Smart Start of Mecklenburg County and Read Charlotte are excited to announce a partnership around providing a free parenting curriculum, delivered via text message, to more families with children ages 0- 5 in Mecklenburg County.
Ready4K is a unique, evidence-based texting service designed to support growth and development of children. Families receive age-specific texts to their phones with tips and ideas for supporting their child’s development through everyday activities. Stanford University researchers found the Ready4K approach increased family involvement both at home and in school, resulting in learning gains of two to three months for preschool-aged children.
In the earliest years (0 – 3) Mecklenburg families receive Ready4K text messages with tips and ideas for supporting their child’s development through everyday activities. Enhancing these tips, this unique program also includes links to additional parenting resources from local organizations. In the early childhood programs (3 – 5) Ready4K messages are enhanced with links to literacy specific resources from Home Reading Helper to further build language and reading skills.
In a survey of families receiving Ready4K texts through Read Charlotte, 97% of respondents said that parents’ relationships with their children were stronger after doing Ready4K activities. An example text may be: “Tip: When you’re in the kitchen, hunt for the first letter of your child’s name on boxes and labels. Who can find it first? Can your child find all of the letters?”
“The texts are extremely helpful. They provide valuable information for the growth and development of my children. I am grateful for them all,” explained a family receiving the texts through Read Charlotte last year.
Adding to this, ALL families also receive a Community Support Stream which provides weekly information about Mecklenburg programs and services that support children and families.
To enroll in Ready4K, families of children ages 0- 5 years old in Mecklenburg County can text SSMC to 70138.
