Newsletter for February 8, 2008
QUOTE OF THE DAY:
"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Lao Tzu
HELP Center Announcements
New Cell Phone Policy in the Center
The use of cell phones has become a distraction for students working and studying in the SPHC. The new cell phone policy is that students who wish to talk on their cell phones should take their calls outside the Center. There are benches in the hallway and an alcove by the vending machines and one under the stairs where students can talk on cell phones without distracting SPHC studyers or other nearby offices.
It is important that students can work and study in the SPHC with minimal distractions.
Reminder, the student phone (in the corner attached to the fax machine) is still available for students to use. We request everyone keep phone calls short and use a quiet voice to respect other students working/studying in the Center. We do not mean to be heavy handed with rules, but we have such a small, multi-purpose space taht we have to be conscious of these things to make the space work for everyone as much as possible. Thank you!
Save the Date: Monday, February 25th 2008
U of M Job and Internship Fair
10:00AM to 4:00PM
Minneapolis Convention Center
1301 Second Avenue S., downtown Minneapolis.
Don’t miss the biggest student career fair in Minnesota, created specifically for U of M students and alumni. More than 150 organizations will be there looking for candidates to fill a vast array of jobs and internships. This event is open and free to U of M students and recent grads. Please make the most of this event by not only attending but by taking updated, thoroughly reviewed and perfected resumes with you to the event. Spring graduates especially should make every attempt to attend this event as there are indicators that this could be a pretty tough job market that you are walking into. I would recommend dressing as if you were going to a job interview as that could make you stand out amid the hundreds of other students at the fair. Good luck and we would love to get some feedback about the event from anyone who goes.
For more information, including a list of participants and details about registration visit www.umjobfair.org
Group Events: Wednesdays 12:00 PM–2:00 PM
The Student Parent HELP Center meets weekly on Wednesdays from 12:00-2:00 in Room 24, Appleby Hall. The group provides the opportunity to connect with other student parents, discuss the challenges and joys surrounding academic studies and parenthood and share a FREE lunch with your fellow SPHC friends. The direction of the group will be determined in large part by your needs and ideas. Your willingness to share experiences and personal challenges will undoubtedly help others, so we hope you will join us as often as you can. Feel free to come for all or part of the group and remember that you are not obligated to come every week. Simply come as often as your schedule allows. (Your little ones are welcome). See below for upcoming group topics.
February 27, 2008
Please join us for free food and an open dialogue/Q&A session with Jan Merrell from the University Child Care Center on child development. Please bring your questions regarding child development and anything else you'd like to learn about where your child is at during this point in his/her life.
March 5, 2008
We will have a presentation by Nimo Yusuf, former student parent, and now educator with the University of Minnesota's Extension program. She will help us understand the best ways to explore nutritious and healthy meals for families and children.
If you have suggestions for a specific topic or program, contact Jerri Wagner or Katie Schoeppner at sphc@umn.edu.
Please remember that the center is closed during group on Wednesdays from 12-2 for all other computer use and studying spaces. Please come back in around 2 PM and we will re-open the doors. If you are going to join us for lunch, please stay at least 1/2 hour and join in the group in order to respect the food budget of the HELP Center.
We Need You…
The Student Parent Association (SPA) is a University student group specifically designed to address the issues facing student parents on campus. As the new academic year gets underway, SPA is looking to enroll new members and officers. Membership and officer application forms are available on their website under the “Links” tab. Complete applications can be returned to Susan Warfield, via email attachment sent to her direct email address. We will also have applications available at the HELP Center and you can attend a meeting and sign up then as well. Meetings are held each Friday from 12:30 PM to 1:00 PM in the Student Parent HELP Center. This type of engagement looks wonderful on a resume and goes a long way toward increasing the visibility of student parents at the U of MN. Please visit their website to learn more: www.tc.umn.edu/~umspa/
Opportunities to Share
Student Parent Success Stories
We would like to continue featuring announcements of student and family successes as regular newsletter items. If you will be graduating at the end of fall term, are welcoming a new child, purchasing a home, getting married or experiencing any related event that you would like to have us post in the newsletter, please send the details to the SPHC email address, spch@umn.edu. We would be proud and honored to share in celebrating these wonderful life transitions with you and your families.
Photo Gallery
Sharing photos of our children and families is a great way to get to know each other. If you have a photo of your child(ren) or family and would like to see it featured in one of our upcoming newsletters, send it as an e-mail attachment to sphc@umn.edu.
Parenting Information and Resources
Parent Warmline 612-813-6336
The Parent Warmline is a free consultation service for parents provided by Children’s Hospital. If you have questions or concerns about behavioral or developmental issues such as toilet training, discipline, sleep patterns, temper tantrums, fears, etc., call this free hotline (612-813-6336) and leave your name, telephone number and a brief description of your concern. Within 24 hours a professionally trained volunteer will call you back to offer practical advice, encouragement or community resource referrals. Please note that the Parent Warmline is a non-crisis, non-medical service. This service is free to parents who live in the Twin Cities metro area.
211, First Call for Help
Looking for information on childcare, food, housing, transportation or senior services? The Minnesota 2-1-1 database lists more than 10,000 organizations and 40,000 services throughout the state. Just dial 2-1-1 (or 651-291-0211). It's free, confidential and available 24/7. Trained information specialists can connect you to more than 40,000 community resources. Multi-lingual lines are available Monday-Friday, 8:30 am-5:00 pm.You can also download a copy of the 2-1-1 application and database (http://www.ctkodm.com/gtcuw/211_app/ ) directly to your computer. By doing this, you will be able to search for resources at any time without needing an Internet connection.
University of Minnesota Extension Service
The University of Minnesota Extension Service offers a host of resources for Minnesota parents. Please bookmark the following website for access to answers and advice regarding a number of common parenting questions. http://www.extension.umn.edu
Mom Talk!
Looking for a place to learn from other moms, share resources, recipes and experiences? Visit www.momtalk.com. This is a great online forum with information on health and wellness, upcoming events, pregnancy and just about anything related to being a mom in the Twin Cities.
Are you looking for specific information for your County?
If so, please check out the following links for metro Counties:
University of Minnesota Extension Service
The University of Minnesota Extension Service offers a host of resources for Minnesota parents. Please bookmark the following website for access to answers and advice regarding a number of common parenting questions. http://www.extension.umn.edu
Energy Assistance
Whether we like it or not the cold is still here! Many Minnesotans will see significant increases in their energy bills, sometimes beyond the ability of some to pay. The Energy Assistance Program provides grants for individuals in need. Please visit the following link for more information: http://www.state.mn.us/portal/mn/jsp/content.do?id=-
Community Events and Activities
Kits and Cubs: Valentine’s Surprise, Celebrate Valentine’s Day nature-style!
Eastman Nature Center, 13351 Elm Creek Rd, Dayton, MN
Create special gifts for family, make tasty treats and do a scavenger hunt!
A drop off program for children ages 4-5.
February 13th 10am -12 pm and February 14th 1pm- 3 pm
Visit ThreeRiversParkDistrict.org for more info!
Twin City Model Railroad Museum Family Fun Day
Children can enjoy new Tomas the Wooden Train play area,a model railroad and a treasure hunt!
Monday, February 18th 11 AM – 3 PM.
Cost: $4 / Children 5 and under are Free!
1021 Bandana Blvd. E, St Paul
For more information, visit TCMRM.org
Lunar Eclipse Watch
Take advantage of telescopes and binoculars to view a spectacular sight!
Carpenter Nature Center
12805 St. Croix Trail, Hastings
Wednesday, February 20th 7:30 PM (Eclipse occurs at 7:43 PM)
Free event !!
For more information, visit CarpenterNatureCenter.org
Fun Events at Creative Kidstuff
Meet Isabel Fisher Cat from Calico Critters and make your own portable playhouse!
Saturday February 9th Sunday February 10th
Galleria @ 10 AM St Paul @ 12 PM
Minnetonka @ 12 PM Woodbury @ 2PM
Minneapolis @ 2 PM Maple Grove @ 4PM
Or Join up for swashbucklin’ fun at their pirate event!
Saturday February 23rd Sunday February 24th
Galleria @ 10 AM St Paul @ 12 PM
Minnetonka @ 12 PM Woodbury @ 2PM
Minneapolis @ 2 PM Maple Grove @ 4PM
Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Ten Sundays each year the Art Institute hosts Family Days. These events feature music, art, dance performance and hands-on activities for kids. The next event, "Weathervanes and Whirligigs", is in January. There will be hands-on activities, live bluegrass music and access to the work of local artists. This event is free and takes place on Sunday, January 13th between 11:00 am and 5:00 pm. There is no pre-registration required-simply show up between 11 and 5.
The Minneapolis Institute of Arts is located at 2400 Third Avenue South, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55404. Visit http://www.artsmia.org/ for more information.
The Bell Museum of Natural History
The Bell Museum of Natural History located right on our own U of M, East Bank campus offers two fun family events. Visit their website for more details: http://www.bellmuseum.org/calendar.html
Nature Play
A drop-in family program from 1-3 p.m. on the 2nd Saturday of each month. Free with museum admission. For families with kids ages 4 and older.
Nature Tots
A program for toddlers and preschoolers with their parents, held the first Thursday of every month from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. Free with museum admission, but registration is required. Call 612-624-9050.
MN Science Museum
Did you know…families who receive any assistance in the form of WIC, MFIP, GA, MA, MN Care, SSI, FS, or Section 8 qualify for reduced admission rates at the MN Science Museum
. Just bring along current proof that you receive any of the assistance forms listed above, and you and your family can enjoy the Science Museum for the following prices:
Exhibits: $1.00
Exhibits + Omni Theater: $3.00
Please contact the museum with any further questions: (651) 221-9444, www.smm.org
Hours: Tuesday-Wednesday 9:30 am-5:00 pm, Thursday-Saturday 9:30 am-9:00 pm, Sunday 11:00 am-5:00 pm CLOSED MONDAY
Minnesota Orchestra
Target Free Family Concerts
Check website for schedule and ticket information
www.minnesotaorchestra.org or call 612-371-5656
Guthrie Theater
Target Play Dates
Free theater workshops for kids ages 4-11,
with family matinee tickets
Check website for schedule
www.guthrietheater.org or call 612-377-2224
Hot Tip
Experts say ‘tummy time’ is key for tots.
An article from the Chicago Tribune explains that it could potentially slow a baby’s growth the more time the child spends on his/her back or in bouncy seats. The author discusses that many children are not getting enough ‘tummy time’ at an early age.
It is important to understand the impact this may be making on lacking muscle development in young children. More children are having to go into physical therapy at early ages, especially given the rise of the "bouncy chairs" and other mechanisms to soothe babies, but sitting is not always that great for them.
Check out the complete article at
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-tummytime_bd27jan27,0,7315892.story
Quick and Easy Recipe
Mango Lassi
Adapted from Taste of India(Serves 4-6)
Kids love to help with this super easy, super yummy recipe!!
3 cups plain yogurt
1 cup canned mango pulp
1/2 cup cold water
20 ice cubes
Combine all the ingredients in a blender and process until the mix is frothy (make sure that the ice is crushed into small pieces).
Taste the mix to see if it needs more sugar.
Enjoy!
Grants Update
All Grant applications were due February 1st 2008.
The list for the CCAMPIS Grant is closed at this time.
Post Secondary Child Care Grant: First tier students who have already submitted applications have been processed and you should check your student accounts for an entry labeled, “MN State Child Care Grant” (same as Post Secondary CC Grant). When you see that hit your account the grant has been disbursed. At this point in time we do not know whether there will be enough money to cover the second tier students, but we will keep you posted.
All programs of the SPHC are available to undergraduates only.
COOL WEB LINK:
Global Children's Art Gallery
The Global Children's Art Gallery now features 1,050 pictures
by children from 67 countries.
Visit the gallery
" Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up." 
Pablo Picasso
Featured Books
*Note* All of the books/CD’s listed below are available for check-out at the Student Parent Help Center
- Create an Organized Life: Simple Strategies and Expert Advice to Win the Battle against Chaos and Clutter by Marcie Zina Mager
- So this is Normal Too? By Deborah Hewitt
- Your Six-Year-Old: Loving and Defiant by Louise Bates Ames and Frances L. Ilg
- We Can Get Along, A Child’s Book of Choices by Lauren Murphy Payne, M.S.W.
- Sing Your Own Song: A Guide for Single Moms by Cynthia Orange
- Solve Your Child’s Sleep Problems by Richard Ferber
- Expecting the Best: The Journey Toward A Healthy Pregnancy by Kathy King
- The Anxious Parents’ Guide to Quality Child Care by Michelle Ehrich
- Integrating College Study Skills by Peter Elias Sotirou
Who’s Who at SPHC
Susan Warfield, MSW, LICSW
As the Director of the SPHC, I am responsible for overseeing all programs of the Student Parent HELP Center and supervising SPHC staff. This has meant that I have had to step back from having the degree of direct contact with students I have always enjoyed having. This has been a difficult but necessary step for me to take in order to meet the administrative and financial needs of our growing program. If you have an issue that absolutely cannot be addressed by another SPHC staff member, you may schedule an appointment with me. These appointments should be booked through the SPHC front desk. Intakes and basic questions about services offered should be directed to Jerri Wagner, Rebecca Hassett, Katie Schoeppner, or Zer Xiong. I am entering my 8th year with the HELP Center and during this journey have moved from on-line staff, to Coordinator and now Director. With this evolution has come an increase in responsibilities and duties. Please know that even though you may not see as much of me in the actual Center as you may have in the past, I continue to work each and every day to bring you the programming, funding and visibility on campus that student parents need to have a successful experience at the U of MN. We are experiencing a bit of a crisis on the private child care funding side and I really need to devote most of my attention this year to finding more child care assistance and emergency grant funding in order to keep up with demand. Have no fear; you will continue to hear my raucous laughter echoing through the SPHC!
Jerri Clark Wagner, MSW, LGSW
I am the Direct Service Program Coordinator for the Student Parent HELP Center. Originally from New York State, I graduated from Syracuse University in 2000 with an undergraduate degree in theatre, with minors in sociology and women’s studies. After undergrad, I was an AmeriCorps volunteer for one year in Chicago, teaching arts integration on the west side in a Chicago Public School. In June of 2003, I graduated with my Master’s in Social Work from the University of Chicago. While in graduate school, I served as a therapist with Chicago’s Metropolitan YWCA, working with survivors of sexual assault and their families. From 2003-2006, I coordinated two statewide youth violence prevention programs for the Illinois Center for Violence Prevention in Chicago. Prior to relocating to Minneapolis, I spent March-June of 2006 traveling and learning abroad in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda. I would love to talk about any of these varied experiences with you and really look forward to working with such an amazing and resilient population at the SPHC!
Rebecca Hassett
Hello! I am one of the new Graduate Social Work Interns this year. This is my first year in the MSW program and my first year at the U of M. I studied Political Science and Spanish at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. I am very excited to be working at the Student Parent HELP center; I think it is an amazing program with much to offer students. I will be helping Jerri out with group during fall semester and I can’t wait to get started. I’m looking forward to meeting all of you!!
Katie Schoeppner
Hello student parents! I am so excited to meet all of you and get to know you over the course of the school year. I am in my first year of the Masters of Social Work program at the U of M and will be interning here for the entire school year. It has been five years since I graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College with a degree in Psychology and Scandinavian Studies. Since graduating I have worked as a nanny in Sweden, as a program manager at an agency for adults with traumatic brain injuries, as a legal assistant at a small personal injury law firm and in the publisher’s office at the Duluth News Tribune in Duluth, MN. It is sure to be an eventful and exciting year!
Zer Xiong
I am the Undergraduate Teaching Assistant (UGTA) for the Student Parent HELP Center. This is my second year as the UGTA. Part of my responsibilities is to assist you in the Center so feel free to ask me for help. Like you, I am also a student parent. My son Alexander will be 2 on November 27th, 2007. In May 2008 I will be graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, Family Social Science, and Public Health from the Inter-College Program. It has been a pleasure and privilege getting to know all the student parents who use our center and I am looking forward to another great year!
Comments, questions or ideas about useful information for this newsletter can be directed to Rebecca Hassett at Sphc@umn.edu.