Issue

March

2020-21 WEST DAKOTA PARENT & FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER

Strong Families Today and Tomorrow

Parent & Family Newsletter

www.westdakotaparent.org

NATIONAL READ ACROSS AMERICA DAY (DR. SEUSS DAY) Each year, National Read Across America Day is celebrated on March 2nd, the birthday of Dr. Seuss. The annual event is part of Read Across America, an initiative on reading creative by the National Education Association.

Great ways to inspire reading in children include:

• Keep books everywhere you spend time. Put them in the car, in every room of the house and tuck them in backpacks and purses. Make them easily accessible.

• Visit the library often. Knowing how to use the library and learning the benefits of a library fosters a love of reading as well as a genuine respect for the services libraries provide.

• Get caught reading. Children imitate what they see the adults around them do. Whether they see you read a magazine, newspaper or novel, let them know reading is the cool thing to do.

• Read to your children. No matter their age, reading aloud strengthens their vocabu-lary and language skills. It also opens up opportunity for discussion. Have your children read to you, too. You never know what you might learn!

Stacy Kilwein

Dickinson Public School Family Engagement Coordinator

Connecting Home and School—Parents, YOU are the HOME TEAM

The family makes critical contributions to student achievement from preschool through high school. A home environment that encour-ages learning is more important to student achievement than income, education level or cultural background. Reading achievement is more dependent on learning activities in the home than is math or science. Reading aloud to children is the most important activity that parents can do to increase their child’s chance of reading success. Talking to children about books and stories read to them also supports reading achievement. When children and parents talk regular-ly about school, children perform better aca-demically.

Three kinds of parental involvement at home are consistently associated with higher stu-dent achievement: actively organizing and moni-toring a child’s time, helping with homework and

discussing school matters. The earlier that parent involvement begins in a child’s education process, the more powerful the effects.

WINNING results of parental in-volvement include improved student achievement, reduced absenteeism, im-

proved behavior, and restored confidence among parents in their children’s schooling Involvement in your children's education is real work. But no investment in your children’s future is more important. And it’s an investment that only we can make! Make the investment and grow Home Team Winners.

Raising a Reader—Ages and Stages

Kindergarteners:

• Recognize individual letters and words • Can read and write name and some words • Use illustrations to tell a story • Can say some rhyming words that start with sounds

First-Graders:

• Recognize and know letters and sounds

• Write some small words from memory

• Can read “easy to read” books • Enjoy fairy tales, alphabet and counting Things to do:

• Read daily to your child and visit the library

• Reread the story and let her tell the ending

• Let child tell story from his drawing

Second-graders

• Take pride in showing off their reading

• Can read early reader and ‘transitional” books

Third-graders:

• Read assignments and follow directions

• Make predictions to outcome of story

• “Read between the lines” in a story

• Write beginning, middle and ending of sto-ries

Things to do:

• Follow your child’s interest • Play games that involve reading • Continue to read harder books • Get blank books for writing experience • Limit television viewing

Fourth-graders:

• Read familiar text with ease • Can tell fact from opinion • Can read silently for extended periods • Read and understand instructions/recipes Fifth-graders:

• Read for new information • Use tables of content • Use reference material • Choose to read for leisure Things to do:

• Keep reading aloud • Link movies and TV shows to books

Dickinson Sessions 2 0 2 1

Tools so that any child from a three-year-old

toddler to a rebellious teenager can learn creative cooperation and self-discipline with no loss of dignity

Do you have challenges with your children: • Having temper tantrums or don’t Listen? • Lack motivation or whine?

Use Positive Discipline to learn:

Kind and firm balance

Research-based, effective tools and techniques

Mistaken goals behind misbehaviors

Experiential exercises to empower your child

Begins Wednesday, April 7, 2021 Session: 6:00—7:30 pm

Class Size Is Limited Due to Covid!! Limited Childcare Available

Session format may change as needed

Series is FREE but registration is required by calling 456-0007

Parents and

5th Graders

Prepare your child for middle school

Resources

Tools 4 Tomorrow: parent/student activities

Parent Discussion: New topics pertaining to

middle school

Peer Connections: Students will meet and

participate in activities to assist them with their

interests and preparation for middle school.

Three week sessions: Thursday, April 8, 15, 22

Supper 5:30—6:00 pm

Session: 6:00—7:30 pm

Class Size Is Limited Due to Covid!!

Series is FREE but registration is required by calling 456-0007

Gearing Up for Middle School

Whether parenting young or not-so-young children, recovering from a divorce or separation,

or coping with the day-to-day struggles family life can bring,

When using simple Love & Logic techniques you can: Reduce the nagging and complaining

Promote thinking/decision making

Give consequences with empathy

Let kids discover what the real world is like

Put a LAUGH back into parenting

Begins Tuesday, March 9, 2021

Session: 6:00—7:30 pm Class Size Is Limited Due to Covid!!

Limited Childcare Available Session format may change as needed

Series is FREE but registration is required by calling 456-0007

Love and Logic

Positive Discipline

SIMPLE, POWERFUL

PARENTING STRATEGIES… Do you feel like you need an instructional manual to

understand your child?

YOU HAVE ONE!! IT’S YOUR CHILD…

Today’s parents are constantly pressured to be perfect. In

striving to do everything right, we could risk missing

what children really need for lifelong emotional security. Learn more about:

• providing the secure base

• providing the safe haven. Learn how to fill your child’s Emotional Cup!

Monday, March 15, 2021

Session: 6:00-7:30 pm

Class Size Is Limited Due to Covid!! Limited Childcare Available Session format may change as needed

Series is FREE but registration is required by calling 456-0007

Circle of Security

West Dakota Parent & Family Resource Center programming & newsletter funded in part by ND Dept. of Human Services— Children & Family Services,

Dickinson Public Schools, United Way of Dickinson, NDSU—Extension, the counties of Stark-Billings, Dunn, Bowman, and Golden Valley.

Stacy Kilwein—Dickinson Public Schools,

Partners in Parenting Coordinator

Homeless Services/Foster Care Liaison

and

Deb Theurer—NDSU Extension Parent

Educator/SW Coordinator 402 4th Street West

Dickinson, ND 58601

701-456-0007; 1-877-264-1142

parentresource@dpsnd.org

www.westdakotaparent.org

Newsletter funded by:

Community Resources Helping Families Locally

Strengthen A Child’s Literacy Skills With

“Wonderful Wordplay” Ask your child to say a word without the first sound. Example: “Can you say sit with the s?” (Answer: It)

Parents Forever is a program that puts parents on the path to minimizing stress for themselves and their children. Participants learn how to make informed, child-supportive decisions. As a result, children will come through separation or divorce having a positive relationship with both parents vs. feeling caught in the middle of parental conflict. Please register one week prior to class. Spots are limited.

Contact Stark/Billings Extension– 456-7665.

Zoom Classes: March 4 and 5, 2021 6 to 8 pm

(must attend both nights) May 6 and 7, 2021 6 to 8 pm

In Person: Saturday, April 10, 2021 9 am to 1 pm

Saturday, June 10, 2021 9 am to 1 pm

THE PARENT CENTER’S

Lending Library

VIDEO Review

“Parenting for Today— Who’s in Charge?” # 1006

Kids need parents, not tall pals,” says psychologist Dr. Lee Hausner who hosts this tape.

How can you prepare for the change you—and your child—will encounter? How do you stay confident? How do you han-dle discipline? Simple, effective tech-niques you can use to maintain discipline with your children, particularly in adolescence.

West Dakota Parent & Family Resource Center

Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis Center 701-225-4506

Have you ever felt unsafe?

Or are experiencing domestic violence?

DVRCC is a vital resource keeping individuals, children and families safe and can assist with basic

needs in a transitional period from the abusive situation to safety.

West Dakota Parent & Family Resource Center

Southwest Sessions West Dakota

Parent & Family Resource Center

POSITIVE DISCIPLINE

Tools so that any child from a three-year-old toddler to a rebellious teenager can learn creative coop-

eration and self-discipline with no loss of dignity

Do you have challenges with your children: • Having temper tantrums or don’t listen? • Lack motivation or whine? Use Positive Discipline to learn: Kind and firm balance Research-based, effective tools and techniques Mistaken goals behind misbehaviors Experiential exercises to empower your child

Mondays

March 8, 15, 22, 29 April 5, 12

Session: 6:00—7:30 p.m.

Where: Tot Lot Childcare-Bowman

Childcare Available

Series is FREE but registration is required by calling

West Dakota Parent & Family Resource Center at

701-456-0007 or toll free at 1-877-264-1142

or email debra.theurer@ndsu.edu

BOWMAN POSITIVE DISCIPLINE

Tools so that any child from a three-year-old toddler to a rebellious teenager can learn creative coop-

eration and self-discipline with no loss of dignity

Do you have challenges with your children: • Having temper tantrums or don’t listen? • Lack motivation or whine? Use Positive Discipline to learn: Kind and firm balance Research-based, effective tools and techniques Mistaken goals behind misbehaviors Experiential exercises to empower your child

Tuesdays

March 9, 16, 23, 30 April 6, 13

Session: 6:00—7:30 p.m.

Where: Hettinger Lutheran Church

Childcare Available

Series is FREE but registration is required by calling

West Dakota Parent & Family Resource Center at

701-456-0007 or toll free at 1-877-264-1142

or email debra.theurer@ndsu.edu

HETTINGER

NDSU does not discriminate in its programs and activities on the basis of age, color, gender expression/identity, genetic information, marital status, national origin, participation in lawful off-campus activity, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, public assistance status, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, spousal relationship to current employee, or veteran status, as applicable. Direct inquiries to Vice Provost, Title IX/ADA Coordinator, Old Main 201, (701) 231-7708,ndsu.eoaa@ndsu.edu. NDSU is an equal opportunity educator, employer and provider. Visit ndsu.edu/equity or call 701-231-7708. Requests for accommodations related to disability should be made to Deb at 701-456-0007 two weeks in advance.

The Power of Play

Children are growing up in a rapidly changing world characterized by pressure to succeed in all areas. They have less time and opportunity to play and just be kids. Even so, research confirms the importance of play in children’s development.

Physical development refines children’s gross and fine motor skills and body awareness. Social development provides rich experiences needed to learn social skills, handle exclusion

and dominance, and share power, space and ideas with others. Cognitive development improves planning skills, problem-solving abilities, academic skills,

attitudes and language development. NDSU Parenting Posts—Kindergarten-March

Distribution provided in part by Stark/Billings and Dunn County Extension Offices.

Funding for SW insert provided in part by Dept. of Human Services—Children and Family Services.

POSITIVE DISCIPLINE Tools so that any child from a three-year-old toddler to a rebellious teenager

can learn creative cooperation and self-discipline with no loss of dignity

Do you have challenges with your children:

• Having temper tantrums or don’t listen?

• Lack motivation or whine? Use Positive Discipline to learn:

Kind and firm balance

Research-based, effective tools and techniques

Mistaken goals behind misbehaviors

Experiential exercises to empower your child

BEACH

Wednesdays

April 7, 14, 21, 28 May 5, 12

Session: 6:00—7:30 p.m.

Where: Lincoln Elementary—Beach

Childcare Available

Series is FREE but registration is required by calling West

Dakota Parent & Family Resource Center at

701-456-0007 or toll free at 1-877-264-1142 or email

debra.theurer@ndsu.edu

Perhaps you remember reading the book “Caps for Sale” when you were young. Another version is title “The Hatseller and the Monkeys” by Baba Wague Diakite. Check out a copy from the library or find it on the internet. Read it together and discuss with your children how the hat seller thinks more clearly after he’s had breakfast, compliments of the monkeys.

Talk about your favorite breakfast foods. Have each family member write a menu of their favorite breakfast. How could you make that meal more nutritious? Add a glass of milk for a dairy? Juice for fruit? Add vegetables to the omelet or whole-grain bread for French toast?

See the “Life Stages” section of www.myplate.gov to learn more about nutrition needs from

infancy to older adulthood. Select a different family member’s favorite breakfast menu each week. Make it with that person and serve it for supper, lunch, brunch or whenever you can find time to share it and linger at the table. Talk about memorable family breakfasts while you enjoy your meal all together. School age and teen family members may wish to research breakfast foods in other countries. Try some of those recipes and foods to extend the fun and learning. What would you great-grandparents have eaten for their morning meal? If you feel rushed in the mornings, make ahead and freeze breakfast items such as pancakes, waffles, burritos, muffins and quick breads to name a few.