The Early Childhood Alliance of Framingham has helped me in so many ways and I am grateful for knowing Jane Cohen and all of her staff.  While attending classes, my children learned to socialize more.  I was also able to participate in the ParentChild+ Home Program where my teacher, Erica Toochin, came to my house twice a week to help me engage with reading to my kids and to look at new ways to read a book and interact together with toys. The program staff was always there to listen and share resources as well as build my confidence as a person as well as a parent, cheering me on to finish school and sharing my artistic talents with the program.

Since knowing Jane Cohen, I have seen her go above and beyond to help families that she knows are in need of any help. She introduced my family to the Taly Foundation. This is a non-profit organization that helps families financially so these kids can attend preschool.  I would never have gotten the opportunity to have my kids go to preschool without the support of this program.

My children are very shy soft-spoken children and now they are open to new possibilities and experiences. They have more confidence in themselves and are able to interact with the kids in playgroup and now at preschool.  Thank you to the Early Childhood Alliance staff, Parent Child+ Home Program, the Taly Foundation, and Suburban Child.

Melissa, Mother of 5
CFCE Group and ParentChild+ Home Participant
Leadership Council Member

My son entered to the early childhood program when he was only 22 months old. I learned about the program through a neighbor, who was receiving the service and told me how this helped her with her son who had behavioral problem. I began to receive the service in my house, with the privilege of having a professional who speaks my first language (Portuguese) and thus make the sessions 100% enjoyable. My 3 year old son Benjamin loves the days he has a visit because he knows he will always have an educational toy, a new book or he will do a new arts project. Every visit to me as a mother is to see my son learning something new, becoming more interested in reading and always learning to create something new.

Participating in playgroups gives me the opportunity to integrate into the community, make friendships and share experiences with other mothers;  and at the same time prepare my son for Kindergarten. I feel blessed to be a part of this wonderful program. Thanks for the opportunity!

Benjamin's family
ParentChild+ Home Program

Attending ECAF playgroups is one of those reasons why my daughters have become happy and confident learners. They are always excited going there. Those groups help my girls to get ready for kindergarten since they are not in the daycare. Those also give them many opportunities to utilize Spoken English since ASL is their first language. Really nice seeing Jane and Sally/Brenda incorporate some ASL into playgroups. Appreciate it!

Stella
Mother of twins, Play, Learn, and Grow Together Groups

At the start of the year, I really wasn’t sure how much social interaction my daughter would get out of the online classes, but I think that having a small core group of consistent participants for both groups we attend has really been great for her. She knows all the other girls names and is excited to see them at the start of class. ECAF's online, and in person, programs pack a lot into the hour. The structure provided by the Let’s Go to Kindergarten curriculum helps us fill up our weeks outside of class as well. At least three other days per week we work on practicing writing the letter of the week, writing words and drawing pictures of objects starting with that letter, collecting objects, etc. Attending the class also gives my daughter news to share with the family, telling them at dinner about what things we have prepared for class or the story we heard that day, showing them her art projects, and sometimes repeating the experiments or projects with her older brother.
 
Sarah
Mother of 2 children - (age 4 and age 6 - Year 4 PLGT)
Play, Learn, and Grow Together (PLGT) 
 
El programa ha ayudado a que mi hija se enfoque más en las actividades. También ha ayudado a que siga indicaciones y reglas.
 
Teresa and Regina (age 4 - Year 2 PLGT)
Play, Learn, and Grow Together (PLGT) Parent and Child Group Participants 
Leadership Council Member
 
This program has helped us to figure out a structured way of engaging our child in educational activities. We can clearly notice the interest she has been building up in learning because of this program. My family enjoys the group activities very much. I truly appreciate all the efforts the teachers put for these little kids. Each and every activity is so different and yet so much fun and educational. I am glad we could be a part of this program. Thank you!
 
Nitesh, Swayam, and Nimesha (age 4 - Year 1 PLGT ) 
Play, Learn, and Grow Together Parent and Child Group Participants