Montana Grandparents Raising

Grandchildren Project

April 2018 Volume 15 Issue 1

Peggy Callantine:

Montana State Representative to GrAND

Peggy Callantine’s resume is extensive; legal secretary, respiratory therapist, nurse, home

health care director, hospice administrator, staff/patient advocate, CIA employee in the

Nixon/Agnew White House. Her latest post was not as highly anticipated however, as were her retirement

plans with her husband. She was three years into her retirement and on her way to Arizona, when she got a

call from her estranged daughter requesting her to come and pick up her two grandchildren in a nearby

state. At the time, Peggy says that she didn’t know her young grandchildren well. Her proposed visits had

been previously ignored or refused altogether by her daughter. Six months following the rescue of their

grandchildren, Peggy and her husband were granted full guardianship. A report of neglect was filed and

signed willingly by her daughter (who had again moved to a new location), so that the children would have no

further contact with their mom. Having successfully weathered the challenging court process, Peggy was then

faced with yet another challenging situation– parenting two small children.

“I needed support so badly!” Once I was connected to the Grandparents raising Grandchildren group

in Bozeman, the group and it’s participants became very important to me! It was so beneficial to hear what

other people were going through and be able to share my own experiences as well.” Peggy is now a co-leader

of the Bozeman GRG.

Last September, Peggy attended a Helena hosted GRG (local contacts/ facilitator’s, and state

partner’s meeting) featuring Ana Beltran, the Washington D.C. based special advisor for Generations United.

It was at this meeting that Peggy became especially interested in the Grandfamilies Advocacy Network

Demonstration known as GrAND. GrAND is made up of a select group of grandparents and kinship caregivers

from across the U.S. who serve as advocates and provide feedback to state senators and other government

agencies. Due in part to the encouragement of six or more supporters, Peggy applied as the Montana

representative. She is already excited to see some big changes such as the Families First Services Act which

was signed into law February 9, 2018.. Families First Services Act “redirects funds to provide services to

keep children safely with their families and out of foster care and when foster care is needed, it allows

federal reimbursement for care in family based settings and certain residential treatment programs for

children with emotional and behavioral disturbance, requiring special

treatment.” (www.childrensdefense.org)

A portion of the twenty million dollars allocated to this program, will be

used to address the opioid/ substance abuse crisis having a profound impact on

GRG, kinship, and foster families. Peggy believes that this will provide great

opportunities for Montana families to benefit from the available grant dollars.

Montana is already among the top ten states credited with providing the

best support for grandfamilies. As long as committed and involved grandfamilies,

like Peggy Callantine’s, have a part, that will continue. Her words of advice for new

grandparents raising grandchildren: “Ask, call, seek advice, and find out about all

available resources. Too many times we deal with fallout during crisis when

prevention is really the best way to keep families together”.

By Kelly Moore

MSU/Missoula County Family and Consumer Sciences

Page 3

Montana GRG Project

PARENTING IN A DIGITAL AGE By Tracey Robecker

(Bozeman Support Group Leader)

I recently attended a lecture by Dr.

Mitchell Vaterlaus, Assistant Professor of

Human Development and Family Science at

Montana State University, on the subject of

digital parenting. According to Pew Research

Journal, 88% of U.S. teens, between the ages

of 13 and 17, have a cell phone. Ninety-two

percent of the teens report being on-line every

day and 24% say that they are on-line

continuously. Common concerns related to

children and teens use of technology, includes exposure to harmful or inappropriate content, risk of on-

line predators, and increased negative impacts on communication and social skills. Technology also

provides benefits, such as connecting long distance family members, increasing child safety through

improved tracking devices, and providing educational tools. Dr. Vaterlaus stated, “If parents know how to

use the technology and understand why teens are using it, they can talk to them in a more adult way

about it which will help them to monitor their use much more effectively. However, parents often

underestimate their ability to do this which undermines their efforts to monitor and effectively parent in

this area.”

When teens were asked what they wanted from their parents, they overwhelmingly said they

wanted their parents to be the parents and set up rules and boundaries for their technology use. The first

step is establish open communication within the family about technology. Starting a discussion with your

child about why and how they are using technology is essential. Parents should also assess their own

digital habits in order to make sure that they are setting a healthy example. One habit parents can model

is to enforce the “no cellphones, tablets, or computers during dinner” rule. Parents should involve kids in

the process of developing strategies and setting up rules for technology use. If they have something new

they would like to try out, parents should suggest learning about it together and try to choose strategies

that will actually work. Trusted friends and professionals can be called on to help create an action plan.

There are also many helpful online resources. Finally, it is crucial to follow up so that the effectiveness of

action plans can be determined.

All families are unique and what works well for one child may not work well for another.

Understanding how and why teens are using technology, creating strategies through open

communication, modeling behaviors, and monitoring effectiveness can allow families to enjoy the

benefits of technology while minimizing the risks.

For more information:

Vaterlaus, J.M. ,Beckert, T.E. , Tulane, S.& Bird, C.V. (2014).”They Always ask What I’m Doing and Who I’m Talking To :Parental mediation of

adolescent interactive technology use.” Marriage and Family Review, 50:8, 692-713.

http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01494929.2014.938795

Pew Research Center 2015 Teens Social Media and Technology Overview

http:www.pewinternet.org/2015/04/09/teens-social-media-technology-2015/

www.montanagrandparents.org

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Page 4

Montana GRG Project

www.montanagrandparents.org

Food &

Nutrition

Ingredients:

1 3/4 c. cooked garbanzo beans or 1 (15 oz. can) rinsed & drained.

2 med. garlic cloves minced

1 1/2 T. lemon juice

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 T. olive or veg. oil

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1/2 c. plain yogurt

Directions:

1. Use blender or food processor. Combine garbanzo beans, garlic, lem-

on juice, cumin, oil, salt, and pepper. Blend on low speed until beans

are mashed or smooth (depending on preference).

2. Stir in yogurt with spoon.

3. Refrigerate for several hrs. or overnight so that flavors blend.

4. Serve with whole wheat pita chips, whole grain crackers, or fresh veg-

gies.

This material is provided by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. For more tips

l ike this, visit the Spend Smart. Eat Smart. Website.

http://tinyurl.com/c59523

-Find more food-related fun at https://www.choosemyplate.gov/

AFTER SCHOOL HUMUS

Page 5

Montana GRG Project

www.montanagrandparents.org

Spotlight Resource: Strengthening Families

Month 2018

April is Strengthening Families Month, also known as

Child Abuse & Neglect Prevention Month. Join us to

promote the safety and well-being of Montana's kids and

the value of child abuse prevention. Programs throughout

Montana are hosting activities to help strengthen families during the month

of April. To learn about what is going on in your community, check out

statewide events at http://dphhs.mt.gov/childrenstrustfund/

preventionmonth/preventionmonth-calendar

Resources

& Services

Go Blue Every Monday!

-Show your support of Montana Families and

prevention work by wearing blue throughout April!

-You can also follow Montana Children’s Trust

fund and share your selfies on our Facebook page

at https://www.facebook.com/mtchildrenstrust using #GOBLUE!

Have fun coloring a pinwheel!

-Here is the link to the Pinwheel Coloring Sheet

http://dphhs.mt.gov/Portals/85/

childrenstrustfund/documents/April%202017/

PINWHEELColoringSheet.pdf

Attend the Child Abuse & Neglect Conference For more information go to:

http://dphhs.mt.gov/CFSD/CANConference

Participate in Blue Sunday, April 29, 2018

-Include Blue Sunday in your service with a theme

of strengthening families to honor victims of child

abuse and neglect and those who protect them.

-Take up a collection for the CTF to help strengthen families across Montana.

-Make and display blue pinwheels, the symbol of a

happy childhood, at your church or throughout

your community. Here is a link to a Sunday School

craft project http://dphhs.mt.gov/Portals/85/

childrenstrustfund/documents/April%202017/

FINALSundaySchoolPinwheels.pdf

-Post a calendar of family-friendly activities available in your community.

-Host a get-together or game night for local

families.

-Train staff and volunteers about the signs of child

abuse and neglect.

Visit the National Child Abuse Prevention Month

website: https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/

preventing/preventionmonth

-Learn how to strengthen families using

Protective Factors https://www.childwelfare.gov/

topics/preventing/preventionmonth/resources/resource-guide

-Give tip sheets found, at the following link, to

parents and caregivers: https://

www.childwelfare.gov/topics/preventing/

preventionmonth/resources/tip-sheets

-Post to your website to Child Abuse Prevention

Month widgets to help promote the campaign https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/preventing/

month2017prevention/spread-the-word/widget/

-View the prevention video gallery https://

www.childwelfare.gov/topics/preventing/

preventionmonth/spread-the-word/video-gallery,

which features the “Building Community, Building

Hope” series. Share the videos via email and social media to raise awareness among your

networks.

-Help raise public awareness about child abuse

prevention and child well-being in your

community. Spread the word, create interest, and

urge those in your network to get involved! These

outreach tools can support your outreach and

social media activities: https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/preventing/

preventionmonth/spread-the-word/outreach-

materials

Page 6

Montana GRG Project

www.montanagrandparents.org

Resources

& Services

Spotlight Resource: Upcoming Events

Grand Cares: Caring for Grandfamilies

A new series of Grand Cares workshops is com-

ing to an area near you!

Call 406-994-3395 for more information.

Family Activity in Honor of Earth Day,

April 22, 2018

Thank You, Grandparents

For more family fun, create your own word

searches from books you’ve read together.

Blaine County—Harlem &

Fort Belknap Indian Reservation

Barbara Skoyen, RN

(406) 353-3157

MSU Extension

(406) 353-2656

Big Horn County—Hardin

Holly Jay

MSU Extension

(406) 665-9772

Cascade County—Great Falls

Katrin Finch

MSU Extension

(406) 454-6980

Tammy Phelps

Family Connections

(406) 761-6010

Chouteau County—Ft. Benton

Janell Barber

MSU Extension

(406) 622-3036

Dawson County—Glendive

Family Life Institute

(406) 939-5591

Fergus County—Lewistown

Denise Seilstad

MSU Extension

(406) 535-3919

Flathead County—Kalispell

Kalie Andoretti

The Nurturing Center, Inc.

(406) 756-1414

Gallatin County—Bozeman

MSU Extension Family &

Human Development

(406) 994-3395

grg@montana.edu

Glacier County—Browning &

Blackfeet Indian Reservation

Carrie Bear Chief-Evans

Eagle Shield Center

(406) 338-7257

Hill County—Havre

Jasmine Carbajal

MSU Extension

(406) 265-5481

Hill County—Rocky Boys

Indian Reservation

Mary St. Pierre

Stone Child College &

MSU Extension

(406) 395-4875

Lake County—Ronan &

Flathead Indian Reservation

Nori Pearce

MSU Extension

(406) 676-4271

Lincoln County—Troy

Jennifer Higgins

WF Morrison Elementary

(406) 295-4321

Missoula County—Missoula

Kelly Moore

MSU Extension

(406)258-4206

Pondera County—Conrad

Wendy Wedum

MSU Extension

(406) 271-4052

Ravalli County—Hamilton &

Bitterroot Valley

Jo Ann Wilson

(406) 926-1711

MSU Extension

(406) 375-6611

Richland County—Sidney

Carrie Krug

MSU Extension

(406) 433-1206

Roosevelt County—Culbertson

Ardis Oelkers

MSU Extension

(406) 787-5312

Roosevelt County—Fort Peck

Indian Reservation

Carol Bemer

(406) 768-2430

Rosebud County—Forsyth

Jennifer Anderson

MSU Extension

(406) 346-7320

Rosebud County—Lame Deer

& Northern Cheyenne

Indian Reservation

Kay Medicine Bull

Boys & Girls Club of the

Northern Cheyenne Nation

(406) 477-6654

Sanders County— Thompson Falls

Juli Thurston

MSU Extension

(406) 827-6934

Silver Bow County— Butte

Brenda Hergott

Butte 4-C’s

(406) 723-4019

1-800-794-4061

Stillwater County—Columbus

Lisa Terry

MSU Extension

(406) 322-8035

Teton County—Choteau

Jane Wolery

MSU Extension

(406) 466-2491

Valley County—Glasgow

Roubie Younkin

MSU Extension

(406) 228-6239

Yellowstone County—Billings

Jackie Rumph

MSU Extension

(406) 256-2828

Grandfamily Support Contacts Across Montana—By County

Page 7 www.montanagrandparents.org

You can find many more parenting

resources and Montguides on the MSU

Extension Family & Human Development

website:

http://msuextension.org/family/

Montana State University Extension is an ADA/

EO/AA Veteran’s Preference Employer and

provider of educational outreach.

www.msuextension.org

Contact Us

MSU Extension, Family & Human Development

316 Herrick Hall

PO Box 173540

Bozeman, MT 59717-3540

Non-Profit

Organization

US Postage Paid

Permit #69

Bozeman, MT

59715

Montana

Grandparents

Raising

Grandchildren

Project

“Call it a clan, call it a network,

call it a tribe, call it a family.

Whatever you are, whoever you are,

you need one.” ~Jane Howard

316 Herrick Hall

PO Box 173540

Bozeman, MT 59717-3540

grg@montana.edu

(406) 994-3395

www.montanagrandparents.org