October 2020



A publication of the Howard County Office of Children and Families
Family Institute
Family Institute Online Workshops, New this month!
Visit the Family Institute's page for all offerings.
Behavior Basics and Managing Meltdowns
Thurs., Oct 8, 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
FREE Online: Register here

Don't allow tantrums, power struggles and misbehavior make daily life difficult in your household. Learn how to help decrease negative behaviors from happening and/or what to do when they do occur. Ask questions and leave with skills and resources that you can use immediately to help you feel more confident in your parenting. For children ages two to eight.
Sibling Rivalry
Tues., Oct 27, 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.
FREE Online: Register here


Many families are home together all day, every day. With less time to separate, sibling rivalry can increase. This workshop is for parents experiencing challenges between their children such as arguing, name calling and fighting. We will cover why sibling rivalry occurs and practical ways you can prevent and bring an end to these challenges.
The Basics Howard County provides tips to help parents know how to build foundational skills for their children from birth to three. Infants and toddlers thrive when their world feels loving, safe and predictable. When you show love and respond to your child’s needs, they learn they can count on you. By responding in ways that fit their emotions, you teach them to manage their feelings and behavior. Feeling secure in their relationships gives them confidence to explore their surroundings and cope with challenges. Young children are affected by your emotions, whether you are happy or upset. So, it is important to find strategies that help you cope with stress. Caring for yourself helps you stay calm and patient with your child. To learn more, check out this month’s highlight video Maximize Love, Manage Stress
To receive more information specifically for your child's developmental stage up to the age of three, sign up for Basics Insights text messaging FREE here. (Available in English and Spanish) To learn more about The Basics Howard County, visit here or email children@howardcountymd.gov.
10 Tips for Virtual Learning
Virtual Learning can be challenging for children and adults. Follow these tips to help create a positive and productive environment.
1.  Create a learning space free of distractions where your child will work everyday.
2.  Trifold display boards can be especially helpful with siblings sharing one learning space.
3.  Make a visual schedule so your child can see what their day looks like.
4.  Practice how to use mute, camera and chat box, especially with younger children.
5.  Provide lots of verbal praise throughout the day to keep your child motivated (Ex: I love the way you are working so calmly on your math assignment, Johnny!)
6.  Provide incentives for when your child remains focused and completes work. (incentives such as a movement break, play time or tangible rewards (stickers or a toy).
7.  Allow your child to hold a fidget or favorite small stuffed animal to help keep hands and body calm.
8. Use headphones when needed to further reduce distractions.
9.  Remember if your child needs a break (due to being restless or frustrated) this is OK.
10. Have Fun Fridays! Plan something fun for every Friday like pajama day, pizza lunch or crazy hair day (use ideas from spirit week at school).
Happily Family Conference
Raising Resilient Kids in an Anxious World
FREE, October 5-9. Register here

Twenty-five experts offer daily conversations about how to raise resilient, connected children in an anxious world. The Happily Family Conference is virtual with experts from the fields of mindfulness, mental health and brain science. Reasons to attend:
  • You appreciate the science of parenting and want to make informed choices about how to raise your kids.
  • You’re concerned about how kids are being affected by anxiety, depression, screentime, the pandemic, racial inequality, and climate change.
  • You value the relationship you have with your child and strive to use alternatives to threats and punishment.
Online Safety Workshops
Hosted by Howard County Library System

Power Up with Online Safety (for elementary school students): Denise DeRosa discusses what makes a strong password; how to know what games are appropriate; and, what to do if someone you don't know tries to make a connection online. Register for this Wednesday, October 7 session here

Be a Smart User of Smart Technology (for middle and high school students): Denise DeRosa discusses what it means to be a good digital citizen; how to develop a positive online reputation; how to employ the safety and privacy settings available; maintain a healthy tech diet; avoid online dangers; tech etiquette; and, ways to capitalize on the opportunities tech provides. Register for Wednesday, October 14 session here.
Howard County Government provides free public WiFi using funding from the CARES Act, at the following locations:

  • Columbia: Blandair Regional Park; Columbia Lakefront; Long Reach Village Center; Fire Station 14 parking lot 
  • Ellicott City: Historic Ellicott City Main Street and Lot D; George Howard Building, in the front courtyard near the entrance to the building; Kiwanis Wallace Park, near the back fields 
  • Elkridge: Troy Park at Elkridge football fields; Fire Station 1 parking lot 
  • Clarksville: Clarksville Commons; Middle Patuxent Environmental Area, in the parking lot off Trotter Road 
  • Western Howard County: Gary Arthur Community Center parking lot
The Maryland STEM Festival is a month-long celebration of science, technology, engineering and mathematics that will be taking place the month of October. This Year's Theme is Manufacturing Design. To read more information and see each day's activities, visit their page here, listen to podcasts, and follow on Twitter and Facebook.
Teaching Your Child Toileting Skills 
Monday, October 12, 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. FREE, register here
This presentation is for parents/caregivers of children with Down syndrome to help them teach toileting skills to their children. It will cover pre-requisites for readiness, how to teach cooperative sitting on the toilet, how to increase appropriate voids and decrease accidents. Learn how to begin to set the stage for self-initiation/communicating for the toilet and bed-wetting. Sponsored by the Chesapeake Down Syndrome Parent Group.
Family Rules
We are all still spending a lot of time at home, which may lead to challenging behaviors. One way to proactively minimize such challenges is to create a set of family rules, which set clear expectations to help promote a safe and happy home.

Tips for Creating Family Rules
· Work together as a family to create rules: this relays the message that everyone’s imput is important
·  Choose only 3-5 rules: more than this can become overwhelming
·  State the behavior you would like to see instead of what you do not want to see: for example a good family rule would be to use gentle hands instead of no hitting
·  Add pictures: adding visuals (pictures from online or of your children) will help younger children better understand and remember the rules
·  Post and Review Daily: Consistency is key in helping young children internalize these expectations
·  Provide praise for when the family rules are followed: giving praise when your children follow the family rules will encourage and motivate more positive behaviors 
Halloween Festivities and Fall Seasonal Celebrations
Howard County Health Department's Best Practice Recommendations
· Avoid large gatherings, parties and events. 
· Trick-or-treating is not encouraged, but if done, should be done in household groups, keeping physical distance between other groups and using flashlights or glowsticks so walkers can be easily seen. 
· Treats are encouraged to be left outside. 
· Trick-or-treaters should wash hands (or use sanitizer) between homes and after touching surfaces and objects. 
·  Facial covering should be worn even if wearing a costume mask. 
·  Indoor activities are riskier than outdoor activities (indoor activities should be avoided). 
·  Pumpkin patch and hayrides should be conducted in small groups and non-family members should be physically distanced.
· Indoor haunted houses, where it may be difficult to maintain physical distancing and enforce other mitigation strategies, should be restricted. 
Howard County Department of Recreation & Parks is hosting their annual event which has been modified to incorporate physical distancing and all CDC, state and local guidelines will be enforced. Children will receive a pre-filled treat bag and have the opportunity to participate in an "I Spy" scavenger hunt and have their picture taken in front of trucks, tractors, emergency vehicles and more. One- hour time slots are limited, so register here today!
Youth Town Hall
Friday, October 2, 5:00 to 6:30 p.m.

Howard County’s Office of the Local Children's Board and Voices for Change will host a virtual “Youth Town Hall” conversation about and led by youth. Discussion topics include racial and social injustices, COVID-19 and our future, youth leadership and connecting community in Howard County. To register, click here. For questions and/or more information, contact Jasmine Wigginton at 410-313-6553 or jwigginton@howardcountymd.gov
Howard County Library System
Howard County Library System offers numerous learn from home resources for students and parents:
Voter Education web page. Learn more about this year's election, how to vote, important dates, ballot questions, summaries and more.

Friday, October 2, 2:00 p.m.
League of Women Voters Candidate Forum:
Board of Education and Circuit Court Judges
Learn more about the candidates. Register here.
Prevention Classes
Tuesdays, Oct. 20, 27, Nov. 10, 17 at 6:30 to 8:00 p.m.
Virtual workshop. FREE, register here.

HC DrugFree and the Howard County State's Attorney's Office in partnership with the Howard County Health Department will offer evidence-based, interactive prevention classes to Howard County parents/guardians of 9 to 14 year olds.
Families will learn to:
· Influence their children to help prevent drug use and other risky behaviors.
· Develop clear family guidelines and expectations about drug use.
· Teach children how to stay out of trouble, keep their friends and still have a good time.

For more information, contact Joan Webb Scornaienchi, Executive Director,
HC DrugFree at Admin@hcdrugfree.org.
Special Wednesday Programming

Howard County Department of Recreation & Parks is offering special programming on Wednesdays, when students have asynchronous school days. Predominantly geared towards grades K through five, participants will be able to choose from art, cooking, drama, nature, LEGO and S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics) activities. Each program will be treated as a one-day event, allowing participants to pick and choose which weeks and activities they’d like to try. Programming will be offered at several county-owned buildings, as well as a few private facilities, and each location will follow all COVID-19 safety protocols. Space is limited as each group is permitted to no more than 13 participants (plus two staff members).
 
For a list of programs, visit registration website and search "asynchronous." Registration is also available by calling the Registration line at 410-313-PARK (7275). 
Learning Disability Checklist

COVID-19 has stalled many typical support systems for families. One challenge of the health crisis is that parents and caregivers are more responsible for their children’s education. With additional time together, parents have the opportunity to become more closely aware of potential learning disabilities (LD).
The National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) has launched a new interactive tool, The LD Checklist: Recognize and Respond, a tool for parents, educators and other care providers to help determine if a child may be at risk for, or shows signs of, having learning disabilities. To learn more about why early screening is so important for your child, click here.
Homeschool Presentations on Oakland Mills Online (OMO)

As parents struggle with virtual school, homeschooling has become a popular topic. Review three informational sessions from a panel of experienced homeschoolers to learn more about how and why they homeschool, their tips for schooling at home and their favorite resources. Visit OMO here.
COVID-19 Resources for Kinship Families and Grandfamilies 

Kinship Families and Grandfamilies are families in which children are raised by their grandparents, other extended family members, or adults with whom they have a close family-like relationship. Howard County has many Kinship and Grandfamilies doing their best to support each other through this crisis. 
 
During emergency circumstances, including natural disasters or pandemics, these challenges are amplified for Kinship Families and Grandfamilies. Many Kinship Families and Grandfamilies have limited financial resources, making purchases such as food, personal protective equipment, sanitizers, and disinfectants difficult. Also, intergenerational families are more likely to live in closely confined spaces making social distancing difficult to achieve during a pandemic. Due to their living circumstances, there is an increased likelihood of infection across entire families. 
 
For Kinship Families and Grandfamilies with school-aged children, remote learning and loss of access to tutors and school-based special education services is another challenge. Many of these families have limited or no Internet access further constraining their ability to home-school. These challenges increase for ethnic and minority groups. Communication barriers due to language differences can also present a challenge for Kinship Families and Grandfamilies in this community. Click here for more information. 
Youth Mental Health First Aid
Friday, October 23, 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. FREE
Learn to assist a young person, age from 12 to 18 years, who may be experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis. In this updated and virtual format, participants will complete a two-hour, self-paced online course before participating in a four-hour, instructor-led Zoom class. Youth Mental Health First Aid is recommended for adults who interact with youth including teachers, coaches, faith leaders, parents, school staff, and caring citizens.  Includes a digital manual. To register, visit hcgh.org/events.
For more information, please contact jstanto6@jhmi.edu.
If you were forwarded this e-mail and would like to receive the latest Parent Pages news and updates directly, sign up today!