The Family Institute

Upcoming Workshops

* For assistance with registering, call 410-313-5992 (voice/ relay) or email [email protected]

* To request sign language, interpreter or other accommodations to attend, call at least one week in advance.

Stories, Explore and Play
Join us at the Family Support Center for a five-week series of classes for you and your baby, newborn to 2 years. Together you will enjoy stories, songs and activities and learn how to support your baby using The Basics to make the most out of everyday moments. Conclude with free play and exploration in the child development space. Participants will receive a FREE take-home gift during the series. (for English and Spanish speaking families)
Tuesdays, April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30: 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. / Register Here

The Basics Math  
The Basics follow a five-pillar framework to bolster brain development for social-emotional and cognitive skill building among children ages birth to five. This Basics math session focuses on everyday ways to bolster early math confidence for a sturdy foundation for school readiness. Parents will learn ideas to provide fun, simple and powerful ways to enhance their child’s brain growth. Learn ideas essential in facilitating skill development of young children and opportunities to become better learners for the future.
Thursday, April 11, 7 p.m.
Free Virtual Workshop. Register here

How to Grow a Friend
Join us for a hands-on parent-child art activity and story time based on the children’s book, How to Grow a Friend, by Sara Gillingham. This story focuses on proactive strategies for movement activities to redirect undesirable behaviors and promote friendship skills for children two and half to five years old. We’ll talk about important skills needed to be a good friend and then create a Friendship Flower.
Wednesday, April 24, 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. / Family Support Center, 9790 Patuxent Woods Dr., Columbia  Register Here
 

Managing Parenting Anger and Frustration
Parenting is an incredibly rewarding experience but can also be challenging when our children don’t listen or have meltdowns. Frustration can build and it is normal to find yourself at your wit’s end.
This workshop will provide tools to navigate anger and frustration and provide you with coping strategies when you are feeling elevated. Ask questions and leave with skills and resources that you can use to feel more confident in managing your own anger and frustration.
Monday, April 29, 7:00 p.m. Free Virtual Workshop. Register here

 

Discussing Your Child’s Mental Health with Your Primary Care Provider (Dr Jessica Winkles)
We discuss the importance of mental health for everyone, yet rarely do we treat behavioral health like physical health. If your child is ill, you contact your primary care provider (PCP) for a sick visit. But what if you notice ongoing changes in your child’s emotional well-being or behaviors? All children can go through periods of anger, anxiety, frustration, and sadness but what is a concerning level? Attend this session to:
•See examples of typical vs. concerning behaviors and understand why the PCP can be a great place to start when questions arise
•Become familiar with some of the most common behavior concerns seen by pediatric PCPs
•Understand what may happen after raising a concern with a PCP, including what to expect if you see a behavioral health provider
•Become aware of methods for making the most of your visit to your child's PCP
Wednesday, May 1, 7:00 p.m. Free Virtual Workshop. Register here

Stories, Explore and Play

May is Children’s Mental Health awareness month and parents are invited to learn ways to support their youngest child’s social emotional skills. Join us at the Family Support Center for a three-week series for you and your baby, newborn to 2 years. Together you will enjoy stories, songs and activities and learn how to maximize love and minimize stress through The Basics. Conclude with free play and exploration in the child development space. Participants will receive a FREE take-home gift during the series. (for English and Spanish speaking families)
Tuesdays, May 7,14,21  | 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. / Register Here

Positive Solutions for Families  
Join the Howard County Office of Children and Families for this evidenced-based, virtual parent series to help increase knowledge and understanding of how to promote children’s social and emotional skills, address challenging behaviors and use positive approaches to help children manage big emotions.
In this four session lunch-n-learn series, you will receive a weekly workshop video to watch to learn on your own schedule and then meet with a group of parents to extend the learning and share successes and struggles.  For families with children up to the age of 9.
Wednesdays: May 1,8,15,22 | 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. / Click here for registration to virtual workshop series

Navigating Your Child’s Mental Health Journey with Kala Jenkins, Howard County Health Department and Lisa Rhodes Howard County Office of Children and Families

Whether it is knowing the best ways to support your child’s social emotional health, having concerns about your child’s behaviors, or feeling like something is seriously wrong, knowing where to go for answers is a top issue for parents. Those first steps of navigating mental health supports are a challenging and daunting task. Learn about the stages of mental health and the local resources and supports that will guide your understanding, provide you with choices, and help you learn the steps to start helping your child. Leave with tangible tools for education and intervention as well as where to go for assistance if you hit roadblocks to services.

Monday, May 13, 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Free Virtual Workshop. Register here

Positive Solutions Cafe 

Parents that attend Positive Solutions sessions meet other parents and discuss lessons learned, ask individual questions and learn more about the PSF information. Parents will receive free resources to support individualizing the implementation of the strategies in their own home.  Dinner and child care is available.

Wednesday, May 22 | 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. / Click here for registration

Strengthen your Child’s Coping Skills 

Learning how to manage stress and deal with life’s ups and downs is a process that continues throughout our entire lives. Attend this session to learn strategies to help your child prepare, regulate and deal with small to big life transitions, overwhelming and uncomfortable emotions, worries, disappointment, failure, criticism, and sadness.

Thursday, May 16, 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Free Virtual Workshop. Register Here

Eat, Learn , Grow - Social Emotional 

This workshop will focus on Early Learning Literacy and Social Emotional Development.  Join us as we explore social emotional development, developmental milestones as well as the skills children need to manage emotions and build relationships with others. Join us as we explore children’s literature and simple extension activities that promote problem solving, conflict resolution, managing stress, and overall social emotional development at home. 
Monday, May 20, 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Free Virtual Workshop. Register here

Sibling Rivalry

This workshop is for parents experiencing challenges between their children such as arguing, name calling and fighting.  Understand why sibling rivalry occurs and learn practical ways you can navigate and reduce conflict, manage rivalry in-the-moment and foster good long-term relationships.

Thursday, May 23, 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Free Virtual Workshop. Register here

The Parent Pages newsletter is published by the Howard County Office of Children and Families for parents, caregivers, and agencies working with families. Distributed via Constant Contact, each monthly issue features information to help parents and caregivers learn more about positive parenting and  children’s development. It highlights workshops, local resources, events, parenting information, and agency programs targeted to help families grow and thrive in Howard County.

This newsletter is a part of the Howard County Family Institute, an education, information and community outreach program. To request the Parent Pages in an alternate format, call 410-313-1940 (voice/relay.)

The Basics movement aims to help every family help every child reach their potential. To learn about The Basics Howard County, watch this overview video for an introduction to the five fun, simple and powerful ways to boost early brain development and learning for all children from birth to age five.

Launch Into Learning is a campaign supported by the Howard County Early Childhood Advisory Council (HCECAC). The goal of HCECAC is to highlight the importance of the early years, for parents and families in particular, but also for early care and education professionals, and other community stakeholders.