Parents as the Ultimate Architects of Early Learning!

"The foundation of a fully productive and enabled human being occurs in the earliest days and weeks and months of life - that's biology," Dr. V.K Paul, Member, NITI Aayog , the apex public policy think tank of the Government of India, and a keynote speaker at our one-of-its-kind Early Childhood Education conference, Udaan 2023, said.?

"The brain growth in terms of the size reaches about 80% - 85% of what it should be by two years, and after that, in the next 4-5 years, it reaches the adult size," he added.

If children receive proper care and nutrition during these years, their foundation is well-built, leading to better mental and physical health later.

Parents are like the chief builders in their child's early learning journey. They have a huge impact even before their child starts school. Experts say the first 1,000 days are super important for a child's growth. And from that point, kids make a million brain connections every second until they're six!

In these years, parents become the most crucial resource for early childhood education because children spend the most time with their parents at home. Parents are primary caregivers and emotional anchors, providing essential care and nurturing. They contribute significantly to a child's language development, serve as role models for behavior and values, and offer individualized attention, encouragement, and motivation.

The Power of Early Learning

Parents also play a significant role in language development by talking, reading, and conversing with their children. They expose their children to new vocabulary and help them develop communication skills. This early interaction lays the groundwork for a child's cognitive development.

The Emotional Connection

Learning isn't just about facts and figures; it's about emotional engagement. When parents actively participate in their child's educational journey, they create a profound emotional connection. Moreover, when parents discuss their emotions or assist children in expressing themselves using uncomplicated words or signals, it aids children in effectively managing their feelings.

Learning Beyond the Classroom

Education doesn't stop when a child leaves school. It continues at home, during family dinners, bedtime stories, and weekend adventures. Parents can extend learning beyond the classroom, turning everyday experiences into teachable moments.

The Ultimate Lighthouse

Parents can provide individualized attention to their children's unique needs and interests. They are best at identifying their child's strengths, weaknesses, and areas where they may need additional support or stimulation. By actively engaging in their child's education, parents bridge the gap and provide them with a solid educational foundation.

Bridging the Gap for Low-Income Families

Access to quality preschools or educational resources is a far-fetched dream for many low-income families. Many parents lack the confidence to take charge of their limited exposure to formal education and schooling. Most families we serve consist of daily wage workers like farmers, construction workers, masons, and others in the informal industry. They do not have the time or resources to empower their child.

Our surveys in districts like Jodhpur, Chandrapur, and Nagpur, where we spoke to around 600 parents, also revealed stark disparities in how parents from different socioeconomic backgrounds interact with their children. In Jodhpur, the overarching theme from mothers' complaints was: "Don't have enough time after housework/fieldwork."

At Rocket Learning, we strive to close this inequity by creating contextualized content in local languages that is easy to understand for parents with limited to no education. The daily activities take less than 30 minutes and are an enjoyable experience for parents and children. The content we send touches on all domains of Early Childhood Development: physical, cognitive, language, socio-emotional, and adaptive.

Our approach helps parents become aware of the multifaceted nature of early childhood development, empowering them to play a central role in their child's education, regardless of their economic circumstances.

"I have seen massive growth in my child. My child is enjoying learning now: coloring, filling, and other activities, and we even get to learn a lot," Alka, mother of a five-year-old in Rocket Learning's cohort, said.

"I want this kind of play-based and tech-enabled training to be available to everyone so all children can fulfill their dreams."

Children in Rocket Learning's (RL) cohort have better language and pre-literacy skills: 90% in an RL cohort can describe a picture in sentences compared with only 77% in a non-RL cohort. Moreover, 61% of students in an RL cohort can complete complex patterns compared to only 39% in a non-RL cohort.?

Lastly, on average, a Rocket Learning child is in the top 30% of their class. These results are best amid EdTech solutions, especially at $1/user/year.

Empowering Parents at Rocket Learning

We firmly believe in the transformative power of parents in a child's education. We've seen firsthand how parents can spark a lifelong love for learning and prepare their children for success.

That's why we've developed our parent product, a comprehensive tool that empowers parents to participate in their child's education actively.

For more information on how parents can become active partners in their child's education, explore our Parent Product One-Pager .

Together, let's ignite a passion for learning that will last a lifetime.