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A publication of the Howard County Office of Children and Families
Family Institute
November 2022
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Visit the Family Institute online to view full descriptions of all workshops and register!
Nothing I Do Works: A Parent’s Guide to Challenging Behaviors
The Pyramid Model is a comprehensive, research-based approach that considers all the factors that impact a child, family and a child's behavior. 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.
Tuesday, November 1, 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Free Virtual Workshop, Register
Worries, Concerns & Apprehension
Even in the Elementary years, schoolwork, friends, reactions to negative experiences, or just the anticipation of something happening can overwhelm a child. With all these everyday occurrences, many parents report about the anxiety and stress that it puts on their children and the entire family. Attend this workshop to:
- Review the signs and the symptoms of worry in children
- Understand how to identify what is causing your child stress
- Learn techniques to teach and demonstrate strategies to help your child process and work through their worries
- Ask a mental health professional questions on how to help your family
Thursday November 10, 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Free Virtual Workshop, Register
Sibling Rivalry
Winter is around the corner and with cold weather, school breaks and holidays, there will be more family time. That increased time together can spike sibling squabbles. This workshop is for parents experiencing challenges between their children such as arguing, name calling and fighting. Discuss why sibling rivalry occurs and practical ways you can navigate and reduce conflict, manage siblings rivalry in-the-moment, and foster better long-term relationships.
Thursday, November 17, 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Free Virtual Workshop, Register
Discipline & Communication in the Elementary School Years
Entering the school year and getting into the swing of new expectations can lead to strong emotions and conflict for the entire family in your household. Discipline is about teaching and skills building –not punishment. Your goal as a parent is to help your child to become self-disciplined. This session will help you develop strategies to prevent meltdowns by preparing your home and routine to encourage success. Become familiar with temperament types, tune into different needs and learn how to use this information to individualize your interactions with your child. We will discuss ways to effectively communicate with your child and the importance of structure, consistency and self-esteem to help build a growth mind set.
Wednesday, November 30, 7:00 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. Free Online Workshop, Register
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Champions of Change
Network with local colleagues and learn something new at the Department of Community Resources and Services' Champions of Change Conference on Friday, November 18 and Saturday, November 19 at Turf Valley Resort and Conference Center in Ellicott City. Reflecting the 2022 theme, Cultivating Change to Advance Equity for All, the conference kicks off with a networking reception and keynote speaker at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. Offering COKs and CEUs, the full day conference on Saturday ($75) features sixteen workshops and two keynote addresses, with topics ranging from the pre-school to prison pipeline, human trafficking, mental health and child and youth development. Click here to register for the conference. New this year, a pre-conference workshop is also offered on Friday, November 18 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Harriet Tubman Cultural Center featuring Author Dante King ($50). Click here to register for the pre-conference. We hope you can join us.
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Child Care Scholarship
As parents, child care is one of the most important decisions we can make for our children. However high-quality care comes at a great expense. The Maryland Child Care Scholarship (formerly known as Child Care Subsidy) program has helped thousands of families pay for care to give their child a strong start in life. Unfortunately, applying for the Scholarship program doesn’t always go as smoothly as intended.
We’re attempting to gain insight into the experiences of parents and other caregivers with child care in Maryland including your experience with Maryland’s Child Care Scholarship program. Whether you have used Child Care Scholarship, were denied Child Care Scholarship, or stopped using Child Care Scholarship, your experience matters and we want to hear from you!
Our goal is to help strengthen child care in our state and make Child Care Scholarship easier to access. Please take 4 minutes to share your perspective on child care: take the survey in English or tome la enquesta en español. Every participant will be entered into a drawing to win one of five $100 Visa gift cards. Thank you.
Sponsored by:
Baltimore City Child Care Resource Center
Maryland AEYC
Maryland Family Network
Maryland State Family Child Care Association
Maryland State Child Care Association
SEIU Local 500
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Maximize Love, Manage Stress
The Basics Howard County is a program that focuses on helping young children reach their full potential. It provides parents activities and ideas to share with their children. The program also links parents to science-based brain development information through five fun, simple and powerful ways. The first pillar of the Basics, Maximize Love, Manage Stress, focuses on the importance of being emotionally present for your child. Infants and toddlers thrive when their environment feels loving, safe and predictable. By responding to their needs, children learn they can count on you and will feel secure in the world around them. Just as children pick up on feelings of love and comfort, they also pick up on stress and other emotions. It’s important to find strategies to help you cope with stress, and learn to remain calm and patient.
For more information on Maximize Love, Manage Stress, click here. The Basics is a program for children from birth to 3 years. To receive information for your child’s developmental stage, sign up for FREE text messages (in English or Spanish).
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Howard County Diaper Project
No family should have to choose between paying for food or clean diapers for their children. That's why the Howard County Diaper Project provides free diapers and wipes to low-income families so they won't have to make those kinds of choices. Help us give parents peace of mind this holiday season! Every dollar you contribute to the Virtual Diaper Drive will go toward purchasing diapers to distribute to Howard County families in need. Help us keep babies dry and healthy - donate today at www.tinyurl.com/DonateHoCoDiapers. For more information contact us at 410-313-2273 (voice/relay) or children@howardcountymd.gov.
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How to Make the Most of Parent-Teacher Conferences
School is in full swing and parent-teacher conferences are being scheduled. Like most parents, you may feel stressed about it or have a ton of questions for your child’s teacher, with only 15 minutes t0 discuss them. Understood, which provides tools and resources to support those who learn and think differently, offers a podcast that shares advice with families on How to Make the Most of Parent-Teacher Conferences. The recorded podcast helps parents prepare themselves and their children for the conference.
Parents will learn how to approach conversation with the teacher and get tips on talking with their children about school. Whether a child has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), 504 Plan or not, parents are encouraged to gauge their children’s feelings about school and how they’re progressing. Prior to the meeting with the teacher, the Parent-Teacher Conference Worksheet, helps parents focus on what areas their child is doing well in or having trouble. Taking notes and following up are important steps in making this meeting a success.
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Advocating for Children with ADHD:
Articles From ADDitude
Identify hurdles your child may face at school, in the community and at home. Learn strategies to be the advocate your child needs.
A breakdown of special education laws and services for students.
Review common academic challenges and accommodations that can help bring success at school.
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Child Mind Institute Video Resources
The Child Mind Institute provides online resources for children and families struggling with mental health, behavior, and learning difficulties. Through the Family Resource Center parents are given information and support through articles and parenting guides which focus on ADHD, teen issues, parenting challenges and more. The Family Resource Center also provides access to YouTube videos delivered by expert clinicians. You can find videos on the Child Mind Institute Video Resources web page.
Kids, Phones and Social Media
The question for parents of tweens used to be: When should I get my child a phone? Now, there’s a bigger dilemma: When are they ready for social media? By the time children are in middle school, if not before, they’re asking for a phone to interact with their friends on SnapChat, Instagram, and TikTok. Children may feel left out when their friends have phones and access to social media, but they don’t. Parents worry that their children may not have the maturity to make good decisions. Children may not be aware of the potential for harm when sharing or may not know who they’re sharing with. Negative feedback on social media can also be harmful for children.
To help parents with these decisions, the Child Mind Institute has provided tips on When Should You Get Your Kid a Phone? (available in Spanish) and When Are Kids Ready for Social Media? Parents may feel pressured to allow their children to have a phone and access to social media because they don’t want them to feel isolated from friends. However, there are strategies parents can use to avoid the risky and addictive features of a smart phone:
- Start children off on a phone that can’t be used for social media, gaming, or surfing the web.
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Set safeguards on what apps children can access and download.
- Limit general screen time and phone time.
- Delay exposure to social media until your child is mature enough to handle the responsibility.
- Monitor children’s use & content.
- Establish rules for the use of social media.
Choosing the right time to give your child a phone and allow access to social media is a hard decision, but it’s important to have discussions to gauge your child’s level of maturity and responsibility.
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Columbia Association Youth and Teen Center
The Youth and Teen Center (YTC) in Columbia offers a safe, fun and supportive place for preteens and teens ages 9 to 18 years to gather and participate in activities. Located in The Barn in Oakland Mills Village Center, the YTC offers various clubs, mentoring and drop-in programs, advisory committees, and special events. Programs are offered throughout the school year after school, summertime and occasional weekends. Click here for more information.
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Office of Consumer Protection
The Howard County Office of Consumer Protection introduces SCAMO, a fun and interactive way to learn about scams, consumer protection, and your rights. Built like Bingo, SCAMO uses gaming to teach instead of classroom presentations. For additional information on this and other topics contact the Office of Consumer Protection 410-313-6420 or visit https://www.howardcountymd.gov/consumer-protection
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Trualta® Offers Free Resources for Caregivers
November is National Family Caregivers Month, a time to recognize the vital role of caregivers throughout our community, and call attention to the resources which support them. Howard County’s Caregiver Support Program understands that caregivers are often thrust into their new roles without warning and may need to learn how to care for an aging parent or relative. Maintaining your own health is essential to managing your role as a caregiver. When you’re healthy, calm and focused, you’ll be a better caregiver. Caregiver support groups, workshops and online programs like Trualta® help family caregivers reduce stress and learn skills to provide care for their loved ones.
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Veterans Day Celebration
Come out for the 2022 Veterans Day Parade and Celebration on Sunday, November 13 starting at 9:30 a.m. in the Merriweather District. From there, the parade route travels down Merriweather Drive to Little Patuxent Parkway, ending at the Columbia Lakefront with a ceremony at 11 a.m.
Atholton High School JROTC will present the colors;
The Young Columbians will perform; and the Columbia Art Center will provide family-friendly activities, including a card-making station for troops. Visit www.howardcountyveterans/parade for details.
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What Are Your Favorite Family Traditions?
As families begin gathering for the holidays, we often think about family traditions and how important they are for kids and adults alike. Honoring traditions build bonds and create a sense of belonging. Traditions can help connect us with cultural and religious roots. They are shared and passed to others and across generations.
Family traditions can include activities, favorite recipes, acts of kindness, and more. They can be done at any time and celebrate anything. If you want to start new traditions as a family, get the kids involved then share them with other family members. Some traditions to start may include:
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Cultivating Gratitude in Our Children
What does gratitude mean in children?
Many studies of children’s gratitude focus on acts of appreciation, like saying “thanks.” However, psychologists today suggest being grateful means more than just saying “thank you.” It involves children using a set of complex socio-emotional skills, like perspective talking and emotional knowledge. Guiding them to reflect on their experiences enhances their abilities to be more grateful. A few questions to consider as we engage children with conversations on being grateful:
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What do they notice in their lives for which they can be grateful?
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How they feel about the things they have been given?
- What could they do to express their appreciation?
Research found that being grateful had the greatest correlation to life satisfaction and well-being. Grateful children, studies show, are happier, more optimistic and satisfied with themselves. They have higher grades at school, better social support, and more involvement with their family, community, and friends. They also give more emotional support to others, use their strengths to better their community, and are less envious, depressed, and materialistic.
With the benefits that practicing gratefulness offers, how can we cultivate more gratitude in children? Research supports the belief that gratitude is born and grows from a loving connection. Parents plant the seeds for gratitude to grow as they tune in to their infant’s needs, curiosities, and satisfy them patiently with love.
Some practical ways that could strengthen children’s gratitude skills include:
- Spending time and being mindful to model and teach gratitude.
- Supporting children’s autonomy and using their strengths to promote gratitude.
- Helping children find and focus on what matters to them, then supporting them to achieve intrinsic goals.
- Encouraging children to help others and nurture relationships.
There’s no quick fix for cultivating gratitude in children. The more we remain committed to it, the more rewards we’ll reap. Raising grateful children isn’t just an issue for families, it’s an issue for the community as well. Society desperately needs to harness the power of gratitude. All must do their part to help children develop into grateful and moral adults, who will contribute to a world of compassion and care. Indeed, by bringing out the best in children, we can only imagine what blessings Generation Grateful could bring. Anything worthwhile takes a lot of time and effort. It’s up to all of us to make it happen.
For more ideas on teaching gratitude to children:
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Resources for Teens and Parents:
Teen Health Matters
Teen Health Matters is a project of the Howard County Health Department that connects teens and parents to resources to stay safe, happy, and healthy. Teen Health Matters provides information and resources for teens regarding their whole health, body and mind. Features of the website include a blog, videos, podcasts and other services. Topics include mental health & suicide prevention, stress management, substance use, prevention and treatment, and more.
Parent Craft
Parent Craft is a free self-paced online course that teaches parents the skills they need to meet the risks of substance abuse. Parent CRAFT is based on the proven CRAFT method (Community Reinforcement and Family Training) which is intended to help family members of those with substance use issues decrease their use and accept treatment. The course empowers parents to learn more effective ways to communicate, use positive reinforcement, find treatment programs, and more.
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November is Native American Heritage month. The Howard County Library System is sponsoring an event to celebrate the culture of Native Americans at the East Columbia Branch Saturday, November 5. Enjoy performances, arts and crafts, food vendors, and more.
DEAR: Dogs Educating and Assisting Readers
Tuesday, November 1, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Central Branch – Children's Classroom
Ages 5 to 10
Bring a book or borrow one from the library. Read to Fidos for Freedom's therapy dogs in a relaxing and encouraging environment while increasing oral reading skills and self-confidence. Parent or guardian must sign permission slip or have one on file prior to participating. Ticket and book required. A second class is offered on Monday November 14, at the Savage Branch. Click here for more information.
Sensory Friendly Stories
Wednesday, November 2, 11:00 to 11:30 a.m.
Elkridge Branch – Belmont Room
Ages 3 to 5
Children of all abilities and their caregivers are welcome to this supportive, judgment-free class that includes stories, music, and movement in a small group. Additional classes are offered on Thursday, November 3 (Elkridge Branch) and Wednesday, November 9 (Glenwood Branch). Click here for more information and to register.
Turkey Marionettes
Wednesday, November 2, 2:00 to 2:45 p.m.
Glenwood Branch – Pindell Room
Ages 7 to 10
Learn how the first Macy's Day Parade was started by the talented marionette man, Tony
Sarg. Create a turkey marionette. Tickets are available 15 minutes before class.
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Asthma Basics
The American Lung Association offers a free one-hour interactive online learning module to help individuals learn more about asthma. The course is ideal for individuals with asthma, parents of children with asthma and friends and family of someone with asthma who would like to learn more about the disease. This module teaches participants to recognize and manage asthma triggers, understand the value of an asthma action plan and how to recognize and respond to a breathing emergency. The course is also offered as a live webinar on a few dates throughout the year. The next upcoming live Asthma Basics webinar is November 4, 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. (CT). Visit Lung.org/asthmabasics - basics for more information or to register.
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10 Fall Safety Tips to Keep Children and Parents Safe
Now that we’re halfway through the fall season, the leaves are falling, the temperatures have dropped and the days are shorter, there are ways we can still enjoy this time of the year safely. The Institute for Childhood Preparedness has provided tips on how to keep our children and ourselves safe. Here are a few suggestions:
- Dress children in bright-colored clothing or use reflective tape so drivers can spot them while they play outside during the evening.
- Stay alert around moving vehicles.
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Leaf piles can present hidden dangers. Keep sharp, dangerous tools out of sight of children. Leaves can also carry various molds, bugs, and critters, so monitor children when they play in leaf piles.
- Teach children the importance of handwashing. Make it a habit to wash hands before eating, after using the bathroom, after touching animals, and after playing outside.
Refer to the link above for additional suggestions on how to keep everyone safe this fall.
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Healthy Eating for Kids
Healthy eating is important at every age. Offer kids a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy or fortified soy alternatives. When deciding on foods and beverages, choose options that are full of nutrients and limited in added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium. Start with these tips:
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Offer variety: Include choices from each food group – fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy and fortified soy alternatives – add to meals and snacks during each day.
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Connect at mealtime: Eat meals together whenever possible. Turn off the TV and put away phones and tablets so you can unplug and focus on healthy foods and each other.
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Make good nutrition easy: Designate a shelf or a drawer in your fridge for your kids. Stock it with cut up fruits and vegetables, yogurt, nut butters, and whole- wheat mini bagels and crackers.
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Think about their drinks: Make water and low-fat or fat-free dairy milk and fortified soy alternatives easy options to grab in your home. Have ready-to-go containers filled and, in the fridge, to take on outings.
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Get kids involved: Depending on their age, kids can peel fruits, assemble salads, measure, scoop, and slice. Let them create and name their own side dish.
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Have a shopping buddy: Let kids participate in grocery shopping online or in the store. Reward them by letting them choose their favorite fruit or maybe a new one.
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