Parenting young children has more than its fair share of challenging moments. But upcoming offerings from the St. Charles Park District aim to help parents better navigate these early years by providing expert-led programming and making strong community-based connections.
Two new programs showcase a new partnership between the park district and St. Charles-based Be Present Therapy and Wellness, a mental health service provider for adults and children.
On Mondays from September 9 through October 28, therapists with the practice will lead an online group meeting that centers on sharing tools to help parents and caregivers better cope with the circumstances and challenges that arise as part of family life. RISE: Resilience, Inspiration, Support, Empowerment will take place via Zoom from 7 to 7:45 p.m. The cost is $130.
“I’m excited to bring support to parents who may be struggling or feeling on their own in our community setting,” said Kara Guizzetti-Reif, early childhood and preschool supervisor for the park district, who added that topics for the multi-week program were selected after surveying individuals who took part in early childhood programs earlier in the year.
A second program, Emotional Regulation in Parenting, will tackle the ways in which parents can more effectively manage their own feelings and actions, with the express goal of responding to children in a calm, positive manner.
“It’s about ways parents can feel more confident in their ability to cope with kids’ challenging behaviors, both at home, and when out and about,” Guizzetti-Reif said. “We’ve all felt that stress, and we’ve all searched for relief.”
This program will take place from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, September 17 and from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, September 18 at Pottawatomie Community Center. The cost is $57 for residents and $69 for nonresidents.
The fall season will also find Guizzetti-Reif leading her free monthly sit-down. Open to all those who have a young child in their life, Koffee with Kara delves into a wide range of important child-centered topics.
This largely informal group meets from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Thursdays at Pottawatomie Community Center. Programs include The Magic of Reading Aloud on September 19 and Grateful Hearts on November 19. On December 5, the group will take part in Fine Motor Fun from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Participants are asked to register in advance. Young children are welcome to accompany their parents and can play while the adults converse.
All programs are available for those 16 and older. To learn more, visit stcparks.org.