Fall 2022 Newsletter

Greetings!

As another summer has come and gone, and we look forward to the fall season ahead of us, I am so excited to usher it in with you, serving in my new role as Executive Director at Parenting Now!

As a lifelong resident of Lane County, raising a family of my own here, I am deeply committed to serving children and families in our community. This commitment has drawn me to Parenting Now and its mission. It is truly an honor to serve at Parenting Now as we continue to build on a 44-year legacy of strengthening our community by supporting the well-being of families and children in their formative years.

Looking ahead, as we pursue our vision of all children being raised by nurturing, skilled parents, there is so much to be excited about. This fall, we are looking forward to welcoming families back into our building for in-person services. We are also happy to say that we will continue to serve families online, as well – offering the option to those who need or prefer to access our programs remotely.

Wishing you a lovely fall season,

Theya Joslin, MBA

Executive Director

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT PARENTING NOW

Join us for Baby Connection on Wednesdays, in-person and virtual

This popular program is a free gathering for infant lactation and feeding support. Families with children under 1 year of age can have their baby weighed, discuss infant development topics with Parenting Educators, and socialize with other parents. Baby Connection is offered every Wednesday from 11 am to 12 pm at the Parenting Now building (86 Centennial Loop in Eugene). Baby Connection will continue to offer its virtual option over Zoom, expanding its reach to all families throughout Oregon and beyond. So whether you live in Oregon or Oklahoma, families with children under 1 year of age can receive lactation or feeding support and connect with other families. Please email enroll@parentingnow.org or call 541-434-4343 to register for the virtual option.

In-Person Parenting Groups This Fall

We are pleased to offer our First Three Years parenting groups to families in-person, starting the first week in October, including Incredible INFANTs, Wonderful ONEs, Terrific TWOs, and Thrilling THREEs. Contact our Enrollment Department to learn more: enroll@parentingnow.org; 541-434-4343.

WELCOME TO THE TEAM

Parenting Now's newest team members

• Emma Dallegge, Children's Program Staff

• Elizabeth Edelman, Children's Program Staff

• Sophie Elizalde, Bilingual Family Support Specialist

• Chris Langford, Children's Program Staff

• Megan Murphy, Trainer

• Gia Prochot, Children's Program Staff

• Emily Weaver, Children's Program Staff

• Kiara Wessling, Children's Program Staff

• Skyler Wiseman, Parenting Educator/Trainer

On the Blog

Nature Crafts Ideas

Nature crafts are a fun way to get outdoors, and spend time with your child. Here are some craft ideas that use leaves and flowers. Read more

FALL CRAFT:

Leaf Wreath

You Will Need:

Leaves from your neighborhood
Glue
Paper plate
Ribbon

First, you will need to collect leaves to put around your wreath. Next, take your paper plate and cut out the middle portion to create the wreath form. Glue the leaves you found around the paper plate and let dry. Make sure to cover the entire paper plate with leaves. Make sure the leaves are completely covering the plate. After it is completely dry, add a ribbon to hang it.

Craft provided by Children's Program Coordinator, Kalina Glover-Moresi.

Handpicked by the children's librarians at Eugene Public Library, here are their fall book recommendations with the theme "emotions."

We Laugh Alike/Junos Nos Reimos, written by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand; illustrated by Alyssa Bermudez. Six children are at the park, one group speaks only English and the other only Spanish, but soon they learn to communicate through playing, dancing, and singing.

The Worry Box, written by Suzanne Chiew; illustrated by Sean Julian. Murry Bear has so many worries! Luckily, his sister, Molly, knows just what to do.

You Hold Me Up, written by Monique Gray Smith and Danielle Daniel; illustrated by Danielle Daniel. An evocative picture book intended to foster reconciliation among children and encourage them to show each other love and support.

Augustus and His Smile, written and illustrated by Catherine Rayner. After searching mountains, forests, oceans, and deserts to find his smile, Augustus the tiger finds it when he looks in a puddle, and realizes that "happiness is everywhere around him.

Fergal and the Bad Temper, written and illustrated by Robert Starling. Fergal the dragon does not like being told what to do. When things aren't fair, Fergal loses his temper and snorts angry fire. Can this dragon learn to cool it before a temper tantrum hits?

Imagination Library:

For All Lane County

All Lane County families are now eligible to participate in Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. The service promotes reading and learning by sending young children a new book in the mail every month, free of charge. Sign up at imaginationlibrary.com

UPDATES FROM THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM

We are so grateful for all that you do to support Parenting Now! We're excited to announce our upcoming events for fall! We hope that you can join us.

Our Open House event will be held on October 25th from 5-7 pm. This will be an in-person event where we will introduce our new Executive Director, Theya Joslin. Willamette Valley wines and food pairings will be served throughout the evening. RSVP to Cat Luna at development@parentingnow.org

Our annual Bake-A-Long event will be held on November 16th from 5-6 pm. This is a virtual family-friendly event that is a favorite every year! We invite you to join us in baking a delicious dessert hosted and taught by renowned pastry chef, Kim Davaz.

For more info, please visit our website and social media in the following weeks.

Sincerely,

Kathryn Gaines and Cat Luna

WAYS TO SUPPORT PARENTING NOW THIS FALL

• AmazonSmile donates to Parenting Now when you shop through its website! Create an AmazonSmile account at smile.amazon.com and select Parenting Now! as your charity of choice.

• Donate Items for Families: Diapers, baby supplies, and children’s books!

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