Staying Healthy and Hopeful in 2022
Welcome to 2022! I hope this newsletter finds you well and thriving during the continuing pandemic.
Now, more than ever, is the time to make sure you’re taking good care of yourself. As every parent knows, it’s hard to carve out time for self-care, but if you don’t, it will catch up with you!
Getting enough rest, eating healthy foods, and fitting in vital socialization is just as important for you as it is for your own child. Please make sure you are making yourself a priority as you care for so many others in your network.
We have some wonderful things happening these next few months, in particular, outreach to Florence and Oakridge, and new opportunities for LGBTQ families to connect. Even during a pandemic, Parenting Now is evolving, growing, and serving a broader diversity of families, due to the guidance and support from our community. It’s your help and feedback that makes these things happen and the board and staff at Parenting Now are so deeply grateful for your support! Read on for more about these exciting new programs.
Lynne Grilley
Executive Director
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WHAT'S HAPPENING AT PARENTING NOW: |
Winter parenting groups start in January!
This winter, we are excited to offer Incredible INFANTs (starts mid Feb.) and Make Parenting A Pleasure (starts Jan. 25). Professional Parenting Educators facilitate each group and follow a carefully designed curriculum. Each session includes group discussions and problem solving around topics of interest to you. Call 541-434-4343, or email enroll@parentingnow.org.
Virtual meet ups For LGBTQ families!
Meet and connect virtually with other LGBTQ families in our community. Listen to others' experiences, share your own, and ask any questions you may have about parenting. These groups are facilitated by a Parenting Educator. Offered on Wednesdays over Zoom from 6 pm to 7 pm. Dates: Feb. 16. March 16; April 20; May 18. Email enroll@parentingnow.org to register.
Squishtivities coming to Florence and Oakridge!
We are expanding our Squishtivities program to families in Oakridge and Florence. Join us for these in-person, activity-filled sessions designed for children 2-5 years old. A Parenting Educator will be onsite to lead children in craft activities, as well as talk about our programs.
• Feb. 18: Squishtivities in Oakridge, from 12 pm to 2 pm. Location TBD. A Parenting Educator will lead 4 activities throughout the day, including Paper Hats, Watercolor Paint with Wax, Cheerios Necklaces, and Paper Roll Binoculars. Registration link coming soon.
• March 11: Squishtivities in Florence, from 12 pm to 2 pm. Miller Park picnic area. A Parenting Educator will lead 4 activities throughout the day, including Paper Hats, Watercolor Paint with Wax, Cheerios Necklaces, and Paper Roll Binoculars. Register here.
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Ana Maria Dudley, left, with Peggy Lintula (middle)
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MEET ANA MARIA DUDLEY,
2022 Minalee Saks Champion of Children
Ana Maria Dudley first came to the Family Resource Center in Cottage Grove in 1993. Since then, she has met countless families, enriching their lives with her warmth, grace and spirit.
She has helped families navigate complex medical systems, find local resources such as WIC, food banks, housing, as well as shared her knowledge of child development with parents. For these reasons—and so many others—Ana Maria is our 2022 Minalee Saks’ Champion of Children. She will be honored at Parenting Now’s A Night of Hope Auction & Gala on March 4, 2022. Read more.
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On the Blog
Fun With Fingerplay Songs
As the rain settles in for the winter season, parents often start looking for indoor activities to keep their busy toddlers and preschoolers engaged. Singing and listening to music, specifically fingerplay songs, is a fun way to entertain your child, while also building connection. Read more
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On the Blog
Social Support Reduces
Risk of Isolation
Between feedings, diaper changes, holding, swaying, and rocking, it can be easy to get caught up in the demands of parenthood—leaving little time to attend to your own individual needs. It’s not uncommon for new parents to feel sad, anxious, overwhelmed, or depressed during the baby's first year of life. Whether it’s a mild spell of the baby blues or a more serious case of Postpartum Depression (PPD), there are local resources that can help you get back on track. Read more
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SQUISHTIVITIES CRAFT:
Snowy Soft Dough
Squishy clay does more than encourage the budding artist. Your child is developing knowledge of how the world works and is becoming proficient with different materials. Her tactile senses are stimulated and refined as you and your child squeeze clay through your fingers, roll it into balls and shape it into creations. To make snowy soft dough,
You Will Need:
• 2 cups flour mixed with,
• 1 cup salt
In a separate container combine:
• 1/3 cup oil
• 1 cup water
Add this mixture to the flour and salt. Now mix and squish until you have soft dough!
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For a fun, wintery effect, try adding glitter or a drop of blue food coloring (mix in well) to make the soft dough look like ice!
Skill Building:
• Fine motor skills
• Eye-hand coordination
• Creativity
• Sensory and tactile experience
• Cause and effect
• Appreciation for the natural sciences
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Handpicked by the children's librarians at Eugene Public Library, here are their winter book recommendations! Give them a read!
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A Family is a Family is a Family, written by Sara O'Leary, illustrated by Qin Leng. When a teacher asks the children in her class to think about what makes their families special, the answers are all different in many ways -- but the same in the one way that matters most of all.
Bird House, written and illustrated by Blanca Gomez. A little girl and her Abuela tend to an injured bird they find in the snow, allowing it to fly around the living room until it is ready to be released.
Me & Mama, written and illustrated by Cozbi Cabrera. For a little girl on a rainy day, the best place to be is with Mama.
Drawn Together, written by Minh Lê, illustrated by Dan Santat. A boy and his grandfather cross a language and cultural barrier using their shared love of art, storytelling, and fantasy.
Little You, written by Richard Van Camp, illustrated by Julie Flett. Celebrating the joy babies bring into the world.
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MEET THE TEAM:
Learn more about the individuals who make the magic happen at Parenting Now
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Min Yi Su
Family Support Specialist
I've been a Family Support Specialist with Healthy Families Lane County for 4 1/2 years. I support families toward their goals, provide child development education, and age-appropriate activities for parents to do with their child. During home visits, I connect with families and listen to their challenges and celebrate their victories. We discuss how their children are growing and ways to support them physically, emotionally, mentally, and socially. I love getting up in the morning and knowing that I'm going to make the world a better place through nurturing healthy families.
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Amanda Hill
Director of Training
I have a passion for working with educators, parents, and families, and I am so thankful that I’ve had the opportunity to do this in a variety of capacities. In addition to being the Director of Training here at Parenting Now, I also teach Child Development courses within community college and university settings. Prior to teaching at the college level, I taught typically-developing preschoolers, as well as those with special needs. I have a Bachelor of Arts degree in Child and Adolescent Development and a Master of Education in Teaching and Learning with emphasis in Early Childhood Education.
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FAMILY ACTIVITY: FUN IN THE SNOW! |
Did the few days of snow here in Lane County have you wanting more? Here are a couple of places nearby for your family to play in the snow!
Before you go, check road and weather conditions in the area you are traveling. Many snow parks also require snow park passes, which can be purchased here.
• Gold Lake Sno-Park: Road #500 off Hwy 58, Oakridge. Gold Lake Sno-Park is a hub for snowshoeing and cross country skiing adventures. Start your trek from the Gold Lake Warming Hut located at the trailhead. The hut features vault toilets, fireplace, warm beverages, maps, and information.
• Salt Creek Sno-Park: Hwy 58, east of milepost 58, Oakridge. Salt Creek Sno-Park is a popular spot for sledding and tubing. It features a tubing hill cleared of trees and a vault toilet.
• Waldo Lake Sno-Park: Junction at Milepost 63 on Hwy 58, Oakridge. Enjoy miles of scenic winter views on snowmobile routes all around the lake. Snowshoe and cross-country ski along Island Lakes Trail and Twin Peaks Trail.
• Willamette Pass Ski Area: Located 31 miles east of Oakridge on Highway 58. This ski area offers downhill skiing and snow boarding, groomed crosscountry ski trails, and a snow play area.
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UPDATES FROM THE DEVELOPMENT TEAM
Happy New Year! The Development team wishes you a happy and healthy start to your 2022! We are so grateful for the amazing support we've received this past year. Thank you for ensuring that our local families have the critical support that they need during these challenging times.
A big thank you to everyone who donated during December and helped us meet our $5,000 match! Parenting Now had a $5,000 donation challenge match from a special donor, and with the wonderful support of more than 73 supporters sharing their generosity, we exceeded the goal!
Join us for a night filled with hope! We are excited to be planning Parenting Now’s hybrid Night of Hope Gala! The Gala will be held on Friday, March 4, 2022 at The Graduate Hotel. We invite the community to join us in honoring our 2022 Minalee Saks Champion of Children, Ana Maria Dudley.
Our Night of Hope Gala will be an elegant and inspiring hybrid event with both an in-person event at The Graduate Hotel and a virtual event for those at home!
Individual Tickets: $150 per person
Table of 8: $1,500 per table
Virtual Package for Two: $150
For more information or to make reservations, click here.
If you cannot attend the auction, you can make a gift in lieu of attending to support strong families. Or you can make a gift in honor of our 2022 Minalee Saks Champion of Children, Ana Maria Dudley. Click here to make a gift in lieu of attending.
Thank you for your ongoing support of our vision to create a world where all children are raised by nurturing, skilled parents. From all of us at Parenting Now, have a wonderful new year ahead!
Kathryn Gaines and Sona Hodaie
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WAYS TO SUPPORT PARENTING NOW THIS WINTER
• Donate items for our Night of Hope Gala: Silent and live auction items and bottles of wine are greatly appreciated. Call or email Sona with questions: 971-409-1844 or sonah@parentingnow.org
• 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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THANK YOU, FOUNDATIONS
Foundation support helps ensure that families have access to parenting education. Thank you to these foundations for supporting local families and valuing parenting education!
• Coeta and Donald Barker Foundation, Make Parenting A Pleasure.
• PacificSource Foundation for Health Improvement, Make Parenting A Pleasure.
• Trust Management Services - Braemar Charitable Trust, First Three Years Wonderful ONEs groups.
• Weyerhaeuser Giving Fund, First Three Years Program.
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