They want to have babies. They don't realize what it's like until it's too late. They can't finish school because they have a baby. Having babies young and unwed is accepted in the culture of poverty, where generations of women have done the same, Gardner says. Educators say young mothers in poverty, usually single, can't give their children the time or attention needed for them to grow up literate and aware of a larger world.
Children come to school with little exposure to print, sounds, and words.
Teachers give parents tips on how to help their young children learn more in their first years of life. Esther Richardson is parenting coordinator in the Marion 3 School District. At 60, she travels around the county helping families rear children and come to school better prepared. Some parents don't know how to play with the child. Beyond that, because of their own lack of education, they don't understand the value of parenting.