Addison County Parents

Take Me Out to the Ball Game: Life Lessons of Baseball
Spring is in the air and the 2008 baseball season has begun! Our national pastime provides numerous opportunities to connect with your children. This spring, when you're at the ballpark enjoying the game, there are many life lessons you can teach your kids - and that you can learn - from the game of baseball. (National Fatherhood Inst.)

Early Neglect Predicts Aggressive Behavior in Children
Children who are neglected before their second birthday display higher levels of aggressive behavior between ages 4 and 8. Early child neglect may be as important as child abuse for predicting aggressive behavior, researchers say. A child was considered neglected if his parents or caregivers did not provide adequate supervision or failed to meet the child’s minimum physical needs for food, clothing and shelter. (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

Database Helps Scientists and Parents
Since the Interactive Autism Network launched more than a year ago, 21,000 families have completed lengthy questionnaires, aiding researchers in finding some unexpected trends and attracting participants for more than 60 scientific studies. (Baltimore Sun)

Go direct: Interactive Autism Network

Celebrity Nurse to the Stars Gives Advice to Families on Toddler and Newborn Sleep Routine
Dee Rule, "Baby Nurse and Nanny to the Stars," has been helping families for over 18 years. She is now making the media circuit and offering free advice to parents who need answers on sleep routines. (The Baby Schedule Ruler)

Parenting provides us with the opportunity to be our best, and, when we are,
we experience our children at their best.

Vicki Hoefle
parent educator and coach

As parents, you can be so immersed in the day to day challenges of juggling work, family, and kids, that you often parent from a re-active mode instead of a pro-active mode. Replacing re-active, ineffective, and confusing discipline strategies with pro-active relationship building tools leads to dramatic results (and, it’s a lot more fun). Find out more with Parenting On Track - a program for families who are struggling and/or ready for a program with a sound philosophy and strategies that get results. www.sharedventures.net

Addison County Parent/Child Center
Middlebury 388-3171
Their mission is helping young families get the right start with the opportunity to grow up healthy, happy and productive.

Mary Johnson Children's Center offers parenting classes. Call 388-4304
Classes include: childhood literacy, sign language, caring for a child with special needs.

Middlebury Community Television broadcasts a series on child development from birth through 2 years of age. Schedule:
Channel 15 - Thursdays at 5:30 pm
Channel 16 - Mon at 10:00 am, Wed at 1:00 pm
Programs are produced by the Addison County Parent/Child Center.
For more information and program suggestions, or call 388-3171.
Visit Middlebury TV website.

Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS)
call Melanie 877-682

Vermont Agency of Human Services Department for Children and Families
800-287-0589
Their mission is to promote the social, emotional, physical and economic well being and the safety of Vermont's children and families. This is done through the provision of protective, developmental, therapeutic, probation, economic, and other support services for children and families in partnership with schools, businesses, community leaders, service providers, families, and youths statewide.
www.dcf.state.vt.us/

Vermont Agency of Human Services has an online screening tool to help you find out if you and/or your family qualify for various services, from Adult Day Services, Adoption, to WIC (Women and Infant Children). www.screendoor.vermont.gov

WomenSafe, Inc. in Middlebury 388-9180
Hotline: 802 388-4205 or 800 388-4205
A domestic/sexual violence victim advocacy organization providing: 24-hour hotline, crisis intervention, legal, medical and community advocacy, supervised visitation, support groups, outreach and education. www.womensafe.net
**WomenSafe recommends using a safe computer such as one at the local library if you think you might be in danger by visiting this site on a home computer.

Vermont Kin As Parents (VKAP) is committed to supporting relatives who are raising children, and to educate the public and community partners about the joys and difficulties these families experiences. VKAP's annual conference is for grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, and others.

Teaching and Parenting for Kindness
The ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) has a bunch of resources on how to encourage children to treat others, people and animals, with kindness. Make a point to check this out before getting a new pet.
Find out more at www.ascpca.org.

All Kinds of Minds
Millions of children struggle in school daily because of differences in learning. The causes are often unknown, specific problems can be difficult to pinpoint, and the long-term effects hard to predict. Learn how to help - and celebrate - your child with reknowned pediatrician, Dr. Mel Levine. Find out more at www.allkindsofminds.org.

One Tough Job
Being a parent is one tough job. Full of many rewards, beautiful moments, great sharing, laughs and love. But the reality of raising children today is that parents become overwhelmed, exhausted and stressed. The Massachusetts Children's Trust Fund website provides parents with expert information, tips and support so that you can be the best parent you can be.
Find out more at www.onetoughjob.org.

Mommy, Mama, Mother, Ma
If you are a blog reader or online discussion participant, you may know about the long list of discussion threads at Mothering.com. From breastfeeding to arts and crafts, it's all here. Even "single mothers who co-sleep."
Find out more at www.mothering.com/discussions.

It Takes a Village
Explore the online community and wide-range of resources online at IVillage. Desiged for women with discussion groups, interviews, fitness and food info, tons of tips, and free games to play during your coffee break.
Find out more at www.ivillage.com.

Daddy, Papa, Father, Pa
"Fatherhood is a man's most important work." Now, here's a magazine just for Pop. Online topics range from book reviews and fiction to tips from stay-at-home Dads. A nice opportunity to explore those issues you might be too shy to talk about with your children's mother or grandmother, or find company in the fellowship of other fathers.
Find out more at www.fathermag.com

Manage Morning Mayhem
Start the day friendly, not frantic. It's downright alarming how much gets accomplished before the school bell rings. If getting to 8 a.m. feels like an entire day's work, some simple a.m. strategies may be all that's necessary to put the "good" back in to your morning. (Scolastic Parents)

Your Children’s Biggest Fan
It’s great to see a mom cheering on her son’s team, or a dad smiling broadly as his daughter performs a piece at a piano recital. But sometimes parents can cross the line when encouragement turns to criticism and concern is about potential mistakes rather than likely success. All kids can feel like champions when parents make an effort to become their children’s biggest and best fans. (MVParents.com)

Getting Your Family Involved: Making Their Priorities Your Priorities
You and your wife may have different ideas of what it means to make your family a priority, and your kids may have an even different idea. The solution? Talk to them! Ask your wife what you can do to show her that your family is important. Is it playing with the kids before dinner? Having a bedtimeBush proposes keeping routine with them? The two of you can work out your schedule and her wants/needs for a happy compromise. And don't forget to ask your kids. Maybe it's most important to your son that you see his soccer games. Asking him what's important and then following through by making it happen will show him that you love him. Remember, kids spell love T-I-M-E. (National Fatherhood Institute)

Effective Communication Skills with Your Spouse
Effective communication skills are essential in all relationships, especially in your marriage. Learn five ways to help you and your spouse with your effective communication skills.

Effective communication skills are key to marital success with your spouse. What's the best effective communication skill? There isn't just one — the best way to make your marriage better and strengthen your relationship is to learn how to make the most of each of the following effective communication skills. Arguments and disputes are often caused by breakdowns in the communication process. Here is how you can strengthen your relationship with your spouse so that a marriage with arguments and disputes can be resolved through effective communication skills:

Effective communication skills in your marriage begin with keeping an open mind and reserving judgment. Never look for the "right" or "wrong" in what your spouse is saying. Remember that everyone has his or her own feelings which cannot be classified as right or wrong. Never interrupt — not only is it rude but it is selfish. Just listen.

Try to put yourself in your spouse's shoes to get a better understanding and appreciation between the two of you. Listening is the first effective communication skill. Let go of your own agenda so that you can be receptive to your spouse's point of view.

Researchers estimate that approximately 55% of what we say is delivered through non-verbal signs. Make sure you are not showing signs like frowning, rolling your eyes, crossing your arms, fidgeting or tapping your feet or fingers. Instead, give your spouse your full attention by making direct eye contact, nodding your head or making appropriate facial expressions. Keeping a calm tone in your voice is also an essential effective communication skill — it can help keep a conversation from becoming an argument.

Take the time to think before you say anything in response. Learning effective communication skills is a marathon, not a sprint. If your reaction feels more emotional than matter-of-fact, then it's always better to get more understanding than to misinterpret what your spouse means.

When responding, let your partner know you heard what they said by restating what was said, such as "So, you are saying you feel..." Don't be upset if your spouse tells you that you have misunderstood; if this happens, look at it as an opportunity to learn more about your spouse and then you can put your effective communication skills to good use.

In order to use effective communication skills, it is important to understand that men and women communicate differently. Men often share because they want to give information or solve a problem. Women tend to talk to connect with someone or to get information. Women usually talk more about relationships than men. Men are often more concerned about details than women. It is crucial to keep these differences in mind to reduce long-term frustration and instead build understanding.

By working on these effective communication skills, you and your loving partner will be on the road to a more successful relationship with fewer arguments and hurt feelings. You'll understand what makes each other "tick" and get to know each other on a deeper level through effective communication skills.