Dear Wilton Parents,

In spite of our continued winter weather, many of us are starting to feel the end of school ramp up that starts happening after April break. Given how hectic things get, be sure to mark your calendars now with the important events featured below - m ost immediately, tonights presentation on "Vaping." 
 
Our Free Play Matters Task Force has a phenomenal group of parents, school administrators and community organizations working to educate our community about the critical importance of free play and inspire the creation of more free play opportunities for Wilton children and teens. We will have Lenore Skenazy (author of Free Range Kids) in Wilton on Monday, April 30th. Don't miss this free, important, funny and possibly life-changing presentation. Last month we learned from Dr. Luthar how many of our kids experience anxiety and we wanted to know what we could do. This is an easy first step.
 
One of the Free Play Matters Task Force's other exciting initiatives is "Wilton's Big Block Party Weekend:  Building community one block at a time." These opportunities will not only provide our children and families with more free play, but will benefit our community as a whole. Please see below for all the details.
 
In closing, we are a volunteer-led non profit and it's that time of year when we organize our Board roles for next fall. Our Fundraising Committee Chair is moving out of state and now is the perfect time to shadow her so that we are ready to go in the fall. Please email me if you might be interested in joining our WYC Board at eliasvanessa5@gmail.com.

Best,
 
Vanessa H. Elias
President, Wilton Youth Council
   
students.jpg
OUR PROGRAMS

Parent Education

Community Events

PeerConnection at Middlebrook
PeerVention at Wilton High School
Youth to Youth (Y2Y) at Middlebrook
Warrior Council (formerly CODES) at Wilton High School
Class Projects (click here to find your class project)

Tonight!

  Email Melissa Barrett at  barrettm@wiltonps.org   with questions.

______________________________________________________________________


Next in WYC Parent Information Series....

Managing the Impact and Influence of
Digital Devices and Content:
FOLLOW UP DISCUSSION

Susan Bauerfeld, PhD, Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Chris Parrott, BPS Chartered Counseling Psychologist

Did you enjoy the presentation on March 20 but leave wanting more?  Have you  tried to make changes at home, and now you have new questions?

Susan Bauerfeld and Chris Parrott lead a follow up discussion appropriate for  parents with children of all ages.

Minimum of 25 registrants for program to run.

Tuesday, April 24, 2018
10:00-11:30 AM

Wilton Library, 137 Old Ridgefield Road, Wilton
Free; registration required - REGISTER HERE or call  203-762-6334

Flyer Here 

Sponsored by: Weston Library, Weston Youth Services, SPED*NET Wilton
Wilton Library, Wilton Youth Council, Wilton Youth Services


____________________________________________________________________

WYC Youth to Youth...

WYC's Youth 2 Youth at Middlebrook School's Youth 2 Youth student group is holding our
Third Annual
 
'Color  for  the  Council ' Color Run
to benefit the Wilton Youth Council on May 3rd at Middlebrook.  This fun Color Run is for the entire Middlebrook School community - staff, students and their families.

The Color Run is an untimed fun run featuring a designated course. Throughout the course participants will experience color splash zones where they will be doused in color. There will also be a final color toss celebration. 

May 3rd at Middlebrook
Check in starts at: 3:15pm and Race Starts at: 3:30pm
For any questions please contact:  leonardt@wiltonps.org

REGISTER HERE
 
You can pick up your items at the registration table the day of your event or prior to the event if needed. Share with your friends! #myschoolcolorrun   #colorforthecouncil



The WYC Fundraising Committee is looking for volunteers to help with obtaining business sponsorship for the event.  This is a KEY way to support the Wilton Youth Council because WYC programming relies heavily on these donations.  Fun Run fundraising takes place mainly during March and the first half of April so we are looking for volunteers to get started right away.  We will meet once to get organized and then communicate about our progress through e-mail.  
 
Please contact Kathy Schlageter at kaschlageter@yahoo.com if you are interested in volunteering or if you have any questions.

 Poster here.

WYC Community Events:

Wilton Youth Council's Free Play Matters Task Force

The Free Play Matters Task Force is working to inspire and educate the co mmunity about the critical importance of free-play in the lives of children, and to facilitate the creation of more free-play opportunities for children of all ages in Wilton. 

Presents...



Anxious Parents, Anxious Kids and the Anxiously Awaited Antidote! 
(Cannot be taken orally.) (Or the other way, either.) 
with Lenore Skenazy
 
Monday April 30, 2018
10:00 AM to 11:30 AM and 
7:00 PM to 8:30 PM (recording of morning)

FREE, but registration requested.

We will discuss how we can regain the calming perspective that allows us to trust our kids, our community, and our own parenting. When we do this, everyone wins: anxiety levels go down among parents and children. The goal is to raise safe, reliant, problem-solvers. Or, as the saying goes: 'raise your kids so that when they're 18, they move out and your spouse doesn't.'

Please join us for an informative and entertaining lecture by Lenore Skenazy who was labeled 'America's Worst Mom' when she dared to let her 9-year old ride the subway alone. She wore that badge with pride and went on to found Free-Range Kids: the book, blog, and movement dedicated to the fact that our kids are safer and smarter than our culture gives them credit for. Lenore will address the fears stalking America's parents, where they come from, what they're doing to our kids, and the reasons we're so afraid.

Register Here
 Flyer  here 

________________________________________________________________

and mark your Calendars....
June 9-10th and September 15-16th

Wilton's Big Block Party Weekends  

Building community one block at a time

In an effort to strengthen neighborhood connections, Wilton Youth Council's Free Play Task Force is encouraging participation in "Wilton's Big Block Party Weekend."
The town-wide 2018 weekends are June 9-10th and September 15-16th, with each neighborhood choosing their own date and time.
 
Top Reasons to have a Block Party
 
Meet and get to know your neighbors
Increase a sense of belonging in the community  
Get outside, make friends and have fun - no excuses are needed to celebrate
Find neighborhood playmates for your children
Opportunity for face-to-face connection and conversation
Meet some of the long standing neighbors and learn about your community history
Decrease stress of snowdays, storms and emergency situations
Create a neighborhood contact list
 
Feel Inspired? Be a Block Party Captain! For more information or with questions, please email wiltonsbigblockpartyweekend@gmail.com
 
BLOCK PARTY CAPTAIN HOW TO:

Keep it simple and low-key (try not to go overboard, it can make people feel the event is too much work)

 

Recruit another neighbor or two to help

Decide location (road, common space, or yard)

Decide what day and time works best for your neighborhood

Decide type of event - picnic, bbq, potluck, etc

Establish block boundaries (use natural neighborhood boundaries where possible) to include approximately 20-30 houses. Remember those on adjacent busier roads)


 
Have a child to create the flyer with all info to be put in mailboxes

Distribute the flyer (or have child or teen do?) in all invited mailboxes


 

Remember, keep it simple. Think old-fashioned block parties.

 





Class of 2022 Families   -

Starting high school is a major milestone. Wilton Youth Council's Project 2022, the Wilton High School PTSA, and Wilton Public Schools invite you to learn how to provide social and emotional support to your child through this transition. 

Who are the Presenters?
- Liz Jorgensen, Adolescent Psychotherapist from Insight Counseling
  Nationally recognized adolescent counseling expert

-Deborah Marino, WHS Counselor - Freshman Class
-Pamela Scott, WHS Counselor - Freshman Class

Q & A with Panelists:
- WHS Counselor s, Deborah Marino and Pamela Scott
- WHS Social Worker , Kathy Weiss
- Middlebrook Counselor, William Gerundo
- WHS Students

Wednesday, April 25th at the Wilton High School Little Theatre
7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Admission is free but an RSVP is requested
    Click  here  to RSVP to the presentation.



7th Grade Parents - SAVE THE DATE -
WYC's Class Project 2023 Family Picnic will be Friday, June 1st at 5:30pm!
More details to come soon!
Brought to you by other organizations...

NAMI-CAN Parent Support Group

Frustrated by your child's challenging behavior? Do you ever feel like your child is harder to parent than other children? Do you worry about how your child's behavior effects the family? Do you think your child or family needs a therapist, but you don't know where to start? Ever wonder how others manage in similar situations? Are you married, but feel alone in parenting your challenging child? If you say yes to any of these -- YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Child and Adolescent Network (CAN) Support Group is for parents of children with behavioral, emotional and mental health issues. These groups are free, confidential, safe and led by trained and certified volunteer facilitators who themselves have had personal experiences raising children with these concerns. The Wilton based support group meets on the 4th Monday of every month and the next meetings are Monday, April 23, and May 21
 from 10am-11:30am
 in the G & B Cultural Center, 49 New Street in Wilton.

For more info, Beth at 203-984-0123
  or beth44es@gmail.com  or Vanessa 203 970-4130 or eliasvanessa5@gmail.com
see Wilton Bulletin article about NAMI-CAN  here.

Flyer here.


Wilton Youth Services 

Part of Wilton Social Services Department, Wilton Youth Services tends to the social, emotional and mental health needs of Wilton's youth.  We provide consultation, information, referrals, and counseling for all things youth-related.  We offer financial assistance to families in need to ensure all children can access extracurricular activities.  We work closely with parents, schools, Wilton Youth Council, and other youth-serving organizations to identify community youth-related needs and develop solutions.  

You can contact Wilton Youth Services with any question you might have related to children or teens. 

We welcome your call. 203 834-6241

Wilton Youth Services Coordinator 

Wilton Youth Services Programs Manager 

Comstock Community Center 
180 School Road 
Wilton, CT 06897
(203) 834-6241

 
Newsletter Editor
Colleen Fawcett, LSCW
(203) 834-6241
 
 
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