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Meeting Topics 2006
Click on each topic to download handouts from the meeting.
January 2006 - Behind the ideals – why we do what
we do
It's 3 am, I notice on the alarm clock as I roll over for the 58th time tonight
to nurse Collin on the "other side." Why am I doing this? I am so tired! Gosh
maybe if he just slept in his crib, I could get some sleep! Then he settles into
my breast and starts nursing. Slowly, his clenched fist opens up, and he begins
to rhythmically pat my breast. I sigh and relax. He sighs, and his eyelids
flutter closed back to sleep. Then I remember exactly why I'm doing what I'm
doing!
Dr. William Sears, a practicing pediatrician in California, coined the term
"attachment parenting" over twenty-five years ago. Dr. Sears did not start
attachment parenting but simply observed that mothers in other cultures cared
for and raised their children in a very natural, loving way, as they had done
for thousands of years. This type of care helped the parents and baby form a
strong, secure attachment. It has long been recognized by research in the field
of psychology that babies and children with secure attachments grow up to be
loving, trusting and empathic adults. Let's get together in January and take a
look at the research behind each of the eight ideals.
Hopefully, we'll come away from the meeting with a renewed sense of of
commitment and understanding of attachment and its short and long term benefits!
February 2006 - Milk, Money, and Madness – Why those hospital diaper bags DO
matter!
Did you know that politics are involved in breastfeeding? The meeting this month
will put a different spin on breastfeeding. Join us for a very special guest
speaker, Kim Salmon, IBCLC. She will be speaking on many topics covered in the
book Milk, Money and Madness: The Culture and Politics of Breastfeeding, by
Naomi Baumslag and Dia L. Michels. This book describes tactics used by formula
manufacturers to spread the use of their product and summarizes the effect this
has had on the world’s babies. Kim will outline some of the history of formula,
the marketing strategies that
formula companies employ, and the importance of UNICEF/WHO's baby friendly
initiative and what it means for breastfeeding moms and their babies. If you're
interested in finding out more, please join us on Saturday, February 11th, at
10:00 am.
March 2006 - Babywearing - API of Peoria
Spring Sling Collection 2006 - What the best dressed moms and dads are wearing
this spring
(Cue runway music) Gauzy slings, big squishy diaper bags, and spit-up-spotted
t-shirts. It's all the rage this spring in our Peoria parenting community! And
what's the must have accessory this season? Why, a sling, of course!
Wearing your baby is not only convenient by allowing your hands to be free,
but actually promotes physical development and makes for a happier baby. The
anecdotal stories bear out the statistics. So please, join us at our meeting on
Saturday, March 11th. Not only will you see a parade of beautiful slinging moms
and dads, but you'll have the opportunity to learn about and try a variety of
different baby carriers yourself. This would be a perfect meeting to bring a
friend that might be new to the concept of babywearing. And of course it will be
a lot of fun, too – come on out and enjoy this twist on wearing your children!
If you have a baby carrier, wrap, or sling that you would like to show off,
please contact Cinnamon.
April 2006-
Preparation for Childbirth
Connecting early with baby begins with prenatal preparation and alert, active
participation in childbirth. You can make informed decisions about the kind of
birth you want that will help create a positive experience for you and your
baby. After much planning and preparation, API of Peoria is very pleased to
announce the kickoff meeting for our own Preparation for Childbirth program.
What does the program consist of?
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API of Peoria Childbirth Classes taught by our own Hilary
Shirven, Certified Childbirth Educator and Doula. Why take classes? Our
birth experiences affect the way we mother and how we feel about ourselves.
These feelings surrounding birth stay with us. Therefore, it is essential
for women to educate themselves for a satisfying birth experience. Our goal
is to give you straight, evidence-based information on all your birth
options. At the meeting on Saturday, Hilary will be talking about the
“Little Facts that Make a
BIG Difference – Keys to a More Satisfying Birth.”
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Integrated Yoga taught by
Julie Carnegie Reams, a DONA Certified Birth Doula and approved Birth Doula
Trainer. Julie combines her detailed knowledge of the pregnant body with the
Universal Principles of Alignment to help prepare expectant mothers for the
rigors and joys of childbirth. At the meeting, Julie will be speaking about
the benefits of yoga during pregnancy.
What is your role? Come on out to the meeting to help kick off
the program and spread the word about API of Peoria’s new Preparation for Childbirth program. It
is unique in the community, as it combines childbirth education with prenatal
exercise of the body and spirit. This blends together to create a holistic
approach to preparing for baby – it’s sustenance for the body, mind, and soul
all in one place!
May 2006- Why wait? Considering School Options
Why wait until the last lazy days of summer are approaching before thinking
about your schooling options for the fall? Why wait until it's time to send your
baby to kindergarten to consider what alternatives are out there? You don't have
to wait; you can join us on Saturday, May 13th to discuss schooling options
including public school, private school, and home school. If your children
aren't school-aged yet, we'll also discuss how to set up your life and
environment so that education and desire for knowledge are a part of your
everyday life!
June 2006 - A “Potluck” of Ideas
What do we have cooking this summer? A potluck of ideas!
Traditionally, API of Peoria has taken a summer hiatus. We really feel, though,
that support from and for API families is needed year round. So this summer
we've decided to try something new. Come join us for a "potluck" meeting. What
does this mean?
pot·luck (pot-luk ) n. 1. meal at which each guest brings food
that is then shared by all.
We are are planning on having a "potluck of ideas" for each month during the
summer. This means that each person attending the meeting will bring one idea
about the meeting topic. Then we will put all of our ideas together and share
them. The ideas can be as simple as one sentence or as elaborate as a
demonstration. It's up to each person how they would like to contribute. This
way, we can have more relaxed meetings this summer, while still supporting each
other.
Our first topic for the June meeting will be Family Summer Vacations. So bring
an idea how to make an inexpensive, low-key vacation fun and meaningful. Some
ideas might be to include stopping at local museums and historical sites,
playing a game of mini-golf where the only communication is through touch,
staying home to build a tree house together, etc. We could also incorporate some
ideas on how to travel with children including what to pack, how to entertain
them during long waits, what story tapes are good, etc.
Come on
out enjoy this summer feast of ideas!
July 2006 - Kids and Chores – our potluck continues!
As we finish up a hastily prepared dinner on the way out the door to Jesse's
softball game, I look around at the pile of plates and dishes and cautiously
approach Katelyn asking, "Honey, will you please help me clear the table?" She
answers me very quickly with a loud and resounding, "No! I'm busy playing with
Legos." How do I handle this? Should a three year old be able to help clear the
table? Am I asking too much? And if I do get past the conflict surrounding the
table clearing, should I reward her in any way or just expect chores as part of
being a family?
Kids and Chores. It's something that I think most families struggle with. As we
continue with our summer series a "Potluck of Ideas", please bring your ideas
about what is working or is not working for you and your family to our meeting
in July!
August 2006 - Nature and our lives
Our modern technological world is a web of e-networking and tv icons. But is
there another, more ancient network that you and your kids are missing out on?
Let us discuss the interdependent web of life- Nature. How do we get our kids
off the screen and into the backyard? Learn why nature is essential to a healthy
lifestyle and how to incorporate more green into your home, using concepts from
the book Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature Deficit
Disorder, by Richard Louv. This is the last of our Attachment Parenting Summer
Potluck Meetings, so bring ideas, thoughts and questions to share.
September 2006 -
Nighttime
Parenting
“My baby won’t nap.” “My toddler gets up for the day at 4:30 am.” “My 4 month
old doesn’t want to go to sleep until after midnight.” These are frequent and
common posts on our message forums from parents looking for answers about
sleeping patterns. It seems like everyone struggles with sleep issues with their
children, no matter what the age of the child. One of the most common pieces of
advice is that whatever your child is going through currently is just a phase,
and this, too, shall pass. The behavior probably is a phase, as I don’t know too
many teenagers with as many sleep issues as my 16-month-old son, but when I am
woken up for the seventh time before 2 am, I am really looking for some sound
advice and tips to help my child and I both get a more restful night’s sleep.
If you would like to brainstorm how we can help our children to sleep, while
continuing to parent them during the night in the same peaceful way that we
strive to parent them during the day, please join us at 10:00 am on Saturday,
September 9th, at the UU Church.
October 2006 - Fathers as more than Pinch Hitters
It’s 5:17 on a Friday evening, and Jesse opens the door to a
crying, teething Collin and a very excited Katelyn, both clamoring for his attention. I give him
a quick kiss on the cheek, and run out the door, calling behind me, I’ll be
finished scrapbooking around 11:30, and I’ll be home by midnight. Oh! And
I hope you had a good day at work. As I shut the door behind me, I cross
my fingers and hope that the kids go to bed easily for him, after the day that
I’m sure that he has had at work. Maintaining balance is the key to avoiding
"parent burn-out," but how do you achieve balance when one parent has
been the caregiver to the children all day and the other parent has been the
breadwinner at the workplace all day?
As soon as I get on the road, my cell phone rings. It’s Jesse
with Katelyn crying in the background. He asks, “Katelyn can’t find her Little Einsteins
video, do you know where it is?” I take a deep breath and reply, “Katelyn
has already watched enough TV today. Can you have her color or look at
books?” Jesse then explains that Collin is teething and needs to be held, so
he would really appreciate Katelyn watching a video for a little while. I don’t
agree with Katelyn watching any more television, but help to locate the missing
video in question.
How does it feel to be an attachment parenting dad and what is his role in
parenting? Balance that seems almost impossible to achieve, discipline goals
that seem so focused on the long-term result with sometimes few short-term
results, a marriage bed that now includes a four month old…it’s a lot to take
in. Sometimes being an attached parent seems like such a difficult journey. As
an attached mom, I know that I definitely have my days. But how does my partner
feel? What is his role in this attached family?
November 2006 - The
Cycle of Attachment Parenting; Parenting from our pasts and for our futures
I recently ran across a classic poem by Dorothy Law Nolte, published in
1954. This inspirational and educational poem, Children Learn What They Live,
has been published worldwide, translated into 10 languages, taught in parenting
and teaching courses, distributed in doctors’ offices, and printed on posters
and calendars. Many of the characteristics in this poem are what we discuss
everyday with one another, the traits that we want our children to learn and
possess, ideally through our own examples. The end of it goes:
If a child lives with tolerance, he learns to be patient.
If a child lives with encouragement, he learns confidence.
If a child lives with praise, he learns to appreciate.
If a child lives with fairness, he learns justice.
If a child lives with security, he learns to have faith.
If a child lives with approval, he learns to like himself.
If a child lives with acceptance and friendship, he learns to find love in the
world.
Secure attachment, not conditional on how well a child is behaving, is the first
stepping stone to the adult relationships that children will have outside of
their family. How you parent really does affect how your children will interact
with their future mates and children. If you’d like to discuss your own early
attachment relationships and their effects on your current parenting and your
children’s futures, please join us on Saturday, November 11th, at 10:00 am at
the Universalist Unitarian Church.
December 2006 - Maintain Balance - Nourish Spirit
Last year we started a new tradition for our December meeting by
organizing a special event for the mothers to attend to work on Maintaining
Balance. The event that we held last year focused on pampering our bodies. We
kept the meeting content a surprise and the attendees seemed thrilled to walk
into a room complete with a chocolate fountain, foot baths, chair massages and
the works to be pampered!
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) once said, “What lies behind us and lies before
us are small matters compared to what lies within us.” For this year’s meeting,
we will be turning inward to nourish our spirit. But what’s happening at the
meeting is a surprise - prepare to feed your soul!
If you have the option available, this might be a meeting where the kids can
have a special bonding day with Daddy or another caregiver. Please contact the
leaders if you need assistance with childcare at the church. We hope to see you
on December 10th for a morning of strengthening our spirit while maintaining
balance in our busy holiday lives!
(We are once again collecting items this holiday season to help the Center for
Prevention of Abuse.)
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If there is a topic that you would like to see covered, please contact the
leaders here. |
