About the Author
After a 38-year career in education,
Celia A. Decker retired as a professor in
the Department of Family and Consumer
Sciences at Northwestern State University
of Louisiana. She taught courses in early
childhood education, child development,
and family relations. Dr. Decker was
coordinator of graduate studies in early
childhood education. Before her position
at Northwestern State University, she
taught college courses at East Texas State
University (now Texas A&M at Commerce)
and at the University of Arkansas at
Fayetteville. Dr. Decker also taught public
school kindergarten in Kansas City, Kansas.
In addition to writing this text,
Dr. Decker coauthors Parents and
Their Children with Verdene Ryder.
Dr. Decker has also published other books,
numerous chapters in books, and articles.
She presents papers at national and
state annual meetings of professional
associations, such as the National
Association for the Education of Young
Children, Southern Early Childhood
Association, Association for Childhood
Education International, National
Association of Early Childhood Teacher
Educators, and the Society for Research in
Child Development. She does extensive
consultant work for Head Start, Even
Start, and local school systems.
During her years of teaching,
Dr. Decker was named to Who’s Who in
Child Development Professionals,
Who’s Who in Personalities of the South,
Who’s Who in American Women, and
the World’s Who’s Who in Education. In
1994, she was selected as the Outstanding
Professor at Northwestern State University.
Reviewers
The author and publisher are grateful to the following
reviewers who provided valuable input to this edition.
Judith Solomon-Marks
Child Development Instructor
North Valley Occupational Center
Mission Hills, California
Denise Musick, CFCS
Family and Consumer Sciences Instructor
Southport High School
Indianapolis, Indiana
Amie Shea
Family and Consumer Sciences Instructor
Hazelwood Central High School
Florissant, Missouri
Child Development: Early Stages Through Age 12 10