September 2019



A publication of the Howard County Office of Children and Families
Family Institute
Welcome to Fall and the back to school season!  The Howard County Family Institute  is out and about in the community hosting parenting workshops and talking with school groups throughout the community. Visit the Family Institute page to see what is on the Fall calendar for families such as:
Behavior Basics  a workshop designed to help with tantrums, power struggles and misbehavior.
Family First Parenting Series offers workshops on topics such as child development, how to encourage self-esteem and good behavior, positive guidance and discipline, and how to keep children safe and healthy.
Parent Cafe L earn the five protective factors for families and how you can keep yourself, your children and your family strong! Meet new people and make new friends in an inviting atmosphere while sharing and learning new ideas.
FREE Homework Help!
Working closely with Howard County School System’s (HCPSS) media centers, Howard County Library System (HCLS) provides homework and research assistance. HCLS Instructor & Research Specialists stand ready to work with students.
In addition to receiving guidance from HCLS staff, students (K-12) and college-age adults needing to receive can connect with  free tutors  for assistance with math, reading, science, social studies, English/language arts, and writing. Both English and Spanish speaking tutors are available online  seven days a week from 2 pm until 11:55 pm.

Also available: Specialized Online Research Tools, Math Assistance and a Testing & Education Reference Center.
Webinars for Back to School
September 10, 1 p.m.
 Ann Dolin, M.Ed., educational consultant shares research-based strategies for guiding your child efficiently and effectively through homework.
September 12, Noon
 
Need strategies for managing your child's meltdowns or emotional outbursts? Understood Specialist and Child psychologist Ellen Braaten, PhD, shares how to help your child self-regulate.
September 16, Noon

Hear how elementary school teacher and Understood contributor, Ashlee Upp, MEd uses mindfulness strategies to help her students who are struggling with behavior, focus, and learn how to start a mindfulness with your child.

Begin the school year by composing a letter to your child's new teacher that outlines strengths, challenges and past successes. Use the free “ Dear Teacher ” download sample letter from ADDitude as a guide.
 
This will help to organize your child’s:
  • Greatest strengths
  • Special interests and talents
  • School challenges
  • Strategies that have worked well in the past and more
Back to School Articles from Child Mind Institute
How to get your child out the door with the least amount of conflict.
Choose extracurriculars without adding stress.
Routines and incentive systems to help kids do their homework.
Realistic expectations and smart
study habits make all the difference in the change to high school .  
Coping with Back to School Stress
By Natalie Hlasko, Department of Community Resources and Services Students4Service Intern

Summer break has come to an end and children and teens have begun a new school year. With that, a great amount of stress can result from both the parents and the child. Student stresses can be anything from acclimating to a new school, making new friends, or even deciding where to sit at the lunch table. Not only that, the biggest stress that most teens have is time management and the increased workload in school. There are tools available to help students manage their stress. Apps like Quizlet and Evernote can be very helpful to organize study habits. Quizlet provides the opportunity to make flashcards to study in a quick and easy way, and also has games to help with memorization. Evernote is another app to stay organized, create schedules and take notes in class or at home. Headspace is an app containing meditation, calming music, and tips to help with sleep and stress reduction.
To learn more information, listen to Coping with Back to School Stress, a podcast on the TeenHealth Matters webpage. It features many helpful guidelines, given by an expert, on how to smoothly transition into the new school year.
National Family Resiliency Center, NFRC, serves family members, ages six through adulthood through comprehensive support groups designed to help children, young adults, adult children of divorce, men and women during the divorce process. Groups available in Howard County:

Younger Elementary Aged Group
Children in grades 1 & 2 meet in groups of six to eight to work on transition related issues through play, activities and discussion. Weekly groups include parent's participation in the last portion of their children's group. 

Older Elementary Aged Group
Children in grades 3-5 learn techniques for identifying concerns, labeling and expressing feelings, problem solving and effective communication around separation and divorce related issues. Parents participate at appropriate times. 
  
Younger Teen Group - Beginning in September
Youth in grades 6-8 meet weekly to identify feelings related to their family transition, learn and practice specific family problem solving skills and learn ways to communicate with parents & peers. Parents participate at appropriate times. 

High School Group - Beginning in October
Teens in grades 9-12 have an opportunity to explore and resolve concerns related to families in transition, as well as focusing on many teen issues such as dating, decisions about college, friendships, careers, etc. Teens comment about how comfortable it is to talk and be understood by their peers. Parents participate at appropriate times. 
   
Pre-registration is required. Sliding fees are offered for eligible families. For more information, call 410-740-9553 x200, email: ask@nfrchelp.org , visit: www.nfrchelp.org
Divorce is difficult, especially for children. If shared custody is involved, there’s an extra layer of complexity. Yet millions of parents successfully share custody with their children. Listen here for tips on how to help your family adjust to some of the daily changes that come with divorce. Brought to you by Maryland Family Network, The First Five Years
Volunteer Opportunity
The Howard County Department of Community Resources and Services announces a new event for 2019. Hosted by the Office on Aging and Independence, "Master Aging: Engage, Educate, Inspire" is a conference-style event with seminars, exhibitors and entertainment geared for the 50+ community. This event will take place on Saturday, October 19, on the campus of Howard Community College in Columbia.
Volunteers are needed throughout the day. Students are encouraged to volunteer; service hours will be approved. Click here t o register and choose your desired time and area to volunteer. For more information, email Darlene Vaselaros at dvaselaros@howardcountymd.gov
Kittamaqundi Community Church
Mondays: September 16, 30; October 14, 28; November 11, 18
6:30 - 8:45 p.m., Light dinner provided 6:00 p.m.

For parents and other adults responsible for raising children, youth, and young adults to gain skills for:
• Developing strength and resilience
• Affirming the dignity of all people, especially when your children are faced with challenging situations
• Helping youth and young adults critically examine cultural, systemic and individual influences on intercultural responses
• Avoiding blame and guilt when exploring contentious topics. (race, gender, socioeconomics, etc.) For registration and more information, Click here
HC DrugFree Presentation
Tuesday, September 17 at 7:00 p.m.
Long Reach High School Auditorium

Parents and community members are invited to a presentation by Dr. Amelia Arria, Director on Young Health and Development at the University of Maryland School of Public Health and Development. The presentation will focus on areas of concern for parents of teenagers and the impact of substance use on academic performance. HC Drugfree’s director, Joan Scornaienchi, will discuss the latest on what is happening in Howard County with vaping. She will also display household items and clothing used to hide drugs.
To sign up for HC DrugFree's newsletter click
Roving Radish promotes healthy eating habits through meal kits comprised of locally and regionally grown foods straight from the farm to your table. The meal kits are available to anyone who works, plays or lives in Howard County and are offered at a discounted price to those in need.
Find your September inspiration and ready prepped meals here .









Looking for new things to put in your child's lunch or something to bring to the school pot-luck? Food Network has a list of 99 sides you'll be surprised are healthy . From lightened-up mashed potatoes to hearty grains like quinoa, there are delicious and healthy sides for every night of the week.
Museum Day is a one-day event in which participating museums and cultural institutions across the country provide free entry to anyone presenting a Museum Day ticket. Participants are allowed to download one ticket per email address. The ticket provides free general admission on Saturday, September 21, 2019, for two people.
To find a participating museum, click

The housing repair loan program through the Howard County Department of Housing and Community Development can help income eligible Howard County homeowners make necessary repairs to their homes. The housing repairs can be done to meet local housing codes for health and safety conditions. Repairs may include, but are not limited to, heating and air systems, electrical wiring, plumbing, roofs, windows, doors, painting, and landscaping. This program can help homeowners stay in their homes, address outstanding maintenance and repair items and improve overall neighborhood appearance.

For more information about this program, including other resources for housing repairs, visit  howardcountymd.gov .
School Bus Safety

School buses in Howard County make thousands of stops every day. With the start of a new school year underway,  Howard County Police are reminding motorists  that when following or approaching a school bus, to slow down when the yellow lights flash and stop when the red lights flash and the stop sign is extended. Motorists  must stop  in both directions unless you are on the opposite side of a roadway divided by a physical barrier. Officers will be following school buses to watch for drivers who fail to stop. In addition to points, the fine for this violation is $570.
 
Children expect that you will obey the law, so do your part to keep our roads safe by stopping for stopped school buses.
September is National Preparedness Month

Office of Emergency Management (OEM) National Preparedness Month promotes family and community disaster and emergency planning now and throughout the year. This year’s theme is “Prepared, Not Scared.” All month
long, OEM will be sharing preparedness tips and facts on its social media pages ( Facebook  and  Twitter ). Follow along to learn all that you can to make sure you and your family are prepared for when disaster strikes.

You can also learn about local hazards in Howard County and how to prepare for them at OEM ’s  “ReadyHoCo” website , as well as more information on National Preparedness Month and over preparedness information on FEMA’s website at  www.ready.gov/september .   
Community Awareness Walks

Join the Howard County Department of Community Resources and Services Team HoCoDCRS to support the Howard County Walk to End Alzheimer's ® being held Saturday, September 28, at 9 a.m. at Centennial Park in Ellicott City. To join Team HoCoDCRS or learn more, go to act.alz.org/goto/HoCoDCRS .

Join the Health Department team to support suicide prevention awareness at the Howard County Out of the Darkness Walk being held Saturday, September 28, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Lake Elkhorn in Columbia. For more information or to register visit: afsp.org/howardco . To join the Howard County Health Department team visit: https://afsp.donordrive.com/team/219536  
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