DAWSON COUNTY HEALTHY COMMUNITIES

Parenting Classes this Month:

May 7th -21st Active Parenting in 3, Weds 6:30

May 10^th Parenting Teens, Saturday 1-6 pm

Looking to learn more about parenting? Take Classes—Get DCC Credits!

Join in a parenting class or a supportive meeting:

o 1^st Monday noon meetings for Kinship Care/Grandparents Raising Grandkids.

o 3^rd Monday noon for anyone parenting or foster-parenting a disabled/SED child.

o Last Monday each month at 10:30 a.m. “Baby & Me” a special Newborn Nurturing program for newborns.

o Tuesday’s after-story-time program for Dads and Moms of newborns through preschool aged children with monthly crafts, parenting info, and a shared meal.

o Wednesday evening—ongoing parenting classes from 6:30-8:00 p.m. with open enrollment and college credits.

o Thursday and Saturday etc. coaching and parent strategic training sessions.

Planning Special Focus Parenting

We have two new curricula on the horizon:

· How to Handle Substance Abuse — a Saturday afternoon course for parents who want to talk to their kids about substances. Each family will also receive a free game for parents and children age 9-13 to play together which encourages family talks.

· “Parents Forever” —we are seeking materials and training for this divorce/ co-parenting curriculum which is widely used with success throughout the USA from Minnesota County Extension. It is often done in a one day workshop.

Ready for Kindergarten!

All school experiences are both an educational and an emotional-social experience. One of the most important decisions a parent will ever make is, “Is my child ready for Kindergarten?”

This is actually a “mature enough” question on three spheres of development: intellectual, emotional and physical—and should not be answered only on intellect. Intellectually ready children who lack emotional-social maturity or physical control due to their relative youngness, often do best in school for the next 12 years by entering Kindergarten a year later as one of the older rather than one of the youngest in the class.

The Parent Resource Center can help! Our Mom & Me / Me & Dad program can give parents and children many weekly intellectual, emotional-social and physical experiences.

For instance, by request we have just added three new resources for this. One is book we can not seem to keep on the shelf. We hope to buy more of these one year kindergarten preparation guides of week by week activities (three per week) starting with putting five objects in a row and ending with “My First Day of Kindergarten!”

Every Tuesday morning right after Story Time we run a Kindergarten readiness program that allows parents and children to form friendships, informal supportive relationships, and develop intellectual, physical and relational skills.

(Time and day will change to Thursdays mornings at 10:30 am starting June 17^th)

This is a free service made possible by a Montana Children’s Trust grant and is open to all parents and children age 1-5.