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Family education classes accepting participants The PACT program (Parents and Children Together) begins its 13th year of family education classes this fall with classes Sept. 13 through Nov. 20 at five community churches.  More than 4,000 parents and their children, ages 6 to 36 months, have benefited from this educational program since it began in Charleston County in 1992.  PACT, the only program of its kind in South Carolina, provides family support and education with a staff of qualified family educators and professional early childhood teachers.  Weekly classes of the 10-week session begin with fun, hands-on discovery activities that parents and children enjoy together.  “The delight that the children are having in this time spent with their parents is priceless,” said Polly Sosnowski, PACT facilitator. The parent-child activities are followed by a parent discussion of topics determined by the parents. Each group is led by a facilitator who holds a master’s or doctoral degree and is a parent herself.   “Suggestions from the other parents were invaluable,” said Jennifer Oates, a participant whose husband, Jim, is an MUSC rheumatologist. “I enjoyed the conversations with other parents, and we formed bonds in 15 minutes. PACT offers an arena where you can get a lot of good ideas and you never feel judged.” While the parents share ideas and suggestions, the children play together and are supervised by highly qualified early childhood educators. Many parents stated that PACT helped their children learn to deal successfully with the anxiety of separating from them for short periods of time.  Oates attended PACT to help her son with separation anxiety. Although she expected her son, Evan, to have difficulty separating from her, “he went in to the children’s class and never even looked back!”  Research during the last decade has shown that children need brain stimulation in the first three years of life for optimal learning and development to occur.  According to the Families and Work Institute, the impact of environmental factors on a young child’s brain development is dramatic and specific, not merely influencing general development, but actually affecting how the intricate circuitry of the human brain is “wired.”  There are periods of time when the brain is particularly efficient at specific types of learning.  In addition, warm and responsive care plays a vital role in the healthy development of children.  PACT offers parents the support and education needed to provide their children with positive emotional and intellectual experiences in the earliest years of life.  “PACT is unique, because it develops and strengthens the parent-child relationship and is accessible to all families who wish to attend,” said Lisa Potts,  PACT executive director. “PACT tuition is based on a sliding scale, and scholarships are available to all families who need them.” PACT classes are offered for parents and pre-toddlers, ages 6-15 months, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesdays,  at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Mount Pleasant.  Classes for parents and toddlers (ages 12-36 months) are offered from  9:30 to 11:30 a.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, in Charleston, North Charleston, and East Cooper locations.  For more information or to register for the fall session, call PACT at 769-5799.  Parents and Children Together PACT is a local, non-profit 501c (3) organization that has provided education and support to 3,500 parents and children since 1992. The mission of PACT is to strengthen families by enhancing the confidence, competence and knowledge of parents through learning opportunities for both parents and children. Modeled after Minnesota’s Early Childhood Family Education program, the nation’s oldest and largest family support program, PACT has a staff of five family educators and 10 early childhood teachers.        Friday, July 2, 2004 Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to petersnd@musc.edu or catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Community Press at 849-1778.