Parenting Center
The Parenting Center provides families with the support, guidance, and enrichment needed to raise young children in the city. LGBTQ and straight, couples and single parents, Jewish and non-Jewish, biological and adoptive, people of all colors and abilities — all families are warmly welcomed. Classes and programs are designed to meet the developmental and social needs of infants and toddlers (newborns through age 4), to create meaningful bonding experiences for caregivers, and to provide practical skills and solutions, advice, and community-building opportunities for parents and parents-to-be.
We offer a wide variety of Sunday and weekday classes for children ages 0-4 and their caregivers, as well as workshops for parents, parents-to-be, and folks who want to be parents.
Upcoming Workshops for parents and parents-to-be
This group is currently full. Please email Miriam at mszubin@edcjcc.org to get on the waitlist or check out the group running in March or the one running in May.
3 Thursdays: January 21, January 28, and February 4
8:00-9:00 PM
$36 for the three-week session
Facilitated by Taylor Lerner, Psy.D
Are you expecting baby #2? Looking to create a community with other second time parents to exchange ideas and find support? This group will meet weekly via Zoom for three weeks to provide a safe space for second time parents-to-be to discuss their experiences and learn from one another. We will explore several topics, including: managing your big kid’s (big!) feelings before, during, and after welcoming the new baby; kid-care and self-care with two; navigating new relationships and new roles; and the complicating factors of Covid-19. The group will be kept small so that connections can be fostered easily, even in a virtual space, and also so that in-person outdoor meet-ups can be organized safely if the group wants.
It’s a fact of family life that each child is driven to define their individuality and worth within the family system, and that this drive leaves to conflict. This workshop will help parents understand the roots of sibling rivalry and offer approaches to helping siblings ultimately work through the inevitable challenges they encounter in forging their lifelong relationship. It will also address typical challenges of managing multiple children.
NAVIGATING EARLY INTERVENTION IN DC: HOW THE STRONG START AND EARLY STAGES PROGRAMS SUPPORT FAMILIES
FREE but registration is required
Led by Maria Blaeuer, Director of Programs and Outreach at Advocates for Justice and Education (AJE), DC’s federally designated Parent Training and Information Center
This workshop is for DC families of infants, toddlers and preschoolers who are concerned about their child’s development or who suspect that their child may benefit from early intervention services. We will discuss when and how to reach out to DC’s Strong Start or Early Stages programs; what to expect when you contact them and who is eligible for services; what to do if you don’t agree with the approach/intervention offered by them; and where to find additional resources.
ABOUT AJE – Advocates for Justice and Education (AJE) is the federally designated Parent Training & Information Center for Washington D.C. AJE’s mission is to empower families, youth, and the community to be effective advocates to ensure that children and youth, particularly those who have special needs, receive access to appropriate education and health services. Read more at https://www.aje-dc.org/
MANAGING HOUSEHOLD FINANCES
Led by Lori Atwood, CFP, and Kimberly Weihbrecht, of Atwood Financial Planning, LLC
In these tumultuous times, it’s more important than ever to protect your financial health in order to protect your family. Join us in a workshop discussing how to make sure your personal finances are protected through this period and what to do if there is a sudden shock to your finances. We will cover the five steps to knowing if you’re financially “okay,” discuss how to fix aspects of your finances that are not increasing your financial wellbeing, and give you strategies for how to handle financial shocks.
About Atwood Financial Planning, LLC
Atwood Financial’s team of experts provides financial planning by the hour with no conflicts, no commissions, no sales and no commitments. Read more at https://www.atwoodfinancial.com/.
3 Thursdays: March 4, March 11, and March 18
8:00-9:00 PM
$62 for the three-week session
Facilitated by Taylor Lerner, Psy.D
Are you expecting baby #2? Looking to create a community with other second time parents to exchange ideas and find support? This group will meet weekly via Zoom for three weeks to provide a safe space for second time parents-to-be to discuss their experiences and learn from one another. We will explore several topics, including: managing your big kid’s (big!) feelings before, during, and after welcoming the new baby; kid-care and self-care with two; navigating new relationships and new roles; and the complicating factors of Covid-19. The group will be kept small so that connections can be fostered easily, even in a virtual space, and also so that in-person outdoor meet-ups can be organized safely if the group wants.