Imprints

What I Learned From My Dad

2012-06-15T09:40:00.002-04:00

Last month I wrote about some of the many things I learned from my mom, so it seems fitting that this month should be dedicated to some of the many things I learned from my dad.

The Importance of a Good Sense of Humor. My dad says that he’s the funniest person he knows and he is. He uses humor with friends, family and strangers alike. Sometimes you “get it” and sometimes you don’t, but it doesn’t matter to him. He always thinks he’s funny. If he loves you, he gives you a nickname, often nonsensical. He calls one of my cousins “Lucy.” Her real name is “Julia.” Why “Lucy?” Who knows?! For years he called my mother, “Squeegy Bod” until she’d had enough of being embarrassed in public and called a halt to it. What’s important about his humor is that he forces all of us not to take ourselves too seriously. And guess what?! Now, I’m the funniest person I know!

Basic Car Care. Yep, this one is the traditional Dad thing to teach and he did it. I can change a tire, check my oil and generally know when something’s amiss and needs professional care. With some of the clunkers I’ve driven as well as my current used luxury model, it’s come in handy repeatedly.

How to end an argument. My dad can get mad…really mad. We’re talking window rattling, blood vessel bursting, mad. But he knows how to forgive and how to apologize. Learning this from him has ensured that I still have a job…and friends… and a husband.

Compassion for those less fortunate. This is one I listed for my mom too and it’s true. My parents are two of the most giving people I know. Back in the 80s Dad helped start a small soup kitchen that served weekday lunches to the homeless and needy in Wilmington, NC. Today the Good Shepherd Center has grown into a major operation that provides meals seven days a week and a wealth of additional resources. And in his retirement, he’s back at Good Shepherd, driving homeless veterans to their doctor appointments and filling in when employees are on vacation.

Show affection to those you love. When I was little my dad would beg my brother and me for kisses and hugs. I often held out just to see his dramatic and humorous reactions. When I was eight, I bet him that I could stop sucking my thumb before he could give up smoking. If I won the bet, I could get my ears pierced. If he won, he got 100 kisses from me! I won, of course, though he did eventually give up smoking. He shows my mom affection too, often with eye rolling sexual innuendos. My parents’ snuggles and funny words gave me a sense of security and let me know that those around me loved each other. Now that I’m a parent, I enjoy showering my boys with affection and giving them reason to roll their eyes at their silly parents!

I’m grateful to my dad for all that he’s taught me. I hope that I can do the same for my children. Take some time to write an appreciation list about your dad. You’ll be glad you did!

Happy Father’s Day!

What I Learned From My Mom

2012-05-13T14:08:00.001-04:00

In honor of all the moms out there, but especially my mom, here’s my list of SOME of the many things I’ve learned from her.

The joy of reading. She loved children’s books and literature and shared that love with us. She read with us nightly and gleefully added to our library with each new advance in reading ability and maturity. I clearly remember how excited she was the year she decided I was old enough to read The Catcher in the Rye. As the time draws near for Noah and me, I share her excitement.

Independence and fearlessness. Thanks in part to the era of The Equal Rights Amendment, my mom was determined that I would grow to be a self-confident, independent woman. Perhaps she and others who know me wish I’d received a smaller dose of determination and forthrightness, but I’m confident that the boogie man doesn’t want to meet up with me in a dark alley.

Compassion for those less fortunate and a desire to fight for justice. During the Civil Rights Movement, she spoke out and protested against segregation. When the T.V. news showed the plight of Vietnamese war refugees in the 70s and 80s, she cried and with my father helped a community to organize to bring the Ha family to our town. I see that compassion and search for justice passing on to my own children; with Noah who argued with school friends about Amendment One and Ben who told me I wasn’t being nice when I made fun of someone.

What marriage is…and isn’t. My parents have had many joyous years together, but it hasn’t always been easy. I learned from her that the day-in and day-out getting along and living together is as important as the passion. And that love changes with time. It ebbs and flows. It’s not always easy but it’s worth the effort. The ability to forgive is essential to a happy and enduring relationship.

The importance of intentional parenting. In her day, Dr. Spock was all the rage. She read his book, listened to other mothers she admired and took what felt right to her to form her own parenting style. She was (intentionally) lenient and indulged us in many ways but was firm and consistent when it came to what food we ate, time we went to bed and how much T.V. we watched. My parenting style may be slightly different from hers but I have followed her lead when it comes to food, bedtime and T.V. and I’ve definitely learned from her that being a good parent is difficult but worth all the effort.

I’m grateful to my mom for all that she’s taught me. I hope that I can do the same for my children.

Happy Mother’s Day!

When Noah Started School

2012-05-01T12:34:00.000-04:00

I remember it well…the day that my oldest started kindergarten. We’d practiced getting up early and getting ready to go. He’d gone to bed early and eaten a good breakfast. He’d picked out a special outfit and a lunchbox. We’d gathered school supplies.

I walked him to his class, stopping at the door to take the “first day” picture. And then I had to leave. I held back my tears until I got outside so he wouldn’t see. How had this day arrived so fast? Where did the time go? Was he ready? Had his father and I adequately prepared him?

It was an exciting, yet daunting parenting and child transition. We were beginning a new stage of life together. Looking back now, I can see the things I didn’t yet know…his learning style, who his friends would be, what kind of classroom parent I would be and how important his school, the families and staff, would become to our family.

Every parent shares this milestone and most of us, the mixture of worry and excitement. The staff at Imprints has created a series of classes to address these feelings and to better inform parents about what to expect and how to help prepare our children for this transition. “Spring into Kindergarten” offers readiness activities and ways to enhance the home environment, homework suggestions, best ways to communicate with teachers and how to engage your child in discussions about school. Held at The Children’s Museum on three consecutive Mondays (May 7, 14, & 21) from 10-11 am, participants will leave with ideas and activities to help them connect with their child, encourage independence and prepare their child for the world of school. Parents can register at ImprintsForFamilies.org/spring or call me at 722-6296 x205.

We’re just a few months away from the start of a new school year! Let the excitement begin!!

-Julia

Parent Reflections by Julia Toone

2012-03-29T12:22:00.003-04:00

Ben, my youngest child, turned 10 this month. It’s hard for
me to believe that it’s been a decade since I’ve had a baby! It’s seems like
only yesterday that my little “Ben Bun” was cradled in my arms, totally
dependent on me for everything.

Time provides space for reflection. I look back on those
early days of parenthood and often yearn to do it over again. If I could,
here’s what I’d do differently:

Let ‘em get in our bed more often. I brought
my babies to bed in the night for nursing and often allowed them to sleep with
us when they were sick or had a bad dream. But I was pretty firm that once
they’d finished eating, their health restored or their fears eased, it was back
to their own beds. I know the shared family bed is controversial--- for good
reasons associated with safety, marital bliss and children’s ability to learn
early (and easily) to sleep on their own. But just recently I realized that it
had been a long time since either child had asked to get in bed with us in the
night or even gotten in bed with us for weekend morning snuggle times. And I
miss it. I wish I’d known then that the day would come when I would long for
that extra body in our bed.

I wish I'd laughed more with them.
We have a family video of Ben, Noah and me
eating lunch. Ben is just a toddler, still in his high chair and Noah is no
older than 3. They did something silly that made me laugh to the point of
tears. It makes me laugh to watch it! I’d like to believe that there were many
of these occasions, but I’m doubtful. I know that I spent a lot of time in serious
concentration on functioning---caring for them, feeding them, keeping them
safe, etc. I’m making up for my serious parenting years by being a very silly
(and often embarrassing) parent of tweens!

Stayed home from work longer.
We’ve been very fortunate as working parents. My job
has always been flexible and allowed lots of time for family needs. Our
children have always been cared for by loving and wonderful caregivers. Even
so, I wish I’d taken at least 6 months after their births before heading back
to work. I think I would have bonded more quickly and easily with Noah and been
less frazzled with Ben if I’d had more time devoted solely to their care.

Yelled less (of course).
I think most parents can identify with this wish.
Parenting is exhausting and our children can push us to the brink of madness at
times. But we all wish we yelled less. I think I’ve gotten more patient over
the years (thankfully) but I still have moments I’d like to take back.

Lest you think that I only have regrets about
parenting…there are many things that I’m glad that I did. Here are a few:

Devoted family time each night to a good-nite routine. Brian and I decided early on that bedtime was an important time for family bonding. Our evening rituals have changed over the
years but they’ve been a wonderful part of our day as a family. For us this
routine has always included time and discussion one-on-one between each parent
and child and reading together. We continue this tradition today with our big
10- and 12-year old boys!

Valued the written and spoken word. Books have always been an important part of
our parenting lives. From the time they were born, we have read daily with our
children. We’ve also placed value on conversation. When they were little, I
cooed and responded to their every early utterance and sang to them throughout
the day. I continue to engage my tweens in daily conversation. I hope to keep
the lines of communication open as we move into the teen years.

Consistent discipline. Brian and I put a lot of effort into being consistent when our children were young and it has paid off. We tried to reserve “no” for the things that truly had to be denied.
But when we did say “no” we meant it. It’s easy to cave in when you’re tired or busy.
When I’ve been tempted to give in or not follow through, I remind myself that
I’m the parent. It’s my job to be consistent. I make decisions based on what’s
best for my children. Sometimes they don’t agree with me and that’s ok. I’m not
here to win a popularity contest. I’m here to develop these children into their
best potential selves.

Breastfed.
For many new moms, breastfeeding can be a challenge. I was no different. It
hurt, I wasn’t sure he was getting enough and I didn’t enjoy it. Despite these
early challenges, I persevered and I’m glad I did. It did get easier and it
helped me bond with both of my babies. This message isn’t meant to make those
of you who couldn’t do it feel bad. It’s to help those of you who are still
struggling to hang in there. There are many women who look back and regret not
breastfeeding. But it would be difficult to find a mother who regrets
breastfeeding her child.

Followed Brian's lead. By the time I had my first child, I’d already been working
with infants and young children for a decade and had a Masters Degree in Child
Development. In our family, I was the child expert. Despite this, I recognized
early on that Brian had instincts and parenting skills that I could learn from.
I cringed with every fall, bump or bruise. He was much more relaxed. I cradled
and cooed, he wrestled and tickled. I fretted over every little change or
unusual behavior. He said, “Let’s wait and see.” And I’ve picked up on some of
this. I turn the other way when they fly over the ramp on their skateboards and
bikes. I’ve learned to wrestle and roughhouse some and not to sweat the small
stuff.

All parents have feelings of regret from time to time, but
hopefully, we can all look back and see the great things we did as well. What
would you like to do over if given the chance? What parenting moments are you
most proud of?

2012-03-14T11:53:00.002-04:00

Register Now for a Great Parenting Event: "Healthy Families in a Hectic World" will take place on Weds, March 21st from 9:30-10:30 am at the Children's Museum of Winston-Salem. Go to www.ImprintsForFamilies.org/speakers to learn more!

Please help support Imprints!

2011-04-06T14:10:00.000-04:00

Thanks to the article about us in last week’s Yes Weekly! (http://www.yesweekly.com/triad/article-11805-forsyth-nonprofit-braces-for-cuts-to-early-education-programs.html), Whole Foods has designated Imprints as their “donate a dime” agency for the next quarter (April-June)!

Please bring your own bags to shop at the Winston-Salem Whole Foods and when the cashier asks if you'd like to donate your bag credit to Imprints, please say, "Yes!"

Thank you for your support!

Who doesn't love a massage?

2011-03-17T15:09:00.000-04:00

Did you know that babies love to have massages? Bring your baby age 2-12 months (non-walkers only, please) to our next parent group and learn about the benefits of infant massage while getting a hands on lesson.

Nurturing Touch: Learn About Infant Massage

English Language Group Information:
Monday, April 4th and Tuesday, April 5th from 10am to 1pm (Attend both sessions)
Group is held at Imprints - 502 N Broad St, Winston-Salem

Spanish Language Group Information:
April 11th, 14th, and 15th (Attend all 3 sessions)
Group is held at Imprints in the Downtown Health Plaza - 1200 N Martin Luther King Jr Dr, Winston-Salem

Please RSVP to your Parent Educator or to Berta Andrade at 713-9743 or bandrade@imprintsforfamilies.org

Lunch is provided. Register today, space is limited.

Looking for something to do this weekend?

2011-02-24T18:18:00.000-05:00

The 2nd annual Imprints Cares About Literacy Used Book Sale is here!

Join us on Friday February 25th from 4 to 9pm. Shop for books while enjoying a delicious array of wine, beer, and appetizers from Bob's Big Gas Subs and Pub.

You can also purchase books on Saturday the 26th from 9am to 3pm. During the last hour, get even more bargains during our "Bag Sale." Stuff a bag full of books for only $5! Bags are provided.

We hope to see you there!

We Need Your Gently Used Books

2011-01-25T14:15:00.000-05:00

Imprints is doing it again! The 2nd annual Used Book Sale is set for Friday and Saturday, February 25th and 26th.

To donate your books or for more information, please contact Betty West at 336.722.6296 x206 or bwest@imprintsforfamilies.org

Books for all ages are welcome!

February Parent Meeting

2011-01-07T09:02:00.001-05:00

The Imprints parent group in February is:

The Power of Love: How to Spot Your Child's Love Language

This parent group will be based on The Five Love Languages of Children by Gary Chapman.

When: Wednesday, February 9th from 11am to Noon.

Where: Imprints at Augsburg Community Center
             502 N Broad St
             Winston-Salem, NC 27101
             (Parking lot is on Pilot View St)

Please RSVP to your parent educator or to Berta Andrade at 713-9743 or bandrade@imprintsforfamilies.org.

Child care and lunch are provided! We hope to see you there!

November Parent Group

2010-11-01T12:56:00.000-04:00

The Imprints parent group in November is:

Having Fun With My Family: It's More Important Than Ever

Please join us to explore ways to play and celebrate together in your busy family life.

When: Wednesdsay, November 17th, 11am to Noon

Where: Imprints at Augsburg Community 502 North Broad Street, Winston-Salem

Childcare and lunch will be provided.

Please RSVP to your parent educator or to Berta Andrade at 713-9743.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Imprints Parent Group - Who's the Boss?

2010-09-13T11:23:00.000-04:00

Please join us on Tuesday, September 21st from 11am to noon for a lunch and learn about positive discipline and taking charge in your home.

The meeting will be at Imprints at Augsburg Community Center - 502 N Broad St, Winston-Salem, NC 27101.

Childcare and lunch are provided. Please call Berta Andrade at 713-9743 to RSVP.

I'm Bored!!!

2010-07-14T16:34:00.001-04:00

We're about midway through the summer and I know that I'm starting to hear the "I'm bored!!" Are you? Too much free time can make it tough to come up with things to do. Here are a couple of ideas to fight midsummer boredom.

Go outside! There are tons of things to do outside but one less obvious thing may be to become explorers. It may seem like you know your neighborhood but try looking a little bit closer.

Pretend to be ants and look at things from the ground. Discuss what it would be like to be so small. If you don't know a lot about ants, look them up on the internet or in a book. You'll both learn something.
Collect leaves or rocks and compare them. Try to find out which tree the leaves came from.
Take an alphabet walk. Find something that starts with an A (ant), then a B (ball) and so on.
Cut a paper towel tube in half and tape the two pieces together to make binoculars. Take them birdwatching and record what you find.

Another idea is to make an idea box. Give your kids an empty tissue or shoe box and ask them to decorate it.

Then together, come up with ideas, write them on strips of paper and put them in the box. On days when they are having a tough time deciding what to do, they can draw an idea out of the box.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

Have one person hide a kitchen timer. The others have to find it by listening to the ticking sound.
Use sidewalk chalk to create a city with roads and stores. Use toy cars, animals and people to play with the city.
Cut drinking straws apart and tape them into people and animals. You could even add them to your city.
Read and act out out a favorite story.
Create a fort by putting a blanket over a table and have a picnic lunch under there.
Spray shaving cream onto a cookie sheet and let the kids draw in it with their fingers.
Make a treasure hunt. Use picture clues if your kids are too young to write.
Bake cookies or make a snack together. Makinglearningfun.com has several kid friendly recipes.

Whenever you think of a new idea or come across one in a magazine, write it down and add it to your box.

We would love to hear what your family does on "boring" days!

Please help!

2010-04-05T13:05:00.000-04:00

Beginning tomorrow, April 6th at 9am, GoodSearch will donate $1 for each toolbar that is downloaded. The catch is that GoodSearch has a $5,000 limit, so Imprints supporters need to be some of the first 5,000 people to download it.

Starting at 9am, download this link onto every web browser that you can: http://www.goodsearch.com/toolbar/imprints

Please ask your friends and family to download this money saving toolbar so they can help us get as much of that $5,000 as we can. Thank you for your support!!!!

If you are unfamiliar with GoodSearch and how it helps Imprints, please read this to learn more.

Is your child ready for Kindergarten?

2010-03-31T13:26:00.000-04:00

Come to a parent group and learn about

what it means to be ready for Kindergarten

beyond the ABC's & 123's.

When: Tuesday, April 13th from 6 to 7:30pm

Where: Imprints at Augsburg Community Center

502 N Broad St, Winston-Salem, NC

(corner of Broad St & 6th St;

parking lot off of Pilot View St)

RSVP to your Parent Educator or Trina Stephens at

722.6296 x211 or tstephens@imprintsforfamilies.org

Dinner and child care will be provided. You will also be eligible to win one $50 gift card.

This event is sponsored by Smart Start of Forsyth County & Kohl's

A Science Egg-speriment

2010-03-25T12:37:00.000-04:00

It's Spring and that means Easter is almost here! Before you boil all of your eggs, try out this neat Egg-speriment. It's fun, easy and only a tiny bit smelly.

You will need:
3 large eggs (you can use as many as you want but I would suggest at least 3, in case one breaks)
3 small tupperware containers and covers (you can use 1 large container just make sure the eggs won't touch)
White vinegar

Directions:
1) Discuss how the egg looks now. Is it hard or soft? What color is it? Record everyone's answers.
2) Put each egg in a container and add the vinegar until it is covering the entire egg. Place the cover on the container and place it in the refrigerator.
3) Ask your children to predict what they think will happen. Will it get bigger or smaller? Will the egg stay white? Is the egg going to stay hard or become soft? Again, record the answers.
4) Leave the egg in the container for 3 days.
5) Take the egg out of the vinegar and pass it around (CAREFULLY!!) for everyone to feel. Discuss what happened to the egg. Whose prediction was correct?
6) If one of the eggs has not already broken, gently break the egg and see what is inside.*
7) Let us know about your Egg-speriment and share any others you might have.

The acid in the vinegar eats away the calcium in the shell, leaving the translucent membrane. The membrane keeps the egg's shape.

To extend the activity, add a few drops of food coloring to the containers after the shell has dissolved and see if the egg changes color.

*Remember to thoroughly clean all of the surfaces and hands that have touched the egg.

Used Book Sale

2010-02-26T19:38:00.000-05:00

Calling all readers!!!

Our Used Book Sale is this weekend, Saturday from 9 to 4 and Sunday from 12 to 5. We have over 5,000 books for you to choose from and they are priced from 50 cents to $5. On Sunday from 4 to 5pm, we are having a Bag Sale for $5 per bag. Bags are provided.

Sales will provide scholarships for Imprints Cares, our Before & After Care program.

We hope to see you there!!

Coping with Seasonal Allergies

2010-02-12T12:57:00.000-05:00

The topic for our parent group in March is "Coping with Seasonal Allergies."

Imprints is excited to welcome Dr. Becky Ball of Kernersville Pediatrics. Dr. Ball will lead us in a discussion exploring the causes, symptoms, prevention, and treatment of seasonal allergies in children.

When: Thursday, March 11th from 6 to 7:15pm

Where: Imprints at Augsburg Community Center
502 N Broad St, Winston-Salem
Corner of Broad and 6th St, Parking lot off of Pilot View St.

Please RSVP to your Parent Educator or to Trina Stephens @ 722.6296 x211 or tstephens@imprintsforfamilies.org.

Childcare and refreshments are provided. A $50 gift card will be handed out as a door prize. Join us and you might be the lucky winner!

This event is sponsored by Smart Start of Forsyth County & Kohl's.

THANK YOU!

2010-02-12T12:49:00.000-05:00

A huge THANK YOU to all of the parents who participated in our "Power of Love" group meeting. We had such a great turn out and loved seeing you. We hope you will join us in March for our next meeting. See you soon!

"Power of Love" Group Meeting

2010-02-08T12:22:00.000-05:00

As previously posted, Imprints is having a group meeting on the Power of Love tomorrow, February 9th. We still have room available and would love for you to attend. Please contact Trina Stephens at 722-6296 x211 or tstephens@imprintsforfamilies.org to RSVP. Childcare and refreshments will be provided.

In case of inclement weather:
If school is delayed tomorrow, the 10am meeting will be cancelled. Please check back at our blog or call 722.6296 x207 to confirm if the 6pm meeting will still go on as planned. Unfortunately, both meetings will be cancelled if the WSFCS are closed tomorrow. Stay tuned for information on the make-up date if this occurs.

Will your child be 5 years old on or before Aug. 31st, 2010?

2010-02-08T08:39:00.000-05:00

If your child will be 5 years old on or before August 31st, 2010, they may enroll in Kindergarten for the 2010-2011 school year.

Kindergarten registration is being held from February 22nd to March 5th. During this period, parents should go to their residential school with:

-Your child's birth certificate - This is used to verify your child's age as well as proof that you are the parent. If you are not the parent, you must provide a court-ordered document that shows you have legal custody of the child.

-Proof of your address - This can be a utility statement, lease, or property closing document.

-Immunization records for your child - An immunization record is required for all children beginning Kindergarten.

To find out what your residential school is, use the School Locator. This website will tell you your residential school as well as other schools to choose from in your zone. Regardless of which school in the zone you choose, you must register at your residential school. If you are choosing a non-residential school, you will be given a Choice card to write down your top three choices.

Parents are encouraged to visit any school they are considering for a tour and to meet the staff. Please contact the school first as they may have designated days for tours.

Additional Information:

-Parents can apply to schools outside of their residential zones in late March but you should still register in-zone, in case there is not space available at the out-of-zone choice.

-All students are guaranteed a spot in their residential schools.

-All students are guaranteed a spot in one of their top three choices.

-Transportation is provided to every school in a student's residential zone.

The information from this post was obtained from the Winston-Salem / Forsyth County Schools Website. For further information or for for specific questions, please call 748-3302 or visit the website.

Are you a book worm?

2010-01-12T16:07:00.000-05:00

Save the Date!!

Imprints Cares About Literacy

Used Book Sale

February 27th & 28th

To donate your gently used books or for more information, please contact

Betty West

@ 336.722.6296 x206 or bwest@imprintsforfamilies.org

All books are welcome!!

Sales will supplement our Before & After Care Scholarship Fund for students attending Imprints Cares.

February's Parent Group topic is.....

2010-01-06T15:57:00.000-05:00

.....The Power of Love.

Through discussion, parent-child activities, and play time, we will learn about wonderful ways to love your child by listening with your heart.

The Power of Love will be presented twice at Imprints on Tuesday, February 9th. The morning session will be from 10 to 11:15am and the evening session will be from 6 to 7:15pm. Please choose the session that works best for you and RSVP to Trina Stephens at 722-6296 x211 or tstephens@imprintsforfamilies.org. You may also RSVP to your Parent Educator if you have one.

Imprints is located in the Augsburg Community Center at 502 N Broad St in Winston-Salem (corner of 6th & Broad). Parking is available in the lot off of Pilot View Street.

Child care and refreshments will be provided. Hope to see you there!

What's on our bookshelf....

2010-01-04T14:30:00.002-05:00

Over the holidays, I was in the very cold and snowy state of Minnesota visiting my family. One day, I was looking out the window debating on whether I should risk frostbite to enjoy the beautiful, sunny day and discovered that my old childhood friend, Jack Frost, had visited us. As a child, I loved to wake up and rush to the window to see if any icy artwork had been left for us overnight.

While examining my discovery, I realized that I had not been visited by Jack Frost in the 2 years that I have lived in the warm (except for this week) climate of North Carolina. So, I did some digging and found a beautiful book that will help you and your child see the beauty of Jack Frost.

Here Comes Jack Frost - Written and Illustrated by Kazuno Kohara

This short, easy read is wonderfully illustrated with crisp, white drawings on a beautiful blue background. The main character is a lonely boy who is looking for some winter fun when he comes across an unusual friend that teaches him about the enchantments of winter.

So, if one good thing comes out of the bitter cold weather this week - maybe Jack Frost will visit!

Have you voted yet?

2009-12-10T13:34:00.002-05:00

Friday, December 11th is the deadline for the first round of voting. If you haven't done it yet, please vote for Imprints today!

Click Here to Vote