Resourcing Early Learners by Nichols Sue;Rowsell Jennifer;Nixon Helen;Rainbird Sophia;

Author:Nichols, Sue;Rowsell, Jennifer;Nixon, Helen;Rainbird, Sophia;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Group
Published: 2012-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

Parent Easy Guides (PEGS): Circulating Discourses on Parenting Practices

The most widely available resource provided by CYWHS is a set of A4 double-sided laminated cards on specific topics, collectively known as the Parent Easy Guides or colloquially as PEGS. The bringing together of the subject ‘parent’ with the verb ‘guide’ constitutes the relationship between the client and the service. It communicates that parenting is to be subject to influence and shaping by an authoritative agency. The adjective ‘easy’ is reassuring; it suggests that the advice being provided will not require high levels of education, a significant investment of time or putting into practice complicated techniques—all aspects that might be associated with other kinds of authoritative advice to parents.

These PEGS are written by Parenting SA under the umbrella of CYWHS and provide information for parents and professionals under a large number of topics from health to social to behavioral issues. The scope of topics provided by this health service constitutes it as the legitimate source of knowledge on every aspect of child reading and development. Specifically related to early learning are PEGs entitled ‘Learning to talk’ (PEG 33) and ‘Why stories are important’ (PEG 57).

The production of these PEGS grew out of the preparation of information for the parent helpline ‘so that the parent helpline had sheets of information that they could refer to and send out’ (Manager). The parent helpline is a telephone information service for parents in South Australia and provides information on issues such as health, behavior, nutrition, parenting, and parental support (Parenting and Child Health 2011, #647). The PEGS became a resource that could be adapted for use across a variety of services.

Beverly, mother of two, found the PEGS useful and had gathered a large collection over time:

I’ve used the service a lot and I like their pamphlets because it’s sort of big bold heading and it’s exactly the, you know, you go straight to the issue, whereas I guess with a book, yes, you’ve got to, you know, look through it to find what you want. I do like the brochures a lot I guess. They are straight to the point. They’re easy to find. All the information is there and it goes through stages of ages as well, so that’s always easy, whereas I guess the books probably focus on a certain period.

Figure 4.1 Collection of Parent Easy Guides owned by a parent informant (researcher photograph) (Parenting SA, various).

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