Grand Forks Events

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Parent Information Center

Check out some of the upcoming events in our area.

*Every Friday, starting tonight (May 17th) River Cities Speedway will be alive with the sights and sounds of Premier Racing! If interested check out rivercitiesspeedway.com for more information. Hot Laps start at 6:30 PM; Racing begins at 7:30 PM.

*Safe Kids Day: Look Out Cook Out (Free Event)

Join us this Saturday, May 18 as we celebrate Safe Kids Day in communities across the United States. Safe Kids Day is an awareness and fundraising initiative to highlight childhood injury prevention programs at the local, state and national levels.
Join Safe Kids Grand Forks as we celebrate with a Safe Kids Day event at Lincoln Park. The event will feature safety stations with FUN and interactives games for kids. Grab your “passport” at registration and attend the stations to get signed up for GREAT prizes!!
There will be a BBQ/Picnic style lunch provided by the Texas Roadhouse for $5.00 per meal. All proceeds from the lunch will go to support Safe Kids programs in our community and region. Time: 11 AM to 2 PM Contact, Carma Hanson for more information - Safe Kids Grand Forks 701-780-1489.

* Hooked on Fishing for Kids

Bring your mom, dad, brothers and sisters to the catch-all event! Ryan Lake has been stocked with over 400 fish….ready to catch and bring home for supper! Learn the basics of fishing and the importance of catch and release. Stations will be set up to inform kids and families about lure selection, casting, cleaning, regulations and much more! Prizes for the kids and hotdogs for everyone! This event is free and open to the public.

Ryan Lake is located just south of South Middle School in Grand Forks. South Middle School’s address is 1999 47th Ave. S. Park in the farthest south parking lot and go to the paved walking path. It will take you past the soccer fields and curve east toward Ryan Lake or curve west toward King’s Walk Golf Course. Time: 1-4 pm- Contact Lynn Roche, Grand Forks Park District at 701-746-2750 for more information.

*Story Time at the Grand Forks Library (Free Event)

PRESCHOOL Story time is Tuesday, May 21st. Bring the little ones out to hear a great story! Time: 10 AM

TODDLER story time is Thursday, May 23rd at 10 AM.

For more information check out gflibrary.com or call 701-772-8116.

*The 2013 Altru Health System Grand Cities Art Festival will take place on June 8-9th. Over 150 quality artisans and crafters will fill downtown Grand Forks and East Grand Forks offering everything from handmade jewelry and clothing to pottery and wooden furniture.  There will also be live music and dozens of food vendors. 10AM-6PM on Saturday and 10AM-4PM on Sunday. For more information call 701-772-3710.

For more information on upcoming events in Grand Forks, ND visit http://www.visitgrandforks.com/event-calendar

Come check out our facebook site at https://www.facebook.com/parentinformationcenter

Picture courtesy of http://www.rondeauwaterfowlers.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in Activities, Calendar of Events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Special Day for Moms

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Parent Information Center

Happy Mother’s Day to all you PIC MOMS out there.. new moms, stay-at-home-moms, working moms, single moms, expecting moms and more.

Mother’s not only give us life. Motherhood requires 24 hours of patience, guidance, strong maternal instincts, putting your children before yourself, teaching, cooking, doing laundry, doctor visits, taking care of sick children and the list just goes on and on. Mom’s at the end of the day may find ourselves extremely tired, whether we work and come home to our children or spend all day with our children.  Being a mom is a labor of love, a blessing, a joy and should most definitely be cherished!

Here are a few things to remember..

Being a mom is not a competition. Don’t compare yourselves to other moms out there. Save your mental and physical energy and put that into your kids. It’s not about who buys their kids the biggest and most expensive birthday present or what mom makes the cutest cupcakes. It’s about spending quality time with your kids. Be yourself and trust your instincts. Even though you might be doing things differently, odds are you really are trying your best and doing a good job at it.

It’s better to laugh than cry! Sometimes motherhood can be frustrating and complicated. It can even drive us to tears. Try to laugh instead of getting worked up and remember the moment will pass!

It’s okay to have a messy home. I’m sure we would all love to have a home with everything in it’s place all the time. This isn’t the reality when having children. A house is a home when a family can really live in it! There is plenty of time when the kids leave home later in life to have an orderly home. For now, remember it’s okay to have messes!  Messes are temporary things that create permanent memories!

Enjoy your own journey as a mother! Being a parent is the most important job there is. Your child depends on you for everything from learning their first word to all the values and beliefs that you pass onto them. Make it a great journey and a fun one!

If you’d like to share some comments on what motherhood has taught you, please leave a comment! We’d love to hear from you!!

Have a great day everyone!!

Check out our facebook site at https://www.facebook.com/parentinformationcenter?fref=ts

Picture courtesy of http://www.winnersghana.org/mother_child_week_two.php

 

 

Posted in Parent Inspiration | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How to Use Positive Parenting

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Parent Information Center

Positive parenting starts by creating a good relationship with your children so that he/she responds to gentile guidance rather than punishments and threats. The most effective discipline strategy is having a close relationship with your child. Kids who feel connected with their parents, generally want to please them.

Furthermore, evaluate all teaching based on whether it strengthens or weakens your relationship with your child. Think loving guidance, rather than punishment. Loving guidance is setting limits and reinforcing expectations as needed in an empathetic way that helps the child in improving their behavior rather that being mad at you.

Don’t be afraid to set limits, but do it with empathy. You can acknowledge their view. When kids feel understood they’re more able to accept our limits. Examples: “You’re very mad right now, but we don’t bite. Use your words to tell your brother how you feel.” “You wish you could play longer, but it’s bedtime. I know that makes you sad.”

Defiance sometimes related to a relationship problem. If you child doesn’t accept your direction, (“I don’t care, you can’t make me do it!”) it can be an indication that the relationship is not strong enough. This happens to all of us sometimes so don’t worry. Just think of ways how to strengthen the relationship. Turning the situation into a power struggle will just deepen the rift between you.

Kids will do almost anything if we ask them to do it with a loving heart. Try to find a way to say “YES!” Rather than “NO!” even when you set your limits. Yes it’s time to clean up, and Yes I will help you, and Yes you will growl about it, Yes if we hurry we can read another story etc…Your child will respond to the generosity of spirit that matches yours! Also, remember that how your treat your child is how she/he will treat himself.

Check us out on our Facebook site!

picture courtesy of Practicing Parenting

 

 

 

 

Posted in Parent & Child Communication, Parent Inspiration | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Upcoming May Events

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Parent Information Center

*Wiggle, Squiggle, Giggle and Read

4th Annual Free Learning Fair and Celebration of RED (Read Every Day)

Thursday, May 2nd 2013 from 5:30-7:30 PM Join us from 5:30-6 for Free Pizza! Starting at 6:00 PM-7:00 there will be interactive Learning Strategies. Lastly, from 7-7:30 Wiggle, Squiggle, Giggle and Read with Grand Forks Public School Teachers. This event is for children 0-8. This is free, but please register by calling 701-787-4216 or by visiting our site at www.readeveryday.org

*Introduction to Kindergarten!

Free class for children enrolled in Grand Forks Public Schools and will begin Kindergarten in the Fall.

Children will experience large and small group activities, practice following directions, and become familiar with school routines.

Dates: May 28-31st (Tuesday-Friday)

June 3rd-21st (Monday-Friday)

8:00-12:00 PM

Register for this free class for your child at your local school where your child will be attending. The classes are at that school.

Hope all of you PIC parents and friends are having a wonderful Spring so far!

Check us out on our facebook site at https://www.facebook.com/parentinformationcenter?fref=ts

picture courtesy of http://emaratiya.com/en/2013/01/26/childrens-literacy-rate-in-uae-boosted-by-reading.htm

 

Posted in Calendar of Events | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

April Events

Posted on April 13, 2013 by Parent Information Center

Saturday, April 20th come out to the Purpur Arena with your children age birth-7, for a Hands on Learning Fair. 10 Am- 1Pm

Fun learning activities, parent information displays and hear the Mayor’s presentation at 9:45 AM.

Tuesday, April 23 at Red River High School join in on a free evening of rich and diverse cultures! Enter through door number 1 by the Cushman field.

5:30-6:45 Free food sampling from different cultures (Commons Area)

6:30-7:00 Speaker (Performance hall)

7:00-8:30 Cultural songs and dance by students

Please call 701-746-2205 ext. 7115 for more information.

*Community Presentation and Open Forum on Monday, April 29th at 7:00 PM at the City Hall Councel Chamber 255 N. 4th St.

Are you concerned about underage alcohol abuse in our community? Are you interested in enhancing our quality of life and the well being of our citizens?

To better address the concerns of underage drinking and drug use the City of Grand Forks, The Grand Forks Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition and the University of North Dakota have partnered up to host two nationally renowned experts on campus-community drug and alcohol abuse. Join the conversation and voice your concerns and listen to Linda Major and Dr. Jason Kilmer speak out on this matter. Free event.

Picture courtesy of http://sanmateoeventcenter.wordpress.com/

Check out our facebook site at https://www.facebook.com/parentinformationcenter?fref=ts

 

Posted in Calendar of Events | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Spring into Activites for Kids!

Posted on April 13, 2013 by Parent Information Center

Hello PIC parents! Spring is here! The birds are chirping, the sun is warm and shining and flowers are starting to bloom. Spring is a great time to try many new activities outside! Here are some fresh new ideas for you and your children to try. Adapt as you’d like : )

1. Paint some flower pots with your child and plant flowers together!

2. Get some foam from the local craft store. Help your child design some spring murals out of the foam. Cut them out and let your child place them on your windows with a little water.

3. Try this fun idea..mix 2 tablespoons of tempura paint or 15 drops of food coloring with a 1/2 cup of bubble solution. Tape a large piece of paper between two trees or to a fence. Let your child blow bubbles onto the paper!

4. Go on a bug hunt or a nature scavenger hunt.

5. Paint rocks with water color.

6. If you’re familiar with the Angry Birds game, try this adaptation with water balloons and side walk chalk. Paint faces with permanent marker on the water balloons. Next, draw the piggies with the sidewalk chalk (there are your targets.) Have you child stand back and blast away trying to hit the targets. Be careful with younger children with the balloon pieces.

7. Investigate your yard with a magnify glass.

8. Grow your own fruit or vegetable garden. If you have very limited space, let your child help you grow one vegetable in a bucket.

9. Splash, jump and play in the mud.

10. Make a bug hotel for the local insects.

Have fun! Check out our facebook site at https://www.facebook.com/parentinformationcenter?fref=ts

picture, game and some activities courtesy of notimeforflashcards.com

 

 

Posted in Activities | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Control your Anger at Your Child

Posted on April 6, 2013 by Parent Information Center

Your child may be pushing your buttons, but he/she isn’t causing your response. Lashing out, yelling, screaming, throwing things etc.. isn’t one bit going to help the situation. It may make you feel better for a moment, but won’t solve anything. It is harmful to your kids. They will remember how you react to things and you are passing whatever ways of coping with your anger onto your child… only to be repeated by them when they may have children someday. We should expect that out kids will act in a way that will want to send us over the edge some days. It’s our job as  mature PIC adults and parents to respond in a positive way.

What happens to your child when you scream or hit? Imagine your husband or wife yelling and screaming at you. Now imagine them 3 times as big as you, towering over you screaming. SCARY uh?! Your kids depend on you completely for food, guidance, clothes, nutrition, shelter and safety. You’re their source of love and self confidence and how they learn about the world. Of course all of us can get angry at our children. The challenge is to call on our maturity so that we can control that expression of anger. Besides verbal abuse as mentioned earlier, children who suffer from physical abuse have also been proven to exhibit lasting negative behaviors that reach into every corner of their lives.

If your child does not have any reaction to your anger, that means that they’ve had and seen too much of it. They have developed defenses against it. The child is less likely to want to behave to please you. They are more likely to get persuaded by peer pressure. Furthermore, you have some work to do and it should start today!

Commit NOW to NO hitting, NO swearing, NO name calling, NO giving punishments when you’re angry, NO screaming! If you have to scream go into your car with your windows rolled up and scream..not at your children or anywhere where they can hear it!

Your children will certainly see you angry from time to time, but it will teach them a lot on how you handle your anger!

Here are a few suggestions on helping with your anger towards your child…Set limits before you get angry, make a list of positive ways of dealing with your anger and post it up so you can see it, take 5 (come back when you’ve calmed down a bit. Anger is a terrible start to any situation.) Listen to your anger rather than acting on it. (Sometimes we are carrying around anger that has nothing to do with our children, but they get yelled at for no reason at all. Listen to your yourself and why you are really angry.) Wait before disciplining. (Give yourself some time to give punishments to your child when you’ve cooled down a bit.)  AVOID PHYSICAL FORCE NO MATTER WHAT! Monitor your tone, Don’t make threats, consider that you may be part of the problem and choose your battles.

Check out our Facebook page!

Picture courtesy of http://mydreamsmatter.com/tag/spiritual/page/3/

 

 

 

Posted in Parent & Child Communication, Parent Inspiration | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“Aren’t You Glad I Don’t Believe That?!”

Posted on March 30, 2013 by Parent Information Center
Jim Fay (Co-founder of Love and Logic with Foster W. Cline, M.D.) recently was reading one of his e-mails and came across this from Jen, a Love and Logic parent who has discovered this handy Love and Logic one-liner,”Aren’t you glad I don’t believe that!” Jim wanted to share this with everyone as he’s commited to helping as many families as possible!
Jen writes, “It’s especially effective when followed by a quick hug and a walk away. (Don’t stick around for a response.)
You might want to run an experiment at one of those times when you feel at a loss for words. “Aren’t you glad I don’t believe that?” serves as a quick and loving reply to lots of childhood favorite retorts, including, but not limited to:
“I can’t do that.”
“I’m just stupid.”
“I guess it’s always my fault.”
“I’m not going to be your friend anymore.”
“Nobody likes me.”
“It’s too hard.”
“I’m never going to…”
“You like her/him better than me.”
“I hate you!”
Share this with your friends. They will probably thank you for it, just as Jen has thanked Jim for the great one-liner.
For more information on LOVE and LOGIC visit their website! They offer books, cd’s and seminars! It’s a really awesome approach to parenting! http://www.loveandlogic.com/
Picture is of Jim Fay courtesy of the love and logic website.
Hey PIC parents and friends, have you checked out our facebook site? Facebook is free to sign up..come check us out for daily updates or upcoming events, quotes etc.. https://www.facebook.com/#!/parentinformationcenter?fref=ts
Have a great day!
Posted in Parent & Child Communication, Parent Inspiration | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Tips for limiting your child’s television, computer and video game time

Posted on March 24, 2013 by Parent Information Center

Since 1999, Children’s overall time spent watching tv has more than doubled to SEVEN hours a day! Parent’s should be very concerned as your child could develop struggles with school, attention problems, sleeping and eating disorders, obesity etc…

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more than two hours of entertainment media time for a school-aged kid. This should be something semi-educational and definitely non violent!

It’s just not like how it used to be. Kids today carry cell phones, have computers, ipods and tv’s in their rooms. Parent’s should take into consideration limiting time on these things.  If kids start using all these things at younger ages, they are going to become dependant on them for their entertainment..which is not good!

Here are some tips for cutting back!

You don’t have to make them stop watching tv or playing their video games cold turkey. This might really cause conflict. Instead, make gradual changes. Come up with a plan on your own. For example,  limit all electronics to two hours a week.

Explain to your child in a calm and collective manor why you are doing this. Explain the importance of why it’s not good to always be watching tv or playing video games. Keep in mind, in the long run, you all will benefit from limiting time on these things!

Having a tv in your child’s room is not the best idea. It can interfere with their sleep, can lead to overeating, obesity, and they are more likely to develop behavior problems. Keep the computer and tv in a central location so you can monitor the time and what they are watching.

Create a schedule! Once you’ve established a limit, sit down with your child and let them figure out how they are going to use that time. Maybe make a chart and let them fill it out when they’ve used that time for the day. Then move onto something else! Try not to have the tv on during dinner times either! Honor the agreement. “If kids have a say in the schedule, they’ll be more likely to follow it,” says Paul Ballas, DO, a child psychiatrist in Philadelphia, PA. Out of site, out of mind. If the tv or computer is hidden behind doors or under a blanket the kids are less likely to be drawn to it.

Don’t use electronics as a babysitter. Do things with your kids! They will far more benefit from hanging out with you than watching cartoons all day. Encourage other activites… reading, puzzles, board games, playing outside, ice skating at your local arena, playing tennis, going to the park, inviting a friend over, doing an art project, going for a walk. There are endless activites out there..if you’re having trouble thinking of more, ask us for more options or google some.

Remember, you all will benefit in the end from limiting these things. With patience, perserverance and consistency you can help your kids scale back. Good luck PIC parents!

Some information was used from an article written by Winnie Yu, courtesy of www.medmd.com

Have you checked out our facebook site? Check us out at https://www.facebook.com/parentinformationcenter?ref=ts&fref=ts

Picture courtesy of http://www.childpsych.co.za/barriers-to-learning/rid-tv-kids-sake/

Posted in Parent & Child Communication, Parent Inspiration | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Thank You Mary Adkins

Posted on March 17, 2013 by Parent Information Center
Mary Adkins shared her amazing journey, a story of addiction, life, and learning. Thirty-five people came out; each for their own reason, on the coldest night of winter to hear Mary’s heart story.  We sat quiet, not wanting to miss a word or acknowledge how we all, in some way, related to struggle, the need for meaning and purpose, and wanting to fit in. She touched the still audience with genuineness and truth, insights and lessons into addiction and struggle born of  heart need; yet filled with stark realities and consequences of choices made. Getting caught, losing her job, the cost of her addiction, lost wages, and treatment alone totaled over $150,000.  Gladly she would pay the price again. The recovery road led to what she always longed for: inner peace, feelings of being alive and real, and joyful living in the moment. The gifts gained: sobriety, clear thinking, love for self, acceptance, and healthy ways to cope with life’s journey, were so very worth that cost.

I don’t think there was a person in the audience that could not identify on some level with the need for significance and the desire to fit in. We are wired for connection and an inner drive to live meaningful lives; the problem comes when the means we use to do that are destructive. Mary highlighted attention to the drinking cultural “norm”  and the false sense of belonging it brings. Many have traveled this journey; Mary allowed us the privilege of learning from hers. She spoke with honesty and candor, and yet with a passion born out of a desire to help others not have to travel the road of destruction and pain to get that which is available through other, healthier means.

Mary said, “The greatest power you have is the power you give away.” She gave away the need to fit in. The need to be right. The need to be understood. The need to be in control. In doing so, she gained connection with her heart and a sense of a higher, sovereign power. Her story left us all with wiser thoughts and powerful learning from her experiences. We did not regret the choice to venture out on the coldest night of the year.

We thank you for sharing your story with us. You have stayed strong through your experiences and with that, you have touched many lives and gave strength to others.

~Judith Konerza, Ph. D.

Don’t forget to like us on Facebook! 

Picture courtesy of Google Images.

Posted in Parent Inspiration | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment