Learn and munch Parenting is not a slice
By Isabelle Southcott • isabelle@prliving.ca
A
nyone who has kids knows that parenting isn’t always easy. Babies aren’t born with instructions. In fact, most of us learn as we go. I remember how terrified I was when I was discharged from hospital with my first-born. I knew nothing about babies. I hadn’t taken a course. Written a test. Didn’t have a license. I was scared I’d drown my son when I bathed him. How would I know if he’d had enough to eat? My baby grew up to become a teenager and I learned that talking to teens requires different communication skills. You say one thing, they hear another. And then there’s the battle over too many computer games… or electronic obsessions. Am I the only parent who experiences these issues? The answer is no, says Colleen Mudry of Powell River Child, Youth and Family Services Society. This is why youth and family decided to do a pilot project offering a new and unique parenting group. As the coordinator of the parenting group, Collen came up the idea of offering a parenting party to bring parents together to discuss topics they’re interested in. “To make it more engaging we made it the Parenting Pizza Party,” she said.
They’d like to reach parents who would typically not sign up for a parenting program. “Great parents want to be greater,” she said. “It’s not bad parents who take parenting programs, it’s good parents who want to be better parents who take parenting programs.” A parenting pizza party is totally interactive. One parent hosts it, gets a group of their friends together that have children of similar ages, and book the party. “We supply the pizza.” PRCYFSS provides the facilitator and the topics discussed that evening are decided on by the parents. For instance, parents with young children might want to talk about temper tantrums and the word no. “Once I know the topic I go through my resources and pull information together. I go in with the understanding that parents are the experts of their own children and the role of the facilitator is to present new ideas and materials.” As well, Colleen facilitates discussion between parents and gets dialogue and debate going. “There’s never any ‘should’ here. Ideas are suggested that people can try or not and see if they work.” To book your free parenting pizza party or for more information, call Colleen at 604 485-3090.
G Powell River’s Own N I COM ON! Who is smarter than a 6th grader? SO Save this date!
April 19, Max Cameron Theatre ~ Doors 6 pm; Show 6:45 pm A fundraiser for Success by 6, presented by School District 47 & Powell River & District United Way — sponsored in part by Powell River Living
Pow! Town Roller Derby
Get a grooming you know you’ll love! Call The Salty Paw today. Because your dog is worth it!
needs a new logo! Could you design it? The winning designer gets a
VIP Prize Pack:
✓ Pow! Town Roller Derby T-shirt
featuring YOUR amazing logo!
✓ 4 tickets to our inaugural bout! (Date tba) ✓ 1 Bar of our signature ‘Lucious Lime’
derby soap! ✓ 2012 Pow! Town Roller Derby Calendar! You must use our colours of grape purple & lime green plus the words: “Pow! Town Roller Derby”
Visit our website or Facebook page for the rest of the guidelines and info. Deadline is Feb 25
www.powtownderby.com powtownderby@yahoo.ca
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