Family Focus
Programs & News March 2020
with Kris Lang, Head Start
Thursday, March 5
@ 9:30 am in Portsmouth
C ommunication Series:
Tuesdays @ 6 pm in Portsmouth
Attend any or all sessions in the series
Thursday, March 12
@ 9:30 am in Portsmouth
with Dr. Peg Dawson
Tuesday, March 24
@ 6pm in Portsmouth
@ 6 pm in Portsmouth
Signups needed by 4/14
Positive Solutions: A 6 week series for parents of young children
Coming in Spring, Wednesday evenings
@ 6 pm in Epping
Focus on discipline, communication and social/emotional learning.
Call or visit website for dates.
Mind in the Making:
Life Skills Every Child Needs

Join us this spring for a new parenting series where we'll talk about simple, everyday things you can do to help kids learn to take on life’s challenges and achieve their full potential.

Thursdays, 5:30-7 p.m.
April 16 - June 4
Goodwin Community Health, Somersworth

Mind in the Making is offered in partnership with the Somersworth Ready Together Coalition .

Parents will learn how to support the development of the seven essential life skills children need to thrive and succeed in today’s complicated, distracting world. Some of these skills include: focus and self control, perspective taking, communicating, and critical thinking.

The concrete tools and strategies do not cost money, are based on the latest brain science, and will help parents feel more confident in their parenting.

Participants are expected to attend all 8 weekly sessions. Free child care is available with advance signup. After April 23rd, the group is closed to new participants.  
Family Fun Night R eturns March 2nd
Monday is Family Fun Night! Enjoy a family-style dinner and family-friendly activities, without the stress of making it happen at home. A fun, relaxing evening out for families with children from infants through teens.
1st Monday each month @ 5:30 p.m.
Beginning March 2
Free! Advance signup needed.
Support for Grandparents Raising Children
Our Relative Recharge groups offer a friendly environment for grandparents and other relatives who are raising children to connect and support one another. All grandparents and other kinship caregivers are welcome! The groups meet monthly in three locations. Please sign up at (603) 422-8209 or click on the town name below. Free child care is available with advance signup.
March 3 at 9:30 a.m.
and 1st Tuesday each month
March 16 @ 9:30 a.m.
THEN: 2nd Monday each month
March 18 @ 9:30 a.m.
and 3rd Wed. each month
Find a Playgroup Near You
Spending the day at home with a young child can be lonely and challenging at times. Playgroups are a great way to get out of the house, connect with other parents, and help your child develop her friendship skills. You can find a playgroup every day of the week at one of our locations - Portsmouth, Somersworth, Epping or Exeter . Find the group that works best for you, and join us as we sing, play, read and have fun together. No need to sign up ahead of time, just show up!
Literacy Tip of the Month: Talk the (Baby) Talk
Researchers have found that infants whose parents or caregivers speak to them frequently will go on to learn almost 300 more words by the time they are 2 years old than babies who are spoken to infrequently.

So feel free to chat with your baby all day long, even if you think he or she doesn't understand anything you are saying! Simply hearing all of that language is good for babies' brains and lays a strong foundation for learning to speak and to read. Read one mother's story here about making small talk with her baby.