drive out to a nice lake and get a boat just to find out that your children are hungry and want to go home.

I got good information (from a boy in the fishing equipment department of Wal-Mart) that a good place to fish is the Big Wheel park, located right off West Parker, north of Carpenter Middle School. The creek is a bit more substantial here, and there are also ducks, in case the fish aren’t biting. (Please watch out for the ducks when you are casting a hook in their vicinity)

We had the most fun honing casting skills at Bob Woodruff park, though, partly because the facilities there are so enjoyable, partly because others were nearby trying out their fishing rods or poles, and partly because I was successful in catching a catfish there. It returned to its catfish comrades as soon as we relieved it from the hook and the kids around finished ogling the prize. By the way, an expert kid catfisher there that day said that a ball of cheese and bread works best! We hooked the catfish with a small wedge of hot dog weenie. Catfish, apparently, are not connoisseurs of fine gourmet fishing lures. I have since learned that they don’t "see" the bait in the murky water, they "smell" it. (Catfish can smell?!?) So, bait that would otherwise be unappealing to humans is good stuff for the catfish. At least this makes catfishing good for learning to fish, as it doesn’t require elaborate tackle and specialized gear.

Plano offers "Catfish Corral" annually, which is set up to vastly increase the odds that a child will catch a fish. Jack Carter pool is stocked with catfish for one day and anglers of all ages are invited to register and come try their (greatly enhanced) luck. Don't worry, this event occurs during the months that Jack Carter pool is not open for swimming!!

Texas Parks and Wildlife has also been sponsoring statewide "Kidfish" events at various locations year-round. Check out this link for info and scheduled events:

My experience with Kidfish was at the Texas State Fair. It was completely free, and featured a man-made pool stocked with catfish. Each child chose a fishing pole, bait was provided and the child was set! At the Fair, I believe that each child had a 15-20 minute turn. This may have been due to the long lines of kids waiting their turn at the Fair. The other great thing about the Kidfish that we attended was that I could sign up for a free season pass to the Fish Hatchery in Athens, Tx. for each of my children. Soon after, we visited the Hatchery and enjoyed it.

"but keep the old…" It’s hard for me to not think of that Girl Scout Brownie song when I hear the phrase "make new friends", but I digress…

Yes, YOU at home with babies and preschoolers have organizations that you can participate in and actually meet others at home with little ones! Mostly they are moms staying at home with their children, but this does not exclude anyone else.

The Texas PTA has branches of their organization just for families of babies and preschoolers. These branches are today called "Early Childhood PTA" and you may have seen them listed in the back of publications such as Dallas Child or Dallas Family, with listings of monthly meeting locations and times. They are worth checking out. They offer planned gatherings and playgroups besides the general meetings and can be a way of finding other adults to talk to and children to play with your children. The best way to get something out of the ECPTA is to participate in the activities and/or the planning of the activities. If you just attend the meetings, you won’t be able to get to know people.

In Plano, the original ECPTA is the Plano ECPTA, but the great demand for this type of network has spawned at least two other chapters in Plano. The second chapter is Collin County/PISD ECPTA, and the newest one is Far North Dallas ECPTA, a.k.a. far west Plano. There are no geographical boundaries for ECPTA, so choose one that meets at a location/time that is best for you, but also has the best assortment of events and activities. Attend a meeting and check out the activities. Typically offered are: playgroups organized by child’s age and home location, holiday parties and field trips.

To get some information and insight on ECPTA, check out these links:

For ECPTA organizations, check out the Parent Resources section of the Dallas Child magazine, which lists all ECPTAs in the area and contacts.

Sometimes having a few hours one day a week to yourself can be the only time you truly have to do whatever you need to do without the heavy distractions of young children. That is not to be interpreted as meaning that parents/caregivers want to shirk their responsibilities. Any person staying at home with children knows that it is healthy for the adult to have breaks every now and then to be able to stay alert and patient. You may be fortunate to have a child that loves to take naps lasting a few hours every day. Others may have a very busy child that doesn’t rest until night-time!

Besides offering "home…but not alone" adults the opportunity to accomplish important tasks, it can be very rewarding for the child to have some play time with other children and learn some good social skills which can better prepare them for kindergarten. Social skills such as: paying attention, listening, showing respect for others, cooperation etc. Developing an enjoyment of books, fine motor skills and recognition of alphabet letters is all the better!

Preschool doesn’t necessarily mean learning foreign languages or COBOL programming. Everyone has different expectations of Moms Day Out or Preschool programs. Plano has many to offer, most having been established for a number of years. Besides recommendations from other parents, it is important to visit several places in person to see the facilities and get a feel for the people running the program in order to choose a program that you and your child will be happy with. Location seems to be an important factor in choosing a program, but it shouldn’t be the top factor. It is worth a little extra drive, if it is necessary, to be happy with your child’s program.

I had 6 years (with 3 children) of good experience with First United Methodist MDO and Preschool. It offered a warm, caring, competent staff. Most of the staff had been there for 5 years or more. They emphasize a developmental program and were one of the first programs in Plano to be accredited by the NAEYC. My children were all well prepared and ready for kindergarten when the time came to leave preschool.

NEWS FLASH! Custer Road United Methodist Church is beginning a preschool program. The director for the new preschool will be the same director that led the First United Methodist program for several years when my kids were there. Custer Road has brand new facilities and a proven director - great prospects!  Registration begins in February for the August 2001 school year.  Call Pat Lewis at 972-618-3450.

Some of the preschools and MDO programs that others have had good experience with in recent years are (listed in no particular order):

The above list is not an endorsement, just programs that fellow "home…but not alone" parents I knew had their children enrolled in with happy results.

There may be new programs that are available in Plano that I am not familiar with. Check them out…call them in advance to find out their fees and any other requirements and make time to visit your top 3 choices.

NOTE: many of the programs are very popular. It is best to check out the programs and make a choice by January, as registration for most programs runs between January and March for the upcoming school season. Some of the programs can be tough to get into because of popularity/limited enrollment. There is more than one good program, so don’t be heartbroken if your top choice isn’t available. Some very good programs are not filled right away and may be available during the school year.

Some ideas for your telephone query: openings available for your child’s age? - registration fee – monthly tuition – dates for program (same as PISD?) – prior toilet training required? – accredited by NAEYC? (see NAEYC info below) – number of years in business?

Ideas for your on-site visit: view daily lesson plan and schedule – field trips? – length of time teachers have been there – teacher/child classroom ratio (more is not always better) – discipline procedures – classroom supplies provided? – fee for supplies? – check out playground – trikes etc. available for outdoor playtime? – where do children spend playtime during inclement weather days? – look at all areas children will be during program – view classroom – check for toys, books, organization, safety, cleanliness.

Re: inclement weather – I was very happy that my children’s program had a carpeted indoor gym in which they could spend their playtime on bad weather days. Play vehicles and some indoor climbing toys were available in the gym as well.

What is NAEYC accreditation? Several years ago, it started as a means of evaluating providers of infant and preschool-age care for quality in programs and safety/appropriateness of their learning environment. It is administered by the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs, a division of the National Association for the Education of Young Children. For more information on NAEYC and accreditation, including lists of accredited programs in Plano, review this page of their website: