Editor’s Note: February kicks off a new partnership with The Chronicle and Parenting Now, a local nonprofit whose mission is to provide valuable resources and parenting information to Lane County families. Look for columns by organization leaders the first week of each month in The Chronicle.
We are thrilled to start offering a monthly parenting column in The Chronicle. Here, we will provide parenting tips, discuss child development, provide fun and enriching activities families can do together, and more!
First, a little about what we do:
Parenting Now has been serving families in Lane County since 1978, when we were known as Birth to Three. We meet families where they are, offering support and guidance, referrals to local resources, home visits, play groups, workshops, and parenting groups for families with children 0-8 years old.
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented challenges for many of us – Parenting Now included. But we know families are struggling and so we have risen to the challenge, finding ways to offer services to families while adhering to safety precautions and social distancing. To that end, we have moved our parenting groups from in-person to virtual, with online and telephone support, so that families can continue to receive support from our parenting educators, as well as socialize with other families with children of the same age.
In talking with families, we recognize the continued need for support during these challenging times. Parenting can be isolating and lonely – and there are long days. Our mission at Parenting Now is to provide the local and global community of parents and educators the tools and resources to create and sustain healthy, safe environments for children. And our vision is that all children are raised by nurturing, skilled parents.
One way we fulfill our mission is by providing parenting groups to meet a variety of needs. Our First Three Years Program includes: Incredible INFANTs, Wonderful ONEs, Terrific TWOs, and Thrilling THREEs. For families experiencing higher levels of stress, we offer Make Parenting A Pleasure, which is also available to Spanish-speaking families, as well as a group just for young parents, 25 and under.
Our parenting groups are open to all Lane County families, and we look forward to deepening our connection with the families of South Lane.
Lynne Grilley is the Executive Director of Parenting Now. She is passionate about fostering happy, healthy families. More: parentingnow.org
