What a busy few weeks it has been!!
Little did I know when I wrote the last entry that, within a few days, I would receive a phone call that threw our move into high gear.
We had been planning since earlier this year to re-locate. Although we loved the space we were in at Woolston, we knew they were planning to move and that the building was up for sale.
Thanks to Pastor Dan Roth and the board of Summerfield Church, we found a space with them that we could afford and planned to move sometime mid-late June.
The phone call I received a few weeks ago changed our time frame rapidly as we were told we needed to be out of Woolston by the end of May! I was panic-stricken!!
I despise moving and moreso when it comes on me quickly!
Thanks to all the hard work and cooperation of the families in the Parenting Program and my right hand partner, Jeannie Gnoza, we pulled off packing and moving in record time!! Over 10 of our families spent our last playgroup at Woolston sorting & organizing for the move. Not easy to do with little ones "helping out"!
We are grateful to the folks at Summerfield Church, especially Tracey Golden who is a former Parenting Program participant and secretary at the Church, for getting the space ready almost 3 weeks ahead of schedule!
The move took place on May 29th.
Thanks go to my husband, Mac, who jumped in at the last minute to be our driver for the truck we rented when the person who was supposed to do it didn't show. Many thanks also to Steve, one of our Dads, and the guys from the Brotherhood Mission who, along with Maggie & Kristen, our Moms, got us loaded up, transported, and unloaded in under 2 hours!!
Throughout this process, I am so grateful for all the support shown to me personally from our families from heartfelt regrets at not being able to do more to patience with me as I sent "HELP!" emails and playgroup schedules shifted to the phone calls and emails reassuring me that we could get this accomplished.
One call in particular from Julia really helped me stay grounded and focused. She shared with me how much it has meant for her and her daughter, Grace, to have found such a welcoming comunity at playgroup. How adjusting to being a "Stay-at-Home Mom" was difficult after being used to working and how talking with the other folks at playgroup helped ease her tensions about what was "normal" and what to expect.
It made packing those last few containers more meaningful.
We had to cancel only 3 playgroups to get this done.
It was wonderful to be able to welcome our crew back to playgroup yesterday! I was a little nervous about how everyone would feel about the new space and how the change would affect the children.
I am happy to report that, outside of a few confused looks from the kids, we were back to our routine quickly.
I was standing outside waiting to make sure everyone knew they had the right place when Juliette and Caspar pulled up. Caspar was all smiles and Juliette shared that he got so excited when she told him they were coming to playgroup or "P-Pup" as he calls it. "P-Pup" was born from singing the "Clean-Up" song. When I took them down to the playgroup room, he just stood there staring for a few minutes trying to figure out the deal...same faces, same toys but somehow different. Ruby had a similar reaction as did a couple more of the little ones but, by the time we got into Circle and started singing our songs, especially "Monkeys jumping on the bed", we all felt better.The space was different but we weren't! It was so obvious that the security of the routine of playgroup, like routine in other ways within families, truly helps very young children adjust to change!
By the time we were working with Play Dough, life was back to where it should be in playgroup world. For the 10 families that were there yesterday, the adjustment has begun.
We anxiously await introducing the rest to our new space!
It just goes to show that our playgroups are not so much about the space we are in but that we are in it together!!
A great feeling to have in this sometimes crazy, mixed up world!
Hello, All & Happy Mother's Day!
Welcome to spring! I must begin by welcoming my newest Granddaughter, Madeline Clare who arrived on March 7th! She is already a playgroup regular!
Life in the program has been quite busy. We have started doing a monthly "Coffee & Catch up" parent's night out event. We have completed our first season of The Family Theatre Series, we have had a "Sign With Me" Workshop, Infant/Child CPR course & are currently offering a 4 week Stress Management Course.
Of course, playgroups are continuing.
Not bad on low budget!! Thanks to all those who support us!
We have also started to help establish a playgroup for an organization called "KidZone" located at 71st & Ogontz. This is a great first step to expanding the playgroup/parenting program concept further across the city.
We have welcomed many new families! It's great to know what we do is needed and wanted in this community.
We'll be celebrating our first year anniversary in a few months. It seems hard to believe that it's been that long already!
A great big thank you for allowing me to get to know you and the children in your life. I look forward to meeting more of you!
Onward and upward!
Teri
I am working part time as the Social Worker (don't really like that term, I consider myself more of an advocate) for the Frankford Group Ministry's Neighborhood Parenting Program.
It was a strange turn of events that brought me there. I'm one of those people who believe everything happens for a reason, so bare with me. First and foremost, I wish to welcome the folks from Frankford to our site. I am pleased to offer info on both programs!
Many moons ago, these two programs were one. In 1995 they split into two seperate locations and under two different organizations. Since then, both have had their triumphs and their struggles. Funding always mandating what can or cannot be done sometimes gets frustrating.
Although those of us who have been around in these programs over the years, know how important a resource they are for families, the quest to make a case to funders is sometimes difficult. They want to see proof of results. That is totally understandable! If I'm going to give money to something, I want to know that it is benefitting those it serves.
Coming up with hard numbers to prove that a person may be a better parent for having participated in our program is tough. How can we prove that maybe we helped someone learn coping tools that meant child abuse didn't occurr? Yes, we can do some surveys on child development (and do from time to time) but they never really tell the whole story. They don't show the friendships that are made sometimes lasting for years, they don't really show that a child who has attended playgroups has an easier time in school down the road, they don't measure self-esteem and so on. They do measure some attitudes about disiplinary practices, knowledge of milestones in child development, etc. But the way we really can show how this works, is by your telling your story! I implore you to go to either our guest book or our forums and share some of your thoughts!!
We need to get the word out that what these Parenting Programs do besides providing invaluable adult/child playtime and activities is build stronger communities by building stronger families. Every neighborhood should have one!
I believe it should be a parent's right to know that there is someplace to go with your child where you feel welcomed and supported. A place where you can get information about how your child grows, some tips on how to handle different stages, talk with other adults going through the same thing, build relationships and give your child a good start. The importance of learning to socialize in a positive way has been under-rated. We know that early good socialization skills lay a solid foundation for success in life in every way and the lack of them breeds all sorts of difficulties in getting along in this world. The violence on our streets can be greatly dimished when people know how to get along with others! It's really that basic if you think about it.
It is my hope that this re-connection of these two programs will enable us to have a stronger voice in calling for every Neighborhood to have a program such as ours. Money invested in this simple approach to supporting those who care for our young is a good use of dollars! It nmakes a difference!!
I may be a little prejudiced here but I believe if the folks really understood what Neighborhood Parenting Programs do, they'd be lining up to fund us to the level we need to really fly!
