HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I know I've been a slacker...I haven't written in this blog for over two months! It's been a crazy time at our house (again!). Our son was in the hospital for two weeks in November and then the holidays were upon us. We had all of our children and grandchildren here for about 10 days over Christmas and I had to force myself to get my work done. I just wanted to play, play, play!

In November I neglected to take the opportunity through this blog to tell you how thankful I am for each of you. You continually amaze me with your empathy, unselfishness, and dedication to the families you work with. I feel very blessed to work with such amazing peer parents.

In December I should have taken the opportunity to wish you all a wonderful holiday season. In retrospect, I hope all of you had good health, love of family and friends, and feelings of joy and peace.

It's January now and with it, comes my sincere wish that you will all have a great 2011! I have already heard from some of you of illness and deaths within your families as well as other difficulties. Please know that my heart goes out to each of you in your trials. May you find peace and comfort in the days to come.

My new year's resolutions include keeping this blog more up to date...so keep me on track by offering comments now and then as well as sending me suggestions and ideas that I can post.

A few things to remember:

• Our first advanced training of 2011 will be Saturday, January 22, from 9:00 to 11:00 in the Clearfield Office. We'll be covering the skills of Nutrition and Cooking. You should all be receiving a flier and a training schedule for the rest of the year.
• I will be out of town from January 31st until February 6th. My family has the opportunity to all take a trip together for a few days and I'm so excited; however, it being the first week of the month means a billing issue for all of you. (I would have chosen a different week but this was the only time we could all get together.) All January billing that is turned in to me that week will not be processed until the following week. If anyone brings their billing to my house, please put it in the locked mailbox and not on my front porch. I am very sorry for any inconvenience that this may cause you.

Well, once again, I wish each of you a happy new year...and I'll be blogging again soon!

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TRAINING

The Domestic Violence training on Saturday was excellent! Rosie Holmes (left) and Connie May (right), part of the DCFS Domestic Violence team, presented some very helpful and interesting information that made us all think about this huge (and growing) problem. The effects of DV on our society is staggering. As peer parents, we deal with this issue often and need to know how to recognize the problem, realize the impact on children, and know where to send our clients for help. Remember - we are not DV councilors or therapists! When a client is involved with the State because of Domestic Violence issues, the caseworker will recommend appropriate DV treatment. The role of the peer parent is to teach parenting skills, one of which is making parents aware of what constitutes abuse and neglect. Within the context of teaching the abuse and neglect skill, we should pass on to our clients helpful information about DV just as we would pass on information about the different forms of abuse and neglect.

Did you know that, as citizens, we can be part of the Domestic Violence Coalition? Each area in our region meets once a month to discuss DV. If you are interested in joining (or if you have any questions or concerns about DV and your clients), please contact the member of the DCFS DV

team nearest you:

Rosie Holmes (Davis County) 801-776-7488

Connie May (Logan) 435-787-3412

Maria Sandoval (Ogden) 801-395-5946

Dixie Yoder (Brigham City) 435-734-4043

Nancy Sloper (Regional Supervisor) 801-629-5848

Don't forget to wear your purple ribbons throughout the rest of October to spread awareness about Domestic Violence.

October Advanced Peer Parent Training

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. In recognition of this wide-spread problem, we will have Rosie Holmes from the region DCFS Domestic Violence team train us about DV, the effects it has on victims and families, and how peer parents can help. I hope to see many of you there...Saturday, October 23rd from 9:00 until 11:00 in the Clearfield DCFS office.



I also want to thank all of you who attended the Peer Parent Employee Evaluation interviews. It is a privilege to work with so many dedicated, knowledgable, empathetic peer parents!

Peer Parent Teaching Tip

Congratulations to Julie Trujillo for winning the "Peer Parent Teaching Tip" contest! She will receive a gift card to Target. Julie is from West Haven, has been a peer parent for almost two years and has been very successful with all the clients she has worked with.

Julie's tip... "Working with parents who are hard to engage can be challenging, so when this is the case I have created a "Skill Review Quiz" after each of our meetings I give the parent a review. We do it together, but I only help when they get stuck. This encourages communication and questions. It also lets me know if they are understanding the skill and if we need to continue discussing the topic. Good Luck All!'

This is a great suggestion - it helps reinforce the topic to the parents and gives the peer parent good information about where to go from there. Thanks, Julie!

IMPORTANT TRAINING INFORMATION:

When I was scheduling the advanced trainings for this year, I didn't think about UEA (Fall Recess) falling on October 14-15. I had planned to hold a training on Sat., Oct. 16 but now realize this is probably a bad day because a lot of people go out of town over this weekend. Our next advanced training will now be held on Saturday, Oct. 23rd so mark your calendars - more information to come.

CONGRATULATIONS, KERRI!

Kerri Miller is the lucky winner of a $15.00 gift card to Target for being the first peer parent to comment on this blog. Thanks, Kerri! Now I know at least one person is reading it...

Kerri lives in Clinton. She is a fairly new peer parent and is working on her first case. Kerry commented to me in an email, "I'd like to see other's ideas and tips on teaching the different subjects. Maybe the more experienced parents could blog about how they teach? Give us ideas and "teaching aids"?"

That is exactly what I hope this blog becomes - an interactive message board for all peer parents to share ideas and tips. Peer parents can do this one of two ways:

1) Respond in a "comment".

2) Email me the information you would like posted in the blog and I will put it in for you. The State has requested that only coordinators be able to actually post on the blog since blogs are open to anyone and we wouldn't want unauthorized people to post inappropriate or unrelated stuff on our blog.

So...I am offering another $15.00 gift card to Target for the first person (other than Kerri - I want to see if anyone else is reading this!) who emails me some peer parenting ideas or tips that I can post here. I know for a fact that we have some really great peer parents in our region who have lots of experience and a wealth of knowledge to share with others so let's hear from you!

Gotta Love Fall!

Last October we were able to enjoy beautiful New England in all its autumn splendor. Our daughter lives in Boston. This is a picture of our son, Christopher and daughter, Tristan (and me...the big orange pumpkin!) when we visited Ben and Jerry's Ice cream Factory - yummmm!

Is Anybody Out There?

I haven't posted on this blog for awhile because just when life was already crazy with my mom's death, my mother-in-law passed away too! Needless to say, it has been a trying summer. But now we are into my favorite time of year... fall. There is just something about the cooler days, vibrant colors and crisp air that makes me feel energized and hopeful. I hope you all feel the same.

We've had this blog going for awhile but I haven't gotten much response (maybe because I have written so inconsistently!) I've decided to have a little contest to see if anyone is actually reading this, so... the first person to post a comment to this blog will get a $15.00 gift card to Target!

Soon I'll be posting information about our next advanced training so tune in!

I'd like to share one of my favorite thoughts with you. It's by Ralph Waldo Emerson.

SUCCESS

To laugh often and much;

To win the respect of intelligent people

And the affection of children;

To earn the appreciation

of honest critics,

And endure the betrayal

Of false friends;

To appreciate beauty,

To find the best in others;

To leave the world a bit better,

Whether by a healthy child,

A garden patch,

Or a redeemed social condition;

To know even one life

Has breathed easier,

Because you have lived,

That is to have succeeded.

Wishing you all true success -

Pam