Parent Coalition Update
We connect: Parent Coalition is a fun place to really connect and be real with other parents who are in the same boat. If you're home with littles all the time, getting out and talking to grown-ups is kind of a big deal anyway, and finding that they are cool people who completely get where you're coming from is even better!
We learn: We all want to be the best parents we can for our kids, and whether our own parents set an awesome parenting example or a not-so-great one, we can always learn more about what makes our kids (and ourselves) tick.
We do projects: The Parent Coalition identifies needs in the community and comes up with projects to help meet those needs. It could be based on personal experience (for example, designing a way to help parents navigate the IEP process after having been through it yourself), or something the group noticed in the community that could be done better. Then, you can get as involved as you want with whatever projects are important to you.
We advocate: As much as they try, policymakers don't always know what ideas are really going to help families in the community. It is so important for them to hear the voices of actual parents, grandparents, and caregivers who can advise them on their policies and let them know what's going to make the biggest impact. If there is an issue that is really important to you, the Parent Coalition gives you a platform to get your ideas heard by the people who make the decisions.
So if any or all of those things sound like something you'd want to be involved with, come on over to our January meeting and learn more about it! :-)
Upcoming Meetings
Join us for our next Parent Coalition Meeting on Tuesday, January 21! It's at 9:00 AM at the Winding Brook Conference Center in Shepherd, and we'll be talking about one of the major focuses we have in the Parent Coalition, our parent-led projects. So come by to find out about the four big goals we strive to reach with our projects, how we choose our projects, and how you can get involved with a new or existing project you're passionate about!
And as always, in order to help you get there, we will reimburse you for your mileage, and we also have a small childcare stipend ($4 per child per hour) if you need to line up a sitter. The meeting will last about an hour, and it will be followed immediately by our Great Start Collaborative board meeting. Any Parent Leaders (that's you guys!) who want to stick around for the board meeting will earn a $30 stipend for attending too, because it is so important for the organizations in the room to hear what is important to real families in the community! And if you have friends who would want to come, be sure to share the Facebook event with them!
And as always, in order to help you get there, we will reimburse you for your mileage, and we also have a small childcare stipend ($4 per child per hour) if you need to line up a sitter. The meeting will last about an hour, and it will be followed immediately by our Great Start Collaborative board meeting. Any Parent Leaders (that's you guys!) who want to stick around for the board meeting will earn a $30 stipend for attending too, because it is so important for the organizations in the room to hear what is important to real families in the community! And if you have friends who would want to come, be sure to share the Facebook event with them!
Closing Notes
So, that's it for the January newsletter! If you have any questions about anything, you can email me at mmonroe@giresd.net or drop us a line on Facebook!
