Like every good celebration, this one came with cake.
This month mark’s the 10th Anniversary of the Ontario Early Years Program in Ontario.
This program is free of charge for families with children aged 0-6. It is funded by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services of the Province of Ontario.
This program was started in response to the work of the late Dr. Fraser Mustard who demonstrated through research just how important the early years are to the optimal development of a child.
On Oct. 15 the group held a birthday party at the Fergus Sportsplex.
Ontario Early Years Centre Wellington coordinator Kerry St. Laurent told those gathered “we’re calling it a happy birthday party.”
“Early Years is a fun place to be.” St. Laurent said she’d had the opportunity to be with Early Years since the beginning. “I’ve worked with a wonderful group of staff and volunteers.”
She then pointed out volunteer Gord Brown who has been with the community resource centre for over 12 years – before the Early Year program began.
“This is a wonderful community to have an Early Years Centre in because everyone is supporting their children.”
She added those first children who attended the program when they were between three and six, may now be in high school.
Ron MacKinnon, executive director of the community resource centre said “this week does mark the 10th anniversary of the Early Learning Years Program in the province of Ontario.”
“It was all started by the late Dr. Fraser Mustard.”
MacKinnon said Mustard did a lot of work with young children ages 0 to 6 and collected research around the world.
“What he found was that the ages of 0 to 6 “are for learning.”
“Learning doesn’t start when you go to school, it starts the day that you are born.”
He said children not only grow and develop, but they tend to start at the stage to create positive outcomes in the rest of their lives.
“As participants in the Ontario Learning Years Program you may be aware of these things,” she said.
He said human brains are different from other animals.
He used the example of a horse which can generally walk an hour after being born.
Human children on the other hand, generally take 12 months – or 8,000 to 9,000 hours to be able to do the same thing. “That is because the human brain needs to grow and develop. That is what the Ontario Early Years Program is all about and that is what parenting is all about.
MacKinnon then read a letter from Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott.
Arnott expressed his wish to take part, however the Legislation was in session on Monday, requiring his presence in Toronto. Arnott stressed “strong families build strong communities. He said the years from 0 to age six are the most important in a person’s life time. “You deserve enormous credit for the work you have done.”
