HIPPY KIDS
Mum knows scheme from all sides
Home Interaction Programme for Parents and Youngsters forms the acronym HIPPY, a programme supporting parents in teaching their own children skills in their own home.
One who knows the programme as a tutor and as a “student” is Frances Gardiner, mother of four, with children aged 7, 5, 2 and 10 months.
She knew about HIPPY years ago in Auckland when her sisters took part in the programme.
“I grew up in Otara, but all my family is from up the Whanganui River Road,” she says. “We moved to Whanganui in 1999.”
Frances explained how HIPPY works.
“If you’re a parent and you’ve enrolled your child on to the programme, a tutor comes to your home and delivers a work booklet. This booklet contains activities that you will do with your child from Monday to Friday.”
Role play between parent and tutor is part of the learning process, and during those visits the roles are alternated.
“It’s your chance as a parent to run through the situations that you encounter with your child and for the tutor to demonstrate the HIPPY way of doing things. It’s all about positive reinforcement of your child’s learning — there’s no ‘No’ in HIPPY.”
Frances was a tutor from 2014 to 2015. She saw a HIPPY display stand at a park party, knew what it was about so put her name down to join the programme. The co-ordinator asked her if she would like a job so she went straight to being a tutor before experiencing the parents’ perspective.
“I really jumped in the deep end. We went down to Wellington for training. It was predominantly ladies although it’s not exclusively for mums; it was very empowering. I went in like a sponge, soaked it all up and really enjoyed it. Then came back and got into delivering the programme.”
A first year tutor gets to visit up to 14 families, rising to 18 for the second year. A tutorship lasts for just two years.
When Frances was tutoring she was also using the programme with her son. Under normal circumstances, parents get to use the programme for one child, but because Frances has had dual roles, she was able later to enrol as a parent and receive the programme.
“As a mum it helps me identify aspects of learning my child may need more help with, and also it’s really reflective for me as a parent, being that HIPPY is so positive, it gets me to take a step back and realise what some of my weaknesses are. The three ‘C’s of HIPPY are Complete, Confirm and Correct. When you do an activity with your child you do those three things; if they answer right you confirm it, if they answer half right, you complete it or, if not, you correct it.”
Frances has been pleased with the results of the programme, preparing her children for school so they already have a grasp of literacy and numeracy.
HIPPY is not exclusive; it happens alongside any other early childhood education like kindergarten kohanga reo or anything similar.
“It’s just 15 minutes a day, Monday to Friday, and it’s also bonding time for you and your child. I recommend it to any parent. Get in touch with Shelley, check out the HIPPY page on Facebook and make some inquiries. It’s great for you as a parent to see how your child learns, as well as giving your child a head start on the things that are inevitable when they get to school.
“It’s cool you have tutors that you can discuss maybe some of the struggles you’re having. They come up with some good strategies, you bang them out together. When I was a tutor that was one of the most rewarding parts.”
Part of the programme includes “Hui Week” where families gather at HIPPY headquarters.
HIPPY is for parents with a child aged between 31⁄2 and school age. To enrol or find out if you are eligible contact HIPPY Whanganui coordinator Shelley Davenport on (06) 347 6719, 027 268 0878 or email: hippywhanganui@xtra.co.nz