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Mothers sing praises of children’s programs1
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Kevin Bruneau, 4, holds his five-month-old sister, Faith, at the Early Childhood Resource Centre Oct. 1. Kevin loves the centre where he can play with new toys and mingle with other children, says his mother, Laura.
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Ian Griebel, 13 months old, prepares to zoom down the hallway with a truck under the watchful eye of his mother, Colleen.
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Chris Clegg
for South Peace News
Where can you go where your children learn a variety of skills while mothers take a much-needed break out of the house?
The Early Childhood Resource Centre in High Prairie!
The centre offers a variety of programs High Prairie and area mothers are applauding, ranging from Crib Talk to Mother Goose.
And one-by-one, mothers are applauding the centre’s efforts and recommending other parents attend.
“Ian (13 months old) and I come here each week for Crib Talk,” says Colleen Griebel. “It’s a great time to get out of the house.”
Griebel appreciates the time Ian gets to mingle with other children and she receives with other mothers. Griebel not only learns how other mothers parent, but also shares experiences.
Laura Bruneau brings her two children, Kevin, 4, and Faith, five months to Crib Talk. She attends as many of the centre’s program as possible.
“My son gets the social skills he needs and I’m learning a lot more about what I can do with (my children) and their development,” says Bruneau.
Development includes both speaking and motor skills and the approximate ages each should occur, taking into account each child is different.
Bruneau also likes the chance to talk parenting with other parents and Stacy Chapman, the centre’s highly-trained program and site coordinator.
“You get to share ideas with others,” says Bruneau.
“You get some really good ideas for development skills,” adds Griebel.
Christine Bartlett attended Crib Talk for the first time Oct. 1 with six-week-old Owen.
“Just to get out of the house,” she says, adding she also heard about the program and sharing of ideas.
“Most of the parents are going through the same things you are,” she says. “We talk about the same things, the same things each one of us are going through.”
Each agree their children love the centre.
Chapman says many new programs are now operating for the fall and winter season. Some are as follows:
* Mother Goose occurs each Wednesday beginning at 10 a.m. This parent-child early literacy and rhyming circle program enhances child development and promotes language skills.
* Crib Talk occurs each Thursday beginning at 1 p.m. This drop-in networking session is for mothers and their infants 0-18 months old. Mothers can meet other new mothers and share experiences and relieve anxieties.
* Toddler Time occurs each Friday beginning at 10 a.m. This parent-child early learning program is designed to improve child development and build healthy relationships.
The centre also offers other programs including Little Explorers. Special child group programming for single parents, foster families, families of children with special needs, parents recovering or recovered from addictions, new Canadian families, teen parents, families of twins, stepchildren and blended families are also welcome.
All programs are free to attend on a drop-in basis.
The Early Childhood Resource Centre is located at 4825-59 Avenue, just southeast of the Church of the Nazarene. Call Chapman at 780-523-9861 for details.
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