PARENT EDUCATION CLASSES – SPRING QUARTER 2024

These parenting seminars are included in tuition for adult members of SSC Cooperative Preschools.  Attending one seminar fulfills the requirement for one quarter – but you may attend as many as you like. Partners, nannies, grandparents welcome! Not a current Co-op member?  Contact the instructor to see if there is space.

Adults only please unless noted in the class description.

Mirrors & Windows (with Alki Elementary @ Schmitz Park Elementary) Schill

Mar 19 (Tue); 6:30-8:30 PM

Children’s literature can be an extremely effective way for parents to start conversations about diversity, equity, and fairness with their children. One can do this using books in which children can see themselves reflected on the pages (mirrors) and those in which they can see into the lives of people who are different from them (windows). Come dive into having kid-friendly conversations about race, immigration, diverse families, and more, using some wonderful books as tools!

To participate and/or get further information, contact Teacher Jen here

 

Filled & Fueled (SSC Lab School) Giomi

Mar 23 (Sat); 10 AM-12 PM

Finding balance, creating small life-giving habits, learning that NO means YES to everyone involved and honoring your bandwidth along with raising a family and juggling it all may seem unreachable. Impossible. Let’s learn tools that are accessible in your busy, overwhelmed season of life. Join us as we dive into possibility and step away refilled and refueled. Author, life coach and retreat facilitator, Jenny Gwinn McGlothern invites us to discover meaningful connection to ourselves while taking care of everyone else.

Register with Jen Giomi here

 

Infant & Child CPR & First Aid (SSC Lab School) Inghram

Mar 26 (Tue); 5:30-8:30 PM

Do you know what to do if a child is choking? Are you skilled in CPR if an adult collapses in class? Do you know which essentials to have in your first aid kit so you are ready for any emergency? Be prepared. This class will be taught by a representative from the very popular and engaging Merit Emergency. Learn or refresh these important skills.

Class fee: $65. Please bring cash or a check made out to Merit Emergency with you.

Register with Jena Inghram here

 

Co-op Butterfly Families (Virtual) Schill

Mar 27, Apr 22 and/or May 19 (Wed, Mon, Sun); 7:30-9:30 PM

Co-op’s monthly discussion group for families with children with higher needs and sensitivities, frustrating behaviors and/or more vulnerable/reactive nervous systems. The purpose of the group is to learn from one another, offering support, experiences, and resources, as well as building community and connection. Group members have found that spending time in a non-judgmental space with other adults who “get it” truly decreases the sense of loneliness and isolation so many are feeling. Wherever you are on your journey–ranging from a subtle observation you or your teacher has made, on up through formal diagnoses and services–all are welcome.

To participate and/or get further information, contact Teacher Jen here

 

For Tired Parents (Virtual) Lim/Hoglan          

Apr 18 (Thursday); 4:30–6:30 PM

A child’s sleep problems can undermine the most confident of parents, and make the sweetest child grumpy! We will discuss different types of problems–bedtime procrastinating, nap strikes, middle-of-the-night waking, visiting the parents’ bed, etc.–and options for solving them. Please include a message regarding your sleep issues when you RSVP so that we can be sure to address them! RSVP to Helen Lim: [email protected]

Register with Helen Lim here 

 

Building Sibling Relationships Part 2 (White Center Co-op Preschool) Franklin/Brock

Apr 22 (Monday); 7:00-9:00 PM 

While sibling relationships can cause a great deal of family stress, they also provide potential for lifelong emotional support, companionship, and the development of crucial social and interpersonal skills. In this class, we look at ways to strengthen and build better sibling relationships, as well as what to do in the thick of sibling struggles. (Didn’t attend Part 1? No problem! This content can stand alone, and we’ll provide materials covered in Part 1.)

Register with Teacher Dawn here

 

Families Engaging in Anti-Bias Education (South Seattle College – Olympic Hall) Carlis

Apr 24 (Wednesday); 7:00–9:00 PM

Join Producer Debbie Lee Keenan, as she shares video clips and insights from her new film about families engaging in anti-bias education. Families parent with an anti-bias/social justice lens in multiple spaces–in their homes, communities and schools–which happens both informally and intentionally. We will hear stories from a diverse group of families and what we as parents and educators can learn from them. Each family has a vision for social justice, based on their own identities, histories, and context. There will be opportunities for questions and discussion.  

Eventbrite link coming soon!

 

Food Fight! (Dream Dinners) Hoglan/Franklin

Apr 27 (Saturday); 11:30 AM-1:30 PM    

Does your child hesitate to try new foods or refuse foods they used to enjoy? Does dinner time feel like a battle of wills? Are you concerned that your child’s picky eating habits are limiting their nourishment? Nearly all parents experience a finicky eater at some point, but knowing how to respond can be difficult – and exhausting. Join us in the beautiful Dream Dinner kitchen, where we will examine young children’s nutritional needs, talk about how to engage children in food prep and selection, and come away with subtle, healthy improvements to the eating environment that will benefit the whole family. Snacks will be provided by Dream Dinners with an option to purchase meal prep kits at an additional cost. Dream Dinners will donate a portion of sales to SSC Co-op Preschools. Stay tuned for details on how to order!

Register with Teacher Heidi here

 

Positive Discipline for Caregivers (Gatewood Elementary) Schill/O’Hern

Apr 29 (Monday); 6:00-8:00 PM

Would you like to find more joy in your job as a parent? Is your family life challenged by child defiance, chore hassles, homework issues, whining, and more?

Join us for an evening with Parent Educators Jen Schill and Sara O’Hern, exploring ways to build values of cooperation, teamwork, responsibility, self-discipline and more in your children. Discover kind and firm tools for teaching children that can be used in all stages of your parenting journey.

Register with Teacher Jen here

 

The Highly Sensitive Child (Virtual) Schill/O’Hern

May 4 (Saturday); 10:00 AM-12:00 PM

Do you have a little person in your life who: is sensitive to funny tastes, loud noises, changes to routine? Upset by scary shows, movies, or books? Fearful in new situations? Prone to hurt feelings, upset by criticism, and thwarted by wanting to do things perfectly? If so, you might have a highly sensitive child! Come spend the afternoon with us as we learn how highly sensitive children operate, where the challenges lie, and how to ensure that their many gifts are able to shine brightly.

Register with Teacher Jen here

 

Mindfulness and Art Therapy (Alki Co-op Preschool) Hoglan/Inghram

May 22 (Wednesday); 7:00-9:00 PM

Let’s take a deep breath together! Learn how to incorporate mindfulness into your life through breathing exercises, calm down kits, and art. Ideas for both grown-ups and children. Class includes art experience and creating tools (glitter jar!) to bring home. $10 materials fee.

Register with Teacher Heidi here