Child Care of the Berkshires, Inc.

Family Times Newsletter Published by the Family Resource Center

December 2013

Directory Family Resource Center

413 664-4821

Amy Hall ext. 15

Mary Jo Belanger ext. 18

Sandra King ext. 12

Chiara Noetzel ext.13

Claire LaMere ext. 11

Melissa Zepka ext. 16

Bethany Prince ext. 10

Healthy Families

North Adams: 664-6104

Becky Krysiak ext. 40

Kathy Rufo-Zdon ext. 33

Amanda Hart ext. 36

Ann Monti ext. 38

Alicianna Kocsis ext. 37

Pittsfield: 445-4324

Becky Krysiak ext. 15

Ann Monti ext. 20

Tujuna Powell ext.12

Aurelina Peguero ext. 21

Colleen Leitch ext. 14

Tiffany Sermini ext. 17

210 State Street PO Box 172 North Adams, MA 01247 www.ccberkshire.org

Lego Club in December

Tuesday, December 10, Time: 3:30‐4:30

Place: The basement level of the Adams Library (enter

through the main entrance).

Thank you to parent, Shannon Barrett, who volunteers to

facilitate this group. This group is for families with children ages 4 to 8 years old. It is a drop in group, no need

to register. The group will resume in

January 2014 on January 14th and 28th.

Stress Busters:

Taking Care of Ourselves

Thursday, December 12,

5:30‐6:30 at Haskins Center,

North Adams. Presented by Rachelle Aloha

Smith, MSW, a holistic, strengths‐based

Educator, Mentor & Healer, whose workshops

are designed to provide practical information,

tools and experiences that promote relaxation

and inner peace. As parents, we are always

taking care of others– this stress free workshop

will concentrate on ways to nurture ourselves to

live a healthy life. Learn simple ways to relieve

and reduce stress. Treat yourself and join us!

Everyone who attends will receive a surprise,

stress reducing gift.

Child care and transportation available if

needed. Call 664‐4821 to register.

Please join us Friday, December 20th to celebrate the Winter Solstice! Our celebration begins at 10:30 a.m.

There will be special winter activities, stories, songs, and snack. We will have a noisy parade with homemade instruments to scare the darkness away!

Space is limited. To register please call 664‐4821.

The FRC will be closed for the Holidays on December 24th and 25th. There are no Play and Learn Groups starting December 24 to

January 3rd.

The Family Resource Center

Clothing Exchange is in need

of gently used winter coats and winter clothing donations

in Sizes Birth to Size 10. Please drop off donations to the FRC at Child Care of the Berkshires, 210 State Street, North Adams- lower

level office. Thank You!

Culture Festival coming in 2014

The Family Resource Center is planning a Culture Festival: Our Big World

A celebration of our families’ diverse cultures and traditions. We are looking for individuals or families to share customs, games, toys, stories, songs or anything else that would help children learn about different cultures. Please call Sandra at

664‐4821 x 12 if you would like to be part of this event.

Useful Numbers: Berkshire Housing 1‐800‐248‐9002 Berkshire Works 413‐663‐1114

Domestic Violence Hotline 1‐800‐401‐2425

Mental Health Crisis 1‐800‐252‐0227

North Adams Housing Authority 663‐5379

Friendship Food Pantry 664‐0123

United Cerebral Palsy 413‐664‐9345

Berkshire Community Action 413‐663‐3014

The Salvation Army 413‐663‐7987

Parental Stress Hotline 1‐800‐632‐8188 Poison Control 1‐800‐222‐1222

Community Legal Aid 413‐664‐4531

N. B.Community Coalition 413‐663‐7588

ECU‐Health Care 413‐663‐8711

Berkshire Food Project 413‐664‐7378

Family Resource Center

Parent Recognition Award

Lynette Bond, a parent who has participated

in Family Resource Center programming for

the past five years, has been awarded a

Parent Recognition Award by the

Massachusetts Children’s Trust. Lynette was

nominated due to her dedication as a parent

and community member for making the

Northern Berkshire area a healthy place for children.

Lynette has been an active member of the FRC Parent

Advisory Committee, she has helped in the Clothing

Exchange and with the Family Times newsletter mailing.

She took the lead in advocating for the City of North

Adams to have smoke‐free playgrounds. Lynette accepted

the Parent Recognition Award from Suzin Bartley, the

Executive Director of the Children’s Trust at the View From

All Sides conference in Marlboro, MA on November 6th.

Looking for Help with a Community Resource?

Call Bethany at the Family Resource Center at

664‐4821 ext. 10.

Community Events Holiday Walk in Williamstown Saturday, December 7th

Starting on Spring Street at 3 pm, the Williamstown Holiday Walk is a family‐friendly

annual event for all ages. Santa will be there for the festivities and hot cocoa will be provided. Other

activities include raffles, horse‐drawn carriage rides and musical groups performing throughout the

evening.

No Smoking Campaign In the News On November 14 , The Family Resource Center, Parents, and local Tobacco

Education programs as well as Mayor Alcombright and City of North Adams

DPH officials gathered for a media event to celebrate the No Smoking in

Playgrounds Regulations and Signs. The event brought awareness to the new no smoking ban on city property,

playgrounds or at city events. Thank you to parents Lynette Ritland Bond, Shelley Daly, Michele Harris and Shannon Barrett for your participation

and support for this important issue.

PINE CONE BIRD FEEDERS:

1 Medium to large pine cone 10 inch piece of string/yarn 1 cup of cornmeal 1 cup vegetable shortening (Crisco) 1 cup of bird seed 1. Take string tie to the end of the pine cone 2. Mix cornmeal and shortening together in a bowl 3. Spread mixture over pine cone 4. Roll the coated pine cone in a pan of bird seed Until fully covered 5. Hang outside a window to feed and watch the birds!

Note: Peanut Butter can be substituted for Crisco and corn meal.

The Berkshire Museum

Festival of Trees 2013

This year’s theme is “Yesterday, Today and

Tomorrow”.

The exhibit features rooms full of beautifully decorated trees by local

businesses and groups.

The Berkshire Museum is located at 39 South Street, (Route 7) Pittsfield , MA

Call The Family Resource Center at 413‐664‐4821 to borrow a museum pass for your trip.

10 Things Every Parent Should Know about Play

1. Children learn through their play. Don’t underestimate the value of play. Children learn and develop: ~Cognitive skills – like math and problem solving in a pretend grocery store. ~Physical abilities – like balancing blocks and running on the playground. ~New vocabulary – like the words they need to play with toy dinosaurs. ~Social skills – like playing together in a pretend car wash. ~Literacy skills – like creating a menu for a pretend restaurant. 2. Play is healthy. Play helps children grow strong and healthy. It also counteracts obesity issues facing many children today. 3. Play reduces stress. Play helps your children grow emotionally. It is joyful and provides an outlet for anxiety and stress. 4. Play is more than meets the eye. Play is simple and complex. There are many types of play: symbolic, sociodramatic, functional, and games with rules-–to name just a few. Researchers study play’s many aspects: how children learn through play, how outdoor play impacts children’s health, the effects of screen time on play, to the need for recess in the school day. 5. Make time for play. As parents, you are the biggest supporters of your children’s learning. You can make sure they have as much time to play as possible during the day to promote cognitive, language, physical, social, and emotional development. 6. Play and learning go hand-in-hand. They are not separate activities. They are intertwined. Think about them as a science lecture with a lab. Play is the child’s lab. 7. Play outside. Remember your own outdoor experiences of building forts, playing on the beach, sledding in the winter, or playing with other children in the neighborhood. Make sure your children create outdoor memories too. 8. There’s a lot to learn about play. There’s a lot written on children and play. Here is a link to some NAEYC articles and books about play. David Elkind’s The Power of Play (Da Capo, 2007 reprint) is also a great resource. http://www.naeyc.org/play

9. Trust your own playful instincts. Remember as a child how play just came naturally? Give your children time for play and see all that they are capable of when given the opportunity. 10. Play is a child’s context for learning. Children practice and reinforce their learning in multiple areas during play. It gives them a place and a time for learning that cannot be achieved through completing a worksheet. For example, in playing restaurant, children write and draw menus, set prices, take orders, and make out checks. Play provides rich learning opportunities and leads to children’s success and self-esteem. By Laurel Bongiorno, PhD, director of Champlain College’s graduate program in early childhood education in Burlington, Vermont. Reprint from: http://families.naeyc.org National Association for the Education of Young Children — Promoting excellence in early childhood education.

PLAY

Family Resource Center December 2013 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 .

2 10:00

Williamstown Youth Center Play and Learn Group

5:30

Haskins Gym Group North Adams

3 10:00

Preschool Group 10:00

BNF Breastfeeding Group @ Haskins

5:30 Gabriel Abbott School Play and Learn Group

4

10:00 Toddler Play and Learn

Group @ Haskins Center

5

11:30-12:30 Haskins Gym Playgroup

11:30 Teen to 23

Group @ Haskins 5:30

Parent Café’ Call 663-7588 to register.

6 10:00

Baby Group at Williamstown Youth

Center 10:00

Lanesborough Playgroup @Lanesborough Town

Hall

7

8

9 10:00

Williamstown Youth Center Play and Learn Group

5:30

Haskins Gym Group North Adams

10:00 10 Preschool Group

10:00

BNF Breastfeeding Group @ Haskins 3:30-4:30

**Lego Club at Adams Library

5:30 Gabriel Abbott School Play and Learn Group

11

10:00 Toddler Play and Learn

Group @ Haskins Center

12 11:30-12:30

Haskins Gym Playgroup

11:30 Teen to 23

Group @ Haskins

5:30 Stress Buster Workshop Call 664-4821 to register.

13

10:00-11:00 Movers and Shakers @

Adams Youth Center

10:00 Lanesborough Playgroup @Lanesborough Town

Hall

14

15

16 10:00

Williamstown Youth Center Play and Learn Group

5:30

Haskins Gym Group North Adams

17 10:00

Preschool Group 10:00

BNF Breastfeeding Group @ Haskins

5:30 Gabriel Abbott School Play and Learn Group

18 10:00

Toddler Play and Learn Group

@ Haskins Center

19 11:30-12:30

Haskins Gym Playgroup

11:30 Teen to 23

Group @ Haskins

20 10:30

Winter Solstice Celebration.

Register 664-4821.

10:00 Lanesborough Playgroup @Lanesborough Town

Hall

21

22

23 10:00

Williamstown Youth Center Play and Learn Group

5:30 Haskins Gym Group

North Adams

24 FRC Closed

25 Merry Christmas

26 No FRC Playgroups

27 No FRC Playgroups

28

30 No FRC Playgroups

31 No FRC Playgroups

*Weather Cancellation Policy: Family Resource Center groups are cancelled if school is cancelled. Listen to local radio and television stations for closings or call us at 664-4821.

PARENT CAFEYou Are Invited To A:

DECEMBER 5, 20135:30 TO 7:30 PM

A Parent Cafe is a fungame of conversationwhere parents have theopportunity to talk withother parents about thejoys and challenges ofparenting and to learnfrom one another.ENJOY A FREECATERED MEAL,FREE CHILDCAREAND FREE TRANS-PORTATION!

`

HASKINS COMMUNITYCENTER 210 STATE ST.NORTH ADAMSRSVP: DECEMBER 2AT: 413-663-7588

Non– Profit Standard

Permit #11

N. A. MA 01247

Child Care of the Berkshires, Inc. P.O. Box 172 North Adams, MA 01247 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Funding is provided by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care, the Massachusetts Children's Trust,

United Way, Williamstown Community Chest, The Family Place and by community contributions.

FREE Children’s Clothing and Book Exchange Newborn to Size 10 Clothing

Monday to Thursday 9:00 to 4:00 Fridays 9:00-3:00 At the FRC - Lower Level of Haskins Community Center 210 State Street, North Adams

Parent Resource Library

Borrow Parenting books, DVD’s and children’s books

Lower Level of Haskins Community Center, North Adams in the

The Family Resource Center Office

The Parent Child Home Program PCHP is an early education home visiting program that focuses on the parent and child playing, reading and learning to-

gether with books and toys. The family keeps the books and toys. This is a free program for eligible families with children

ages 16-36 months. Call 664-4821 for information.

Need information about another service or program? The Family Resource Center staff can help. Call or drop by and we can help you connect with the services that can meet your family’s needs. FRC staff can also place your family on the Early Education

and Care child care Wait List for child care subsidy. Call today at 664-4821.