We are living in strange times, where everyone in our community is experiencing a heightened level of stress and uncertainty. It may be difficult to be hopeful about the future, whether you are unable to pay your bills, you're worried about your children's education, or feeling stretched thin by the new demands of life under COVID-19. What can parents/caregivers do now to take care of our families and ourselves? Here are a variety of resources we want to share with you to help in these challenging times:
- Emergency Child Care - "Essential Personnel" can contact Quality Care Connections at 541-463-3300 and leave a message or 211info to receive a customized referral to emergency child care programs operating in your region. To reach 211info:
- Call 211. Listen to the prompt for Child Care and press the specified number.
- Text the keyword “children” or “niños” to 898211 (TXT211).
- Email children@211info.org.
- Stay Connected - Missing family and friends? For younger kids you can set up a virtual playdate or show and tell with their friends. There are free video calling tools that may already be on your phone or download Facebook IM, Google Hangouts, Zoom and Skype. There also are products you can purchase like Facebook Portal and Echo Show that allow you to video call your contacts and read interactive stories together.
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Community Spotlight: 90by30
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Can you remember a time you wished for help during this crazy journey called parenting? Now imagine a Lane County where there’s a way for every person, organization, and business to make a difference in the lives of families. 90by30, a community-community initiative at the University of Oregon, was founded on the principle that we all have a role to play to ensure that every child is safe, nurtured and loved.
There are times in our lives when we need support, and there are times we have a hand to lend. The website
KnowMoreLaneCounty.org helps neighbors, friends, businesses, civic groups and more find ways – big and small – to make Lane County the very best place to raise kids. In addition, 90by30 efforts throughout the County include neighbors delivering supplies to new families as a part of
Welcome Baby Box, implementing anti-bullying
Roots of Empathy curriculum in elementary classrooms, and organizing peer support groups for those raising kids and youths.
At 90by30, we believe child abuse and neglect IS preventable when we rally around families. During Child Abuse Prevention Month each April, we challenge ourselves to carve out a few minutes daily to nurture our communities; visit a neighbor, talk to our children about what empathy means, attend a sports event at the local middle school, say a kind word to the parent of the screaming toddler. Each small action adds up to a kinder more connected world where each child has an opportunity to thrive.
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Tips for Parenting In Uncertain Times: Part 1
Whether you have a 1-month old, 1-year old, or 10-year old, chances are you are currently parenting very differently than you were mere weeks ago before schools were closed, events were cancelled, and you were asked to practice social distancing. ...
Read more
www.lanekids.org
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Audio Books and Home Learning Activities
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With libraries and schools closed, families are looking for ways to access books and learning at home. Visit your local School District's website for their distance learning resources. And, if you have a library card you can access resources through your library's
website. Here are a few other free ways to keep learning:
Audible
has made a select number of children's audio books available for free. Stream books for little listeners up to teens. Books are available in English, Spanish, French, German and Japanese.
Scholastic Home Learning: 20 days’ worth of activities and eBooks that you can access for free. For kids PreK-Grade 9. Content in English and Spanish.
eBooks: There are many apps and websites that families can subscribe to for a monthly or annual fee. These sites are free for educators, so check with your child's school about getting free access:
- Epic! - a digital library with thousands of books and videos for kids 12 and under. Families pay $7.99/month. Books in English and Spanish.
- Vooks - animated storybooks that stream on all your favorite devices. For elementary age kids and younger. Families pay $4.99/month.
How to Homeschool: The Today Show has a great
article with a comprehensive list of free home learning resources, from kid friendly webinars, activity sheets, podcasts, live stream classes, and more.
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Upcoming Livestream Events
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Tuesdays in April and May
“Goodnight With Dolly” will feature Dolly Parton reading a series of Imagination Library books all carefully chosen for their appropriate content at this moment in time
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Tuesdays in April
Join us in our virtual classroom each week for a Tinkergarten class led by Founder, Meghan Fitzgerald. You can join from your backyard, fire escape, living room, or any safe spot where you can find space!
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Wednesdays in April
Need a little music and stories in your life? Join Eugene Suzuki Music Academy for a guided virtual story and music time!
Geared toward ages 0 – preschool. Join us on Facebook Live for singing together and a fun activity!
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Throughout the month of April
WellMama is offering free virtual support groups for Dads/Partners, Parents of Infants, Parents of Toddlers, those who have experienced Pregnancy or Infant Loss, or Infertility.
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Triple P Online is a parenting resource on
LaneKids.org
for parents/caregivers of children ages 2-12, available in English and Spanish. Information is delivered in video format with activities and printable resources that customize the program to your family. Triple P doesn’t tell you
how
to parent, it gives you strategies that you can adapt to your unique situation. Triple P addresses common parenting challenges we all face including managing misbehavior and setting rules and routines.
Five Steps To Positive Parenting
Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) helps you support your children to become the best they can be, while giving you tips on how to take care of yourself along the way. The online program walks you through situations that families experience every day and gives you ways to prevent or handle those challenges. The
Five Steps To Positive Parenting
make up the foundation of the Triple P program. Click on each step to learn more!
How to sign up
If you or your child are on Oregon Health Plan (OHP) you can get Triple P Online for free by filling out the Triple P interest
form
. A staff person from Parenting Now! will send you an access code within 24 hours and you’ll be able to start using the program right away. If you are not on OHP, you may purchase the program for $79.99 from the Triple P
website
. You can access the program anytime on any device for 1 year after you activate your code!
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Wednesday April 22 marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, which began as a way to bring attention to environmental issues.
Celebrate Earth Day through small actions in your daily life to
lessen your impact on the environment
(like eating less red meat, use cloth napkins, etc), through
fun activities
with your children at home, and by spending time outside reveling in the natural beauty of our world.
Inspired to grow a garden? This
video
for adults walks you through the basics. And, if your kids need a little motivation to see plants as amazing, the video
how a seed becomes a plant
and Eric Carle's '
The Tiny Seed
' may be helpful.
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More Resources for Parents
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Kids FIRST, Lane County's child advocacy center, shared tips from the Baltimore Child Abuse Center on how to choose a child care provider.
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Free Food for Low-Income Community Members
Food for Lane County partner pantries have locations around the county, some of which are currently open. Click to view a
list and
map of those site.
Four Mobile Pantries: in Cottage Grove at Bohemia Elementary, Eugene at the NAACP office, Oakridge at the High School and in Springfield at the Bob Keefer Center, offer a drive through format. Visit the Food for Lane County
website for up to date details on the types of food available, what to bring with you, and how to bring food to a homebound person.
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We love to hear your questions, feedback on the content of our newsletter, or recommendations on what you would like to read about next time!
You can reach us at
Info@LaneKids.org
.
Also, you can forward this email to a friend, sign up to receive this newsletter in
English
and
Spanish
, and read last month's newsletter in
English
and
Spanish.
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LaneKids is Lane County’s parenting education hub.
Our mission is to ensure all
parents in Lane County have the knowledge, tools, and support to nurture their child’s optimal development for success in school and life.
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LaneKids is made possible with support from:
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