Parent Association Newsletters
Welcome to 2022!  Happy New Year, everyone! The Parent Association is excited to welcome you back to school in 2022, and we hope you had a wonderful break and got to spend some time with your family. I had some fun in the snow with my family and am ready for some bonding time with our MCH parent community, as well as getting back into our school routine. We had a wonderful discussion last month on the book "Digital Minimalism," and this month, we are planning to discuss T.J. Klune’s book, "The House in the Cerulean Sea." I'm really looking forward to our discussion, as this book resonated with me on how to learn true kindness in the face of some unique challenges. I hope to see many of you at the virtual discussion on Zoom. Also, make sure you take a glance at our parent meetup section below for dates and times for these and other great community events. Just a gentle reminder to stay safe and healthy this winter and that if you have any questions, comments or concerns about community events, what the board is up to, or any general feedback, feel free to contact us at [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you! Regards, Susan Smith President, MCH Parent Association  Big Announcements from the Community Development Committee! Last Fall, the MCH Parent Association conducted a survey to learn more about our community interests. Through that survey, we discovered that our community is interested in Book Circles and Parent Education Programming offered through the PA. Well, we’ve got great news! This winter and spring we are offering several opportunities to grow as a community and as parents. Note: given the ongoing pandemic, at this time we plan for PA book circles and parent education programming to be held in the evening, online, via Zoom. Walk and Talk Friday, February 11th, we will be meeting after drop-off (approximately 9:30-9:45am) at Redmond Watershed Preserve for an easy walk and good conversation. Plan to meet at the Trout Loop Trail head in the parking lot (21760 Novelty Hill Rd, Redmond). We hope to see you there! Book Circles (Pssst! It’s always 110% okay if you haven’t read the book, just come to enjoy the conversation.) In December we had an insightful book circle conversation about the non-fiction book "Digital Minimalism" by Cal Newport. This read offered all in attendance time to pause and consider how the digital age impacts our parenting, our children, and our personal identities. Given that we met via Zoom, we certainly held gratitude for technology, and also leaned into our own values around finding time for quiet solitude. This month, we will meet on January 18, 2022 at 7:30 pm via Zoom to discuss a feel-good fiction book, "The House in the Cerulean Sea" by T.J. Klune. This brilliant read is just what the world needs during the uncertainty of a pandemic! The characters offer glimpses into our own identities and assumptions on a journey toward discovery and community. No time to read it? No problem! Here's a little sound bite about the book, or check out a podcast interview with the author. “The House in the Cerulean Sea is a gripping character tour-de-force that draws you in at every turn. You’ll fall in love with the knobby-kneed, round-about-the-waist anti-hero of Linus Baker, who will surprise you and even himself throughout the novel” – Matt R. “When I picked up this book I had no idea the astonishing amount of joy it was going to bring me. My heart flutters with all of the hilarious jokes, sweet kids, and messages of anti-prejudice in this book. It is like sunshine right into your soul.” – Sarah V. “We should always make time for the things we like. If we don't, we might forget how to be happy.” ― T.J. Klune, The House in the Cerulean Sea Book Circle/ Parent Education Programming Combo In February we will shift our Book Circle to begin our Parent Education Programming. We are reading the parenting gem, "Shame-Proof Parenting: Finding Your Unique Parenting Voice, Feel Empowered, and Raise Whole, Healthy Children" by Mercedes Samudio and (drumroll please) we will be joined by the author herself!! That’s right! We are honored to welcome Author and Parent Coach Mercedes Samudio, LCSW to our Book Circle Conversation on February 23rd, 6:00-8:00 pm via Zoom. This is one you don’t want to miss, so mark your calendar now! NOTE: While this event is free and open only to MCH families and faculty, registration is required so that we can customize the content based on your interests. This is a HUGE opportunity and gift to learn with Mercedes who is highly regarded in parenting circles, and is a 2017 International Book Awards Finalist and 2018 Indie Reader Discovery Award Winner. Her message is for all ages and stages: moms, dads, nannies, grandparents, and educators alike. A parent herself, Mercedes helps readers and clients shed shame in favor of finding their authentic parenting style. She does not ask you to ascribe to one particular methodology. Rather, she invites you to examine what matters most to you and how to translate that into guiding the children in your life. She helps parents and children communicate with each other, manage emotional trauma, navigate social media and technology together, and develop healthy parent-child relationships. “The shame-proof framework gets us back to what it means to be a human raising another human and gets us to stop glorifying the notion that we need to be superhuman to raise a kid.” During our time together, Mercedes may speak to:
The author will also be available for Q&A, so go ahead and get your copy of "Shame-Proof Parenting: Finding Your Unique Parenting Voice, Feel Empowered, and Raise Whole, Healthy Children" and plan to join us February 23rd. Mercedes Samudio is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a private coaching practice who has worked with adoptive families, foster families, teen parents, parents navigating the child protective services system, and children living with mental illness. Mercedes seeks to empower parents to believe that they are already great guides for raising healthy and happy children. Learn more about Mercedes and Shame-Proof Parenting here and/or get started with some of her go-to strategies in this blog post. These events are hosted by the Parent Association and not affiliated with the school. Please wear a mask to all in-person events.  But Wait, There's More!
The Community Development Committee is excited to announce new Parent Education Programming: Parenting with Courage and Connection In March and/or April we have the good fortune to partner with Sound Discipline for a deeper dive into our parenting practice. Sound Discipline played a pivotal role in bringing the Positive Discipline philosophy and practice to MCH faculty and staff. Now, parents, caregivers, grandparents, and other adults in your child’s life have the opportunity to experience and practice this transformative work. This is a lovely way to get grounded in otherwise uncertain times. What exactly is Positive Discipline? This program, based on the work of Alfred Adler and Rudolf Dreikurs, and crafted by Dr. Jane Nelsen, is designed to teach young people to become responsible, respectful, and resourceful members of their communities. Positive Discipline teaches important social and life skills in a manner that is deeply respectful and encouraging for both children and adults (including parents, teachers, childcare providers, youth workers, and others). Learn more here. Parenting with Courage and Connection (aka Parenting with Positive Discipline) is a cumulative four-week workshop series where we examine the latest brain science and child development research in light of the challenges of today. You will be guided to deepen your understanding and reflect upon parenting practices to support you in raising caring, collaborative, capable kids. Learn how to broaden your compassion for yourself and your child(ren) and practice specific skills to help you navigate common parenting challenges while strengthening your relationships. This is perfect for parents new to this parenting style and nourishing for those who are familiar and need a pick-me-up. Additionally, this offering will help you weave a common language and practice between school and home. The $150 fee for this interactive workshop (active participation is essential, this will not be offered as a recording) is a $150 per-participant value, and will be covered on your behalf by the MCH Parent Association. Ready to sign-up? We are working hard to confirm interest to finalize details for our private workshop series. We need your participation now to be able to bring this program to our community. Please complete this short, four-question survey to help us finalize our plan! Curious but not sure? On February 3rd, Sound Discipline is hosting a free, one-time introduction to Positive Discipline class just for the MCH community. Join us to learn more about Positive Discipline and what to expect in the workshop series. Register for the introduction class here. We look forward to seeing you at the upcoming Walk and Talk, Book Circles, and Parenting with Courage and Connection workshop series. Watch for more details in our February newsletter.
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