My article in The Times-Tribune, “Become a Captain4Kids,” had several positive comments. As many of you know, my husband Jeff and I have always been advocates for kids... even before our hair turned to grey and before we had an empty nest.

We believe in the positives of bridging the generations and early intervention. We have seen the results in our own families, with many of our children being in the “gifted and talented” programs in elementary school.

We also believe it takes a village to raise a child, as has been proven by the endeavors of Optimist Clubs around the world and by what I saw in my pre-kindergarten classes in the 1970s, before kindergarten was incorporated into the Kentucky school system.

The pre-school children were thirsty for knowledge and were very interactive with the volunteer seniors who worked with them. The grandmother and grandfather figure has much expertise to offer a young child, and the young child is fascinated with them.

Children are pliable and impressionable, and they absorb something from everything they see and hear. That is why Jeff and I were careful what our children watched on television and the conversations they were allowed to hear.

Our young children (and there were six of them) watched limited early educational programs from the time they were six months old. They could read by age four and could count and build unique structures from building blocks. There were no electronics in their lives... at our discretion. And I’m sure I have mentioned the 14 grandchildren... and now six great-grandchildren.

We spent a lot of time hiking with them in the woods and teaching them about the wonders of nature. As their eyes grew brighter and their curiosity was aroused, they were full of questions about the butterflies, fireflies, birds and other wildlife that we called God’s handiwork.

They enjoyed playing in the creek and seeing the minnows and crawdads skittering here and there. They were fascinated by the tree frogs and the bullfrogs, as well as, the Canadian geese and wood ducks with their babies on the ponds.

Young children want to know about the moon and stars and all the wonders of the universe. My eldest son used to walk down the lane as a two-year-old, reaching for the moon and wanting Mommie to get it down for him. He always wanted to wish upon a twinkling star every night before he said his prayers.

Our new president contends that education begins in the cradle and can lead the child into a lifelong career. He credits pre-school as being the pillar of educational reform and he stresses that new federal dollars will go to states with quality programs. My husband and I certainly agree with him on that point. He credits his early childhood experiences with bringing him to the White House. He calls it the “cradle to career” philosophy.

We hope the president’s positive personality and strong public confidence will cause Kentuckians to realize that early childhood education is the key to a successful career. We must put aside partisanship and be on the same team, moving forward with new educational policies. We need to work together as Seniors4Kids to improve education across this commonwealth.

Family and community play a large role in preparing a child for elementary school. It behooves us to plead with parents to turn off the television and get children involved in learning about their surroundings.

We need to begin the educational process early so our students may become more globally competitive. We need to move away from antiquated ideas in education in order to benefit the future of our children... and begin in the formative years... when the benefits are optimal! Let’s all work together.

Similarly, Generations United’s Seniors4Kids program works to make sure that every three- and four-year-old child in Kentucky can access lifelong lessons in high-quality pre-K programs. With First Lady Jane Beshear and all former first ladies serving as honorary co-chairs, Generations United first launched Seniors4Kids in Kentucky with the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence in June 2008. Seniors4Kids demonstrates the important role adults can play in supporting children and building a bridge.

Write letters to the editors, visit legislators and write editorials. Participate! Veterans, too! If you are willing to join Seniors4Kids, please call Mary S. Musgrave, Kentucky State coordinator, at 859-294-0415, or Willi Walker, Kentucky Chair of Captains for Kids, at 859-623-2475. They will appreciate just an hour of your time....and more... if you have it to spare.

Shirley Caudill of London is a former newspaper editor/publisher and longtime freelance columnist. She is a Nashville native who has lived in Kentucky 40 years. She is married to a retired Army First Sergeant. She can be reached at

shirleycaudill@windstream.net