Hello! Greetings to you! I am the PEPS Program Director and I oversee the administration of PEPS Groups, leader recruitment and management, and partnerships with other community organizations. Summer is upon us, and although it feels like life goes at a slower pace, our groups continue in full force during the summer, providing parents with peer support.   Our Program team is working on several new projects this summer, including plans for new PEPS groups in new areas in our North Region; skill-building facilitation training for our leaders; and new groups with partner organizations like Cocoon House, Open Arms, and Valley Medical Center. We are excited to see all the work on these projects come to life this fall.  My three years here have been exciting and challenging, fueled by the work that has been growing PEPS. Creating an organization dedicated to providing parents with access to support that can lead to connection and community has been immensely rewarding. Stay tuned for what’s to come later this year!

Kintea Bryant Program Director kinteab@peps.org

Inspiration & Resources Rue Khosa, A Mother Who Wears Many (Party!) Hats This month, we chatted with Rue Khosa, a mother of two boys and business owner of The Perfect Push, a lactation clinic in Redmond. She is also the founder and organizer of Northwest FamilyFest, a fun family event taking place on ... Read more blog.peps.org Bonding with Baby Can Be Surprisingly Difficult Some parents feel instant, overwhelming joy the first time they meet their babies. For others, that emotional connection is less immediate... Read more blog.peps.org Tips for Camping With Babies and Toddlers In the summer, Washington campgrounds are crawling (sometimes literally) with babies, toddlers and young families. Many new parents hesitate to head into the wild, wondering whether camping with a tot will be safe, enjoyable or worth the... Read more www.parentmap.com What PEPS parents are saying this month… “I think there is something really special about coming together with people who are essentially strangers...[It] allows you the freedom to just be yourself without any preconceived notions that may exist in other friendships and watching the bonds and the solidarity grow” - Marissa Niranjan, Newborn PEPS Group Participant & Group Leader

Cloth Diapers and Traveling - Would You, Could You, On a ... For many parents, the big diapering dilemma comes when it’s time to plan – and pack – for a vacation. If you want to continue with cloth diapers while you’re away, it can be done... Read more blog.peps.org Tidying Up: Your Estate Plan A shrug. This is the expression I see most often when I ask my 30 or 40-something year-old clients about whether they have any special items to leave their loved ones in their will... Read more blog.peps.org How to Stop Sounding Like a Broken Record One day, last year, I decided to keep track of how many times I asked my kid to put shoes on before leaving the house. I put a little chart on the fridge and put a tally mark every time I asked ... Read more blog.peps.org

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Adjusting to Parenthood Drop-in, every Friday 11:30am – 1pm  Seattle Grandparent Chat Tuesday, July 9 | 10 – 11:30am  Seattle  Northwest FamilyFest Saturday, August 3 | 9:30am – 3pm Redmond  Your PEPS Group, Your Choice We now offer four program fees to select from for all PEPS Groups. The Flexible Pricing model allows us to keep our program fees accessible and provides options for families so that parents can choose the amount that works best for their family. Please help us spread the word and tell your friends, colleagues, and that expectant neighbor!

Books as Windows and Mirrors Last month, PEPS hosted their monthly gathering for grandparents, focusing on a topic of discussion. This informal meetup aims to bring grandparents together in a relaxed setting and have conversations about what it means to be a grandparent, hear how others are handling situations, and support one another.   Most recently, we discussed ‘Books as Windows and Mirrors’, talking about the hidden complexities in the books we encounter and we each shared our own favorite stories.The conversation was facilitated by Debbie LeeKeenan, a local educator, lecturer, author, and grandparent of three.     Among other things, Debbie elaborated on how children need to see themselves and their families reflected in the literature around them (books as mirrors) and that literature provides excellent opportunities to give us a glimpse of the word around us in all its diversity (books as windows).  She shared some tips that grandparents and parents might find useful:  Be intentional about the books you select to read. Ask yourself and discuss with the child, “How are we the same or different from the people in this book?”  Emphasize that we live in a complex and diverse world and that ‘normal’ looks different for different people and families.   If you can’t find a published book that has the constellation of your own family, make your own family book with photos and a small 4x6 photo album. Write your own captions for each photo.  To view a list of recommended books, check out the full article on our Highs and Lows blog. A heartfelt thank you to Debbie and the grandparents who came to this discussion! Let the grandparent in your life know about our events and we hope they’ll join us at our next Grandparent Chat!

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