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I’m thrilled to welcome new guest contributor Suz. A proud Boston mama to two kids – one who was born with Down syndrome – Suz will provide content on resources and ideas for “differently-abled” kids. Today, she shares information on a new networking program sponsored by the MA Down Syndrome Congress; the kickoff event is this Sunday at the Waltham YMCA.
Here’s a way to honor mom while supporting local women in need: The Women’s Lunch Place has provided a safe, nurturing, and nourishing space for Boston women since 1982. Through the end of April, you can give mom a gift that keeps on giving by ordering a WLP Mother’s Day card in exchange for a $25 donation. An anonymous artist who was served by the WLP created the card’s watercolor image, and WLP volunteers will pen by hand your personal note.
The March for Babies is this Sunday at 12:30pm and now that spring has truly sprung, perhaps you’ll feel inspired to stretch those legs and walk the 3 miles with us! If you dig what we do on this site, please consider joining Team Boston Mamas, whether it's via walking or by making a donation to the team. We're grateful for a contribution of any size; every little bit counts! Thank you!
I’ve finally made live a local resources page where parents can find mom, dad, and/or general family groups, networks, and support services. The link is readily available via the "find local parents" button in the site banner. If you know of a group to be included, e-mail tips@bostonmamas.com and provide the site's URL. Please note that the group must be active, have a website, and serve Massachusetts parents. Thanks!
I have a real place in my heart for the YMCA; I was at my fittest during my Y membership (in those childless days I’d hit the gym at 5:30am on my way to work), and I overcame my waterphobia (developed after losing a friend during a swimming outing in high school) via one of their adult swim classes. Tomorrow, at locations across the country, the YMCA will host Healthy Kids Day, a day of free activities designed to introduce kids to the fun of fitness. Also debuting at the event will be their new Healthy Family Home program, which offers simple tips to help families play, eat, and enjoy time together at home.
There likely are few degrees of separation between you and a woman with breast cancer, and probably not many more between you and someone who can't afford screening and treatment. On Friday, consider joining the Mass. Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure for a legislative luncheon from 11am – 1pm in the Great Hall of the Massachusetts State House. At this event, breast cancer survivors, advocates, community leaders, and health care providers will meet with legislative leaders to discuss closing the health care funding gap in Massachusetts so all women can get the breast health care and screening services they need. Click here to RSVP.
I’m thrilled to announce that Boston Mamas is partnering with the March of Dimes to promote and participate in the March for Babies. Whether personally or through loved ones, no doubt many mamas have experienced both the joy of healthy birth and the heartache associated with premature birth. Please consider channeling both the joy and heartache into an effort to help babies get a healthy start in life.
Please join Team Boston Mamas for this, our first outreach event, be it via a donation or by walking with us on April 27.
For those who love babywearing and birthday parties, tomorrow (Feb. 27, 10:30am – 12:30pm) the Boston Babywearers will celebrate their third anniversary, complete with cake and a boatload of presents. To support the cause and enter to win cool goods, simply buy one or more raffle entries online by the end of today, or at tomorrow's meeting before the noon draws. All proceeds will go to Boston Babywearers’ efforts to support babywearing advocacy and education. You need not be present at the meeting to be eligible to win, although all those interested in babywearing (plus significant others, older kids, prospective parents, etc.) are welcome at the event.
At the Arlington Enrichment Collaborative, 1100 Mass. Ave, Arlington
Whether or not you've seen The Business of Being Born, if you are expecting – or interested in maternal rights in general – consider heading to Being Born in Massachusetts: Pushing for More Midwives this Wednesday (Feb. 27). During this panel, women’s health authors, midwives, and public health/OB-GYN specialists will discuss how the issues raised in Business relate to birthing practices in Massachusetts. Those interested in learning more about pending legislation for a state licensing board for midwifery should click here.
In college I saw a film in my cross-cultural developmental psychology class that made childbirth (squatting, under a tree) look, well, natural - far from the environmental or procedural pragmatics of today's norms. And natural or not, wherever your birth experience(s) ranked on the standard - chaotic/invasive scale, consider checking out The Business of Being Born, in which actress Ricki Lake and filmmaker Abby Epstein tackle the notion of birth as a business. The film screens at the Belmont Cinema this Thursday (Feb. 7, 7:30pm; see also other local and national screenings).
Want to win 4 tickets to the Belmont screening of The Business of Being Born? Here’s how:
We received word about the Boston University Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders, which recently launched a new website offering resources for parents of adolescents with panic disorder and other anxiety disorders. The center offers cognitive behavioral therapy treatment (i.e., no medication) with free treatment for qualifying families. I’m grateful to guest contributor Amy Cody, who canvassed some colleagues for feedback about the clinic. Here’s what they had to say:
Having grown up in a large household with little in the way of material luxuries, I am grateful on a daily basis for what our household has. We subsequently made a point this weekend to celebrate the collective joy of giving and receiving by trimming a Christmas tree with Laurel, purchasing gifts for our school’s holiday drive (it was really marvelous to involve Laurel in the shopping process), and depositing several bags of warm clothing and shoes to a donation station. In the latter vein, today Kate reports on her excellent experience with Room to Grow:
One of my eventual goals for Boston Mamas is to launch a local philanthropic arm; meanwhile, I’ll report to you on other wonderful efforts. The Big Wishes for Little Wanderers gift drive in Jamaica Plain is underway (through Dec. 21); select a gift from a child’s wish list, deliver donations, or purchase a gift online for delivery (have tissues handy before you read the descriptions of the kids in need). And to get fit while helping others, head to the Blue Hills Reservation toy drive & bike or hike event on Sunday (10am – 1pm) to benefit Interfaith Social Services. Make your donation then hit the hike or bike trails. Both efforts are very much in need of items for older kids.
If you’re fed up with the recent toy recalls and want to do something about it, the Consumers Union is running a Twelve Days of Safe Shopping campaign to engage and educate shoppers. Ground efforts will take place in Boston, New York, Chicago, and Minneapolis this Friday (the biggest shopping day of the year). To become part of the local effort, meet up at 9:45am this Friday at the Park Street T station. CU also has an easy online means to send a message to lawmakers urging for improved toy safety legislation.
Sadly, if you’ve ever nursed in public, you likely have, at some point, been subject to unsolicited comments, criticism, rubbernecking, or even ejection off the premises. If you have a story to share, MomsRisingPV, the political arm of the Massachusetts-based MotherWoman, has launched a campaign to advocate for the rights of mothers to breastfeed in public.
As an adolescent, my parents never discussed anything human body-related; I subsequently got all of my (somewhat sketchy) information about sex, periods, etc. from my older siblings and friends. I’m thus determined to keep the communication channels open with Laurel (and she’s already been testing me here…). Today, Amy Cody offers ideas to help frame your conversations about sex and sexuality with your child:
It’s never too early to start teaching your babe about the joys of giving. And while these lessons typically take shape in the form of sharing Cheerios or toys with a friend (good luck with that…) or gifting art projects, today, new guest contributor Sharon writes in about a way for local families to give back to other families:
“There are many ways to show little ones how we can serve our community. One upcoming event that helps hungry families throughout Massachusetts is Project Bread’s Walk for Hunger. This event (May 6th) requires whatever part of yourself you are willing to give, whether it is by pledging a walker, making a general donation, volunteering, or walking yourself. What it does is provide critical resources for hungry children and families in Massachusetts, and offers those who take part a sense of action and awareness to create a community where truly no one is left behind or left hungry.
We're thrilled to welcome Amy Cody as our Sex & Sexuality Parent Education Guest Contributor. Amy will bring us interesting and essential information to help parents develop the skills and resources to have ongoing conversations with their children about sexual health. Here's Amy’s first contribution:
“On Monday, April 23 (7-9 pm), parents will be interested to attend Risky Business: How Parents Can Navigate the Adolescent World of Sex, Substance Abuse, and other Hot Button Issues. Hosted by Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, the Brookline PTO, and the Brookline Coalition Against Substance Abuse, this informative and engaging evening is dedicated to helping parents understand risky behavior for pre-teens and teenagers. Our panel discussion – featuring specialists from Tufts New England Medical Center and Children’s Hospital, Boston – will provide you with the tips and skills you need to raise an adolescent in today’s challenging world.” (Download flyer)
This event is free and open to the public but seating is limited; reserve your seat online or by phone, 617-616-1658. At Brookline High School, MLK Room,115 Greenough Street, Brookline.
I don’t think I’ve ever had a conversation with my mother about tampons, and this morning I found myself discussing them with my 27-month-old.
Laurel had gotten herself into my bathroom toiletries, and as I worked out some preschooler-friendly explanations on the fly, I was reminded of the increased confidence I gained in having these types of conversations since attending a Planned Parenthood home talk a couple of months ago.
Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts’ Let’s Be Honest program is designed to help parents create an environment of trust and comfort in talking with their children about sex and sexuality. Although the program is especially suited to parents of children aged 10-14 years old, the facilitators were open to discussion of how to talk to kids of all ages about sex, and they provided useful handouts (e.g., how to respond to the “where do babies come from” question) applicable to kids aged 2 and up.
Click here to learn about how to host or attend a “Let’s Be Honest” workshop. If you’re not in Massachusetts, the national Planned Parenthood website offers educational resources for parents, including age by age guides for how to talk to children about sex, human sexuality, and AIDS.
Dear local readers: Inspired by inquiries from new moms, moms who have moved to Boston, and moms in active support groups, we would like to start a resource page including links to mom, dad, and/or general family groups and support services (e.g., support groups, cooperatives, Yahoo groups, playgroups, special needs groups, etc…). If you are part of, or know of a group, click here to send us a tip. Please provide a website link if possible, or other relevant information that would help us track down the resource.
A lot can happen in five years.
We’ve professed our love for Barefoot Books before, and this weekend the globally minded publisher celebrates its 5th birthday with their “Go Barefoot for Literacy!” weekend-long party at the flagship store in Cambridge. Festivities kick off this evening at 6pm with live music, champagne, and snacks; through the rest of the weekend, hear live music with internationally acclaimed children’s performer Fred Penner, engage in arts and crafts projects with award-winning illustrator Clare Beaton, and hear Barefoot stories regaled by professional storytellers. Click here for the schedule of events.
These events are free to attend, but no doubt you’ll find it tough to resist the amazing selection of books and toys at the store. And you'll feel good about those purchases; a portion of the weekend's proceeds will be donated to the local literacy organization ReadBoston.
Barefoot Books, 1771 Mass. Ave., Cambridge; Tel: 617-349-1610
Generally it seems a reasonable rule of thumb to not have reason to cry before 9am, but this morning there was no helping the tears at the Horizons for Homeless Children Annual Women’s Breakfast in Boston. At this remarkable event, 1,000 women gathered to learn about homelessness in Massachusetts. We heard compelling, moving stories from women who – with children in tow – battled back from homelessness to become thriving members of their communities, and learned about the impact of giving back from a woman who volunteers as a Playspace Activity Leader.
Horizons’ approach to battling the numbers surrounding homeless children (10,000 children in Massachusetts per year; 500,000 nationally) is impressive in its’ multi-dimensional structure. Not only does Horizons’ give children a safe and happy space in which they can learn, play, and develop (through community children’s centers in Dorchester, Jamaica Plain, and Roxbury that offer full-time care so parents can work, and through building of playspaces in local shelters across Massachusetts), but they also provide much-needed support to parents, whether it be informational – by helping parents learn how to be involved in the growth and development of their children, as well as how to access education and job training resources – or emotional, through listening ears and open hearts free of judgment.
It’s difficult for me to resist facts and figures; I felt encouraged by the idea that modest gifts of $50 or $100 could go so far ($50 = art supplies for a classroom for one month; $100 = 17 lbs of Legos, 37 lbs of Play-Doh, or 30 lbs of puzzles for shelter playspace programs). In addition to donations, there are many other ways to help, such as donating goods or services, becoming a Playspace Activity Leader (2 hour per week commitment), or event hosting.
Children’s birthdays are such an amazing, assumed milestone that it’s difficult to imagine that some kids don’t have the opportunity to open a present on their birthday.
Smiling Kids is working to turn that tide. They partner with social service organizations to anonymously provide birthday presents or other types of support (e.g., comfort items during a hospital stay, school supplies) to children and teens. Smiling Kids also will help you host a Party with a Purpose, where attendees bring donations in lieu of gifts, and Smiling Kids provides the invitations, thank you note cards, and tax receipts.
On Saturday, October 14, 2006 Smiling Kids will host its Annual Birthday Bash at the Weston Golf Club (Weston, MA) from 7 – 11pm. All proceeds will go directly to purchasing birthday gifts in 2007. Click here for details about the event or how to donate; call 508-281-0069 to reserve tickets ($50 per person).
A local mama wrote in to pass along word about Boston Cares’ Frosty’s Friends Program, a winter holiday gift-giving program through which volunteers give gifts to kids from Greater Boston’s emergency shelters, community centers, low-income housing programs, educational programs, and day care centers. This local mama and her husband have participated in the Frosty’s Friends Program for about five years (even before becoming parents); sometimes the requests are as heart-wrenchingly simple as asking for physical warmth in the form of a winter coat.
Click here to download the Frosty’s Friends application (due October 16, 2006). You will receive a hand-written letter from a child requesting a small gift (between $20-30 value). All you need to do is purchase the gift, and send it directly to the child’s agency.
The next time you are preparing to purge baby/kid stuff from your home, consider donating to Cradles to Crayons, an organization committed to providing poor and homeless children from Massachusetts (infancy to age 12) with everyday clothes, gear, toys, and school supplies.
Last year alone, Cradles to Crayons provided 25,000 local children with high-quality goods to keep them warm, safe at home, and ready to learn at school. Find out about the different ways you can help their cause, and the types of items accepted for donation.
Life’s major transitions are ever present and can be overwhelming without help.
A few weeks ago, Barbara Meltz of the Globe offered a feature (“A fresh start: Visiting Moms help new mothers care for, and understand, their babies” 8/21/06) on the Jewish Family & Children's Service (JF&CS). JF&CS has served the Greater Boston community for over 140 years, offering support to children and families, seniors, and people with disabilities regardless of background or ability to pay.
Meltz’ article focuses on the JF&CS’ Visiting Moms program, in which volunteers complete training sessions and receive supervision, and share their experience and compassion with new mothers.
Other resources include support groups for mothers of multiples, new mothers, postpartum adjustment, and lesbian new parents, and an adoption resources orientation. The seniors' resources also likely will be of interest given that as we age, so do our parents.
JF&CS has locations in Waltham, Boston, and Norwood; support groups and events occur across the Greater Boston area.
Nearly a year ago, the local art community lost a dear friend in Nathan Smith. Gentle, generous, and creative, Nathan was an independent artist and co-manager at the Paper Source in Cambridge.
Tomorrow, August 16th from 7 - 11pm, stop by the gallery show to benefit the Nathan Smith Foundation for the Visual Arts. “From the Ground Up” is open to the public and will feature the work of immensely talented local artists Heather Pilchard (oil, shown), Jason Arledge, and Laurie Mee.
At Vernon Street Studios, 6 Vernon Street, 2nd floor, Somerville.
Looking for a way to connect with other mamas in your community or nationwide? Check out Mothers & More, an impressive nationwide network of local chapters that offers support for mamas in all stages of transition into and through motherhood.
Chapters exist nationwide (and membership is open internationally); in Massachusetts the Assabet Valley, Framingham area, Merrimack Valley, Metro West, and Pioneer Valley chapters have websites. Active chapters without websites include North Shore and Westford. For all chapters, you can request information by email. The yearly US membership fee either is $45 or $55 (the latter includes subscription to a magazine); the yearly international fee is $55.
Soon-to-be and new mamas in need of support will be interested in checking out the services of Birthing Gently. Established in 2002, Birthing Gently is a practice specializing in high-risk deliveries; their full range of services includes: labor and postpartum doulas, midwives, childbirth education (including hypnobirth), and lactation consultants). They serve families in Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire.
Birthing Gently also has developed the “Heart to Heart” Program, an online self-matching support service/support forum for expecting and new parents of children with medical conditions. Registration is required to ensure privacy, but access to the forum is free of charge.
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