FROM OUR FAMILY TO YOURS MUSCATINE COMMUNITY YMCA

Family Program Services Newsletter

April, May, June

2020

Join us for Blue Out Day April 3, 2020 is Blue Out Day in Muscatine County

Take a photo of your family, business, organization or yourself wearing blue and post the picture to Facebook using the hashtag:

#greatchildhoodsmuscatine

Together we can create Great Childhoods! This April, all around Muscatine, you’ll be seeing blue in an effort to bring awareness to the causes and effects of child abuse, and what we can all do to keep kids safe and healthy in our community.

Pinwheel Bouquets Throughout April, you will see Pinwheel Bouquets on display at various businesses and organizations to remind us that all children deserve a great childhood! You can even make one yourself in your yard or garden.

Muscatine Rocks– Literally! Join us in April as we celebrate the joy of childhood by creating, hiding, and finding rocks with images and messages celebrating the fun of childhood. Get creative and share pictures on Facebook using the same hashtag:

#greatchildhoodsmuscatine

Child Sexual Abuse Community Forum

April 9, 2020—6:30-8:00pm

Please join us for this informative community discussion on Child Sexual Abuse. We will be learning how our local law enforcement processes child sexual abuse reports, the frequency of these reports, internet child sexual abuse, and methods parents can use to reduce the risk for their children to become victims of sexual abuse.

Presented by:

Detective John Hessling Muscatine Police Department

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month

FAMILY PROGRAM SERVICES: Program Staff

Tasha Anderson

Daniela Artola

Donna Berger

Bill Dyar

Julie Echevarria

Emmalee Havel

Samantha Kerr

Executive Director

Bret Olson

Program Director

Diana Broderson

Program Staff

Tim Miller

Chrissy Nations

Cindy Ochoa

Rachel Sulzberger

Lindsay Thomas

Araceli Vasquez

Jessica Whitlock

April 3rd!

Upcoming Workshops and Events

April 3—Blue Out Day—Wear blue to support #greatchildhoodsmuscatine

April 8—Mississippi Valley Child Protection Center/Rebecca Valladares (6:30-8:00pm)

April 9—Child Sexual Abuse Community Forum/Detective John Hessling MPD (6:30-8:00pm)

April 10—Mississippi Valley Child Protection Center/Kadie McCory (10:00-11:45am)

April 16—Foods and Chemicals/Vera Stokes ISU University Extension (6:30-8:00pm)

May 13—Infant and Toddler Nutrition/Vera Stokes ISU University Extension (6:30-8:00pm)

May 15—Healthy and Homemade/Vera Stokes ISU University Extension (10:00-11:45am)

May 21—Family First Aid/Mel Steckel HPS Muscatine Community YMCA (6:30-8:00pm)

May 22—Family First Aid/Mel Steckel HPS Muscatine Community YMCA (10:00-11:45am)

June 18—Volunteerism/Nichole Sorgenfrey United Way of Muscatine (6:30-8:00pm)

June 19—Volunteerism/Nichole Sorgenfrey United Way of Muscatine (10:00-11:45am)

Myth: There’s nothing for kids to do in Muscatine!

Fact: There’s a ton of youth and teen programs at the Muscatine YMCA!

April 14, 2020 9:00—10:30 a.m. Family Restaurant

April 28, 2020

1:00—2:30 p.m. Peking

May 12, 2020

9:00—10:30 a.m. Red Berry

May 26, 2020

1:00—2:30 p.m. El Allende

June 9, 2020

9:00—10:30 a.m. Happy Joe’s

June 23, 2020

1:00—2:30 p.m. Pizza Ranch

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren April May June 2020

www.Muscatiney.org dbroderson@muscatiney.org

“Like” us on Facebook www.facebook.com/muscatiney www.facebook.com/familyprogramservices

APRIL is

Child Abuse Prevention Month.

Thank you for all that you do to protect children!

Family Program Services Muscatine Community YMCA 1823 Logan P.O. Box 978

Muscatine, IA 52761 563-263-9996 telephone

dbroderson@muscatiney.org

Visit www.Grandfamilies.org and sign up for the quarterly newsletter, The Grand Voice and keep updated on grandfamilies news.

Grandfamilies or kinship families are families in which children reside with and are being raised by grandparents, other extended family members, and adults with whom they have a close family-like relationship such as godparents and close family friends. About 7.8 million children across the country live in households headed by grandparents or other relatives. About 2.5 million grandparents report they are responsible for their grandchildren’s needs. In about a third of these homes neither of the children’s parents are in the home. Despite facing many barriers, research shows that the children in grandfamilies thrive. Caregivers also experience benefits like an increased sense of purpose in life. www.grandfamilies.org

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

All topics

marked with a blue

ribbon are specifically related to

Child Abuse Prevention

1 Teen Parents

5:30-7:00pm

Parenting

First Steps 6:30-8:00pm

Positive Discipline

2 Moments for

Moms 6:30-8:00pm

Positive Discipline

3 Mujeres Latinas

9:30-11:45am Positive

Discipline

Blue Out Day

4

Kids’ Night Out at the

YMCA

Check the Program for

more information!

5

6

7 Dad’s Group

6-7:30pm-MCSA

8 Teen Parents

5:30-7:00pm

Parenting

First Steps

6:30-8:00pm

Child Protection

Center

9 Moments for

Moms 6:30-8:00pm Child Sexual

Abuse Community

Forum

10 Mujeres Latinas

9:30-11:45am Child Protection

Center

NO School Day

11

12

Happy Easter!

13

14 GRG

9-10:30am Family Rest.

Dad’s Group

6-7:30pm–MCSA

15 Teen Parents

5:30-7:00pm

Parenting

First Steps

6:30-8:00pm

Screen Times

16 Moments for

Moms 6:30-8:00pm

Foods and Chemicals

Vera Stokes

17 Mujeres Latinas

9:30-11:45am Budgeting

for Emergencies

18

19

20

21 Dad’s Group

6-7:30pm-MCSA

22 Teen Parents

5:30-7:00pm

Parenting

First Steps

6:30-8:00pm

Types

Child Abuse

23 Moments for

Moms 6:30-8:00pm

Types of Child Abuse

24 Mujeres Latinas

9:30-11:45am Types of

Child Abuse

25

Little Run-A-Thon

at the YMCA

26 27

28 GRG

1-2:30pm Peking

Dad’s Group

6-7:30pm-MCSA

29 Teen Parents

5:30-7:00pm

Parenting

First Steps

6:30-8:00pm

Budgeting for

Emergencies

30 Moments for

Moms 6:30-8:00pm

Budgeting for

Emergencies

APRIL

#greatchildhoodsmuscatine

www.pcaiowa.org

Ideas for conversations in the car with your children #Describe a favorite childhood memory #Share a story about a special person to you #Talk about a treasured family tradition #Ask about the best/worst part of their day #Ask what they learned or found interesting today #Ask what they are looking forward to this week

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1

Mujeres

Latinas

9:30-11:45am

Bedtime

Routines

2

3

4

Screen-Free

Week

May 4-10

5

Dad’s Group

6-7:30pm-MCSA

6

Teen Parents

5:30-7:00pm

Bonding

First Steps

6:30-8:00pm

Active Parenting

7

Moments for

Moms

6:30-8:00pm

Building

Your

Savings

8

Mujeres

Latinas

9:30-11:45am

Appropriate

Child

Expectations

9

10

Happy

Mother’s

Day!!

11

12

GRG

9-10:30am

Red Berry

Dad’s Group

6-7:30pm–MCSA

13

Teen Parents

5:30-7:00pm

Bonding

First Steps

6:30-8:00pm

Infant/Toddler

Nutrition

14

Moments for

Moms

6:30-8:00pm

25 Ways to be a

loving parent

15

Mujeres

Latinas

9:30-11:45am

Healthy and

Homemade

16

17

18

19

Dad’s Group

6-7:30pm-MCSA

20

Teen Parents

5:30-7:00pm

Bonding

First Steps

6:30-8:00pm

Active Parenting

21

Moments for

Moms

6:30-8:00pm

Family

First Aid

22

Mujeres

Latinas

9:30-11:45am

Family

First Aid

23

24

Congratulations

Graduates!

25

YMCA

Memorial

26

GRG

1-2:30pm

El Allende

Dad’s Group

6-7:30pm-MCSA

27

Teen Parents

5:30-7:00pm

Bonding

First Steps

6:30-8:00pm

Active Parenting

28

Moments for

Moms

6:30-8:00pm

Words every child

needs to hear

29

Mujeres

Latinas

9:30-11:45am

Group Rules

30

7 Special Traditions to Honor Heroes with Your Kids on Memorial Day Weekend

1. Spend a quiet moment together—observe a moment of remembrance at 3 p.m.

2. Take part in a parade—attend a local parade or watch a Memorial Day parade on television.

3. Send a note of thanks—write and hand deliver a note of thanks to active or retired military.

4. Pay your respects—go to a cemetery or memorial and take park in the ceremonies.

5. Read, watch, and learn—read about heroes, watch a documentary series, go to the Library.

6. Make art—print a free Medal of Honor Coloring Book or draw pictures of the U.S. flag.

7. Brighten someone’s day—deliver care packages to a hospital or visit an elderly living facility.

Amy Lynch

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1

2

Dad’s Group

6-7:30pm-MCSA

3

Teen Parents

5:30-7:00pm

Relationships

First Steps

6:30-8:00pm

Active Parenting

Last Day School

4

Moments for

Moms

6:30-8:00pm

Importance of

Family Mealtime

5

Mujeres

Latinas

9:30-11:45am

Community

Resources

6

7

8

9

GRG

9-10:30am

Happy Joe’s

Dad’s Group

6-7:30pm-MCSA

10

Teen Parents

5:30-7:00pm

Relationships

First Steps

6:30-8:00pm

Active Parenting

11

Moments for

Moms

6:30-8:00pm

Effective

Communication

12

Mujeres

Latinas

9:30-11:45am

Effective

Communication

13

14 15

16

Dad’s Group

6-7:30pm–MCSA

Lip Sync

Battle

Missipi Brew

17

Teen Parents

5:30-7:00pm

Relationships

First Steps

6:30-8:00pm

Active Parenting

18

Moments for

Moms

6:30-8:00pm

Volunteerism

19

Mujeres

Latinas

9:30-11:45am

Volunteerism

20

21

Happy

Father’s

Day!!

22

23

GRG

1-2:30pm

Pizza Ranch

Dad’s Group

6-7:30pm-MCSA

24

Teen Parents

5:30-7:00pm

Relationships

First Steps

6:30-8:00pm

Meal Planning

25

Moments for

Moms

6:30-8:00pm

Age Appropriate

Discipline

26

Mujeres

Latinas

9:30-11:45am

Importance of

Family Mealtime

27

28 29 30

Dad’s Group

6-7:30pm–MCSA

J.U.N.E. J- Jumping and screaming at the start of each day

U- Uniting the hot and windless play

N- New paves we stray and click moments that forever stay

E- Encouraging the other to sit and chat, every day in JUNE is just

like that. unknown

JUNE

Have a Birthday Party at the YMCA

Birthday Parties are available for booking on Saturdays and Sundays from 12-2pm.

Each party package includes a party room, at least one activity, and Party Specialist!

Contact the YMCA at least two weeks (30+ days recommended) before your event.

Birthday Party Packages to choose from: 1. Pool + Gym Party (ages 1 and up) 2. Adventure Ctr + Gym Pty (ages 2-8)

3. Spectacular Sports, Arty Party, Mad Scientist, or Make Over Madness (K-5th Grade).

Call 563-263-9996 for more information!

Family Program Services Weekly Groups: Teens as Parents: This group is for parents who are 19 years of age and younger. Moms and dads are welcome to attend. This is an opportunity for

teen parents to meet and gain support from others in similar situations.

Dad’s Group: Especially for fathers, this group covers the “24/7 Dad” curriculum, focusing on dad’s role in parenting and caregiving.

A child support forgiveness option is available for fathers who graduate from this 8-week course.

First Steps: This group is for moms and dads parenting children birth-elementary school. Parenting education topics are offered as well as support for

individual needs. “Active Parenting” is one of the curriculums used, along with other resources and knowledgeable speakers from the community.

Moments for Moms: This group is for moms parenting children middle-high school. Talk with others about child rearing, working, and childcare, along

with topics specific to raising pre-teens and adolescents.

Mujeres Latinas: Un programa para mujeres que hablan espanol. Educacion para madres en la lengua familiar. Cuidado para los ninos es gratis.

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: This is a bi-monthly support group for people raising or caring for their grandchildren or other relative’s

children. This group provides support/information on community resources pertaining to the specific needs of Grandparents in these situations.

Parenting Skills Study Group: 6-week class using “Active Parenting” Curriculum. Class is offered on an individual basis. Call the Y for an appointment.

Turn off the TV, unplug from your

electronic devices, and tune into your family

during Screen FREE Week!

Some Alternatives to TV:

Learn to play a musical instrument. Put together a puzzle.

Visit the library. Go ice skating or roller skating.

Visit the zoo. Paint a picture, a mural or a room.

Attend a high school sporting event. Go swimming. Join a community swim team. Read a book aloud to your younger sibling. Volunteer for a community organization.

Play with your pet. Write a letter to a friend or relative.

Learn to cook. Read magazines or newspapers.

Plan a slumber party. Start a neighborhood basketball game.

Go camping (even if it's just in the backyard!). Start a diary/journal.

Go to a museum. Play cards.

Research your family history. Go listen to a local band.

Make crafts to give as gifts. Make up a story and write it down.

Learn to say simple phrases in a new language. Learn some new riddles or jokes.

Bake a batch of cookies for a neighbor.

May 4-10, 2020 Visit www.screenfree.org

Handwashing 101

Handwashing is one of the most effective means to reduce the spread of infectious disease. It also helps protect against food borne illness outbreaks. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately half of all food borne illness outbreaks is due to people not washing their hands properly.

To properly wash your hands, follow these steps:

1. Wet hands to help loosen dirt, oil, and germs.

2. Apply soap to remove the dirt, oil, and germs from hands.

3. Rub your hands together for 15 to 20 seconds to make sure all parts of both hands are washed. Don’t forget about cleaning around your fingernails, which are ideal for trapping dirt and germs.

4. Rinse off all the soap and loosened dirt from the hands under running water.

5. Dry your hands with a clean, dry towel or by using a hand dryer.

Article provided by: Vera Stokes, Human Sciences Nutrition & Wellness Specialist with Iowa State

University Extension

For more information: Visit http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm508450.htm

Source: Adapted from Words on Wellness Newsletter, July 2013, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach

Teen Parents Group Being a teen is tough. So is being a parent. If you’re doing both at the same time, you

have to face some very difficult challenges. As a teen parent – whether you’re a

mom or a dad—you are now in charge of raising a happy, healthy child, all while

figuring out school, work, your future, and teenage life. Every teen parent has a

different path and different challenges. We want to help support you in your goal to

be a great parent and fulfill the other dreams and goals you have chosen.

Teen Parent Group meets every Wednesday night from 5:30-7:00

Childcare and transportation are provided.

This quarter topics will continue to address:

April—Fundamental Parenting Skills: Comforting, Nutrition, Routines, Health

May—Bonding with Your Child: Attachment, Self-Esteem, Play, Nurturing

June—Relationships & Personal Well Being: Support, Conflict, Interaction, Goals