Monday, December 10, 2007

Weekly Updates

I finally got our calendar and our updates at one page! Visit us at http://bendap.org to see our whole calendar or click on Upcoming Events to see what is happening this week.

Monday, December 3, 2007

Week of December 3rd

Baby Group
Tuesday, December 4th, Jen's house, email for directions.

Playgroup
Friday, December 7th, Library, 10 a.m. Preschool Parade Storytime designed for ages 3-5 will be happening in the Brooks Room at 10:15, if that works for you. Otherwise, meet in the play area. Email a leader if it's your first time, so we know to look for you.

Older Kids Group
Saturday, December 8th, 9 a.m. - noon, Wanoga Snow Park for sledding. This is the new sled hill and supposed to be much gentler and safer than Skyliners. See Bulletin article, as long as the link continues to work.

This event was created with older kids in mind, but all and everyone who thinks it sounds fun is welcome! Email Renee for more information.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Week of November 26th

Book Group
Tuesday, Nov. 27th, 6:30 pm, Wild Oats Cafe, The Mother Knot by Lazarre. Host: Katie. Email a leader for information or directions. See questions below.


Playgroup

Friday, Nov. 30, Linnea’s house, email a leader for information or directions.



Bookgroup discussion questions - Thanks, Katie!

  1. Is the anger expressed in the Mother Knot (and Dispatches from the Not So Perfect Life) a universal experience or simply the requirement for writing a book like this? Is being a feminist a pre-requisite?
  2. How much does Jane’s unique cultural experience affect her view of motherhood (Jewish, in an inter-racial marriage)
  3. The struggle between “self” and “mommy” is a constant theme in this book and other motherhood books. Explore this theme from the 50’s to present, across the woman’s movement, mommy wars, etc.
  4. Is the type of desperation that Jane and the other mothers feel a product of their times, or their motherhood?
  5. After Jane meets Anna, she finally finds someone that isn’t afraid to discuss the dichotomy of motherhood. On page 85 she discusses the two part sentences i.e. “I would much prefer to die than lose him. I guess that’s love” – I wince and we both laughed – “but he has destroyed my life and I live only to find a way of getting it back again.” How do you relate to this dichotomy?
  6. By the end of Chapter 6 Jane has found a community which gives her a break. She finds that she craves a childcare day over a study day. A sense of community was something that Jane found it difficult to find before meeting Anna. How would having it have changed her experience? How does our modern culture of isolated nuclear family shape our mothering experience?
  7. p. 97-99 “I was the boss. But it was half the responsibility that I needed to be rid of”. James graduates at the end of the chapter. Why does the woman make the sacrifice? James is willing to let the baby cry on “his time”. Jane is not. (How many of us have had this experience?) So she ends up taking more of the burden. Her school suffers. Why? Because we birth, we nurse? Is it biological? If we didn’t have the drive to pick up the crying baby, the inability to ignore, would the species have survived?
  8. p. 161 “Do the words “day care” conjure up images of Dickensian orphanages where ragged children play in the corner until whipping time.” What does the words day care conjure up for us now? Especially in our AP circles?
  9. p. 163 “James, the child of a poor family who had not given their children’s lives the minute attention we continuously gave ours, still basically believed that we do not bring children up, they grow up.” Does this statement have merit? How much influence so we really have on the outcome? James says “He knows we love him, doesn’t he? He has clothes, food, a home, friends, He’ll be all right.” Do any of you feel like you over analyze things way too much?

Sunday, November 18, 2007

Week of November 19th

Happy Thanksgiving!
No events planned, just enjoy and give thanks. Thanks for all the wonderful mothers I have known and learned from!

Monday, November 12, 2007

Week of November 12th

Monthly Meeting
Wednesday, November 14th, 6pm, COCC Library's Oregon Room. This week's topic is mother-infant bonding during birth (and beyond)! Of course, bring any and all topics, questions, challenges or suggestions related to AP, as we will begin with an open discussion. I'm hoping to find some articles to share, I'll post them to the discussion list as soon as can. Email a leader with any questions.

Mom's Get Out

Thursday, November 15th, 5:30 pm., McMenamins. Have dinner with your movie! Meet at O'Kanes in back of McMenamins to come together before the movie starts at 6pm. The movie is the Jane Austen Book Club. "Six Californians start a club to discuss the works of Jane Austen, only to find their relationships -- both old and new -- begin to resemble 21st century versions of her novels." Looks like a lite and feel-good movie about women and relationships. Wanna read some reviews?

Playgroup
Friday, November 15th, 10 a.m., High Desert Museum. RSVP to a leader if it your first time so they know to look for you.

Looking ahead...
Have you read The Mother Knot by Jane Lazarre? It is our book group book, scheduled to be discussed Tuesday, November 27th. You can buy it cheap at Amazon, about $4 with shipping and everything. As I read it, I was (of course) very reminded of Faulkner Fox's Dispatches from a Not So Perfect Life, which we read for book group a few months ago. But this book is so beautifully written, clear images drawing sharp contrasts that capture Lazarre's inner conflict, I sometimes felt like I was reading poetry instead of a memoir. At first I wasn't sure I wanted to read a book so similar to one I had read so recently, but very soon I realized that finishing the book was not a choice. I had to complete the journey and discover what reconciliations and peace Lazarre would find. Here's an interview from the Mother's Movement Online (a cool website worth checking out for its own sake).
(Picture taken by Eurico Zimbres, uploaded from Wikimedia Commons.)

Monday, October 29, 2007

Week of October 29th

Baby Group
Tuesday, October 30th, Jen's house, 9:30ish, email to RSVP or for directions.

Mom's Night Out
Thursday, November 1st, 5:15 pm, Merenda Restaurant. Check out a sample happy hour menu. RSVP to Katherine

Playgroup
Friday, November 2nd, 10 am, Working Wonders Children’s Museum. Admission is $6 per person over 1 and under 100.

Monday, October 22, 2007

Week of October 22nd

Book Group
Tuesday, Oct. 23rd, 6:30 pm at Wild Oats, The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. Check out the discussion questions here or here is a link to several reviews.

Playgroup
Firday, October 26, 10 a.m. Foxborough Park. Email a leader if this is your first time or for more information.

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Week of October 15th

Playgroup
Friday, October 19th, 10 am, Foxborough Park. Email a leader if this is your first time, so they know to look for you.

REVISED: Oh no! I got the wrong place. I looked at the wrong date. It is at Lewis and Clark! A million apologies. I did this too rushed!

Family Gathering
Sunday, October 21st, 4-6 pm, Kiddoz Play Center. Cost: $10 per family. After much discussion, due to the large turnout, we have finally settled on a place for the family gathering. It does involve a cost, but with about 80 people, the event grew too big to host in anyone's home. Bring a food (foods of autumn is the theme, I believe) to share and come join in the fun. Their address is 222 SE Reed Market Rd (on the corner of 3rd & Reed Market, next to Patio World). Please email Katie for to RSVP or for more information.

Saturday, October 6, 2007

Week of October 8th

Monthly Meeting
Wednesday, October 10th, 6 pm,
Oregon Reading Room at the COCC Library. (As you walk in the COCC library, the Oregon room is right above you.) Join us for the first-in-a-long-time monthly meeting where member can further discuss attachment parenting put into practice. This month's focus us co-sleeping, but feel free to bring personal questions or challenges for disucssion.


Playgroup
Friday, October 12, 10 a.m.
, Larkspur Park/Bend Senior Center


Family Outing
Saturday, October 13, noon
, Pumpkin Festival, Tillicum Park in Tumalo.This festival has over 4,000 pumpkins to choose from, crafts, hayrides and farm animals, carnival booths, food and live entertainment. An all-day activity pass is $10 and includes one pumpkin or you can purchase individual activity tickets for 50 cents. Directions from Bend: Take Hwy 20 six miles west toward Sisters to Couch Market Road. Turn left on Couch Market Road and follow the signs to the Pumpkin festival.

Monday, October 1, 2007

Week of October 1st

Baby Playgroup
Tuesday, October 2, Jen L’s house, email for directions or more details.

Playgroup

Friday, October 5, Wildflower Park, 10 am. This is the park in the River Rim subdivision, pretty far south on Brookswood. See map.

Monday, September 24, 2007

Week of September 24th

Playgroup
Friday, September 28th, 10 am, Compass Park, the big circle park inside of Northwest Crossing. Contact Katherine or Jen for more information.

Moms Get Out
Saturday, September 29th, 9:30am, Breakfast at Victorian Cafe. Located at 14th and Galveston. The last time I was there, I noticed they had this New York Times article on the wall. NYT has a travel feature where they spend 36 hours in a town and describe how to get the most out of a short time there. The NYT recommends you breakfast at the Victorian Cafe. I tend to agree. RSVP to Katherine or Jen.


Free Baby Expo
Anyone going to Portland for the Free Baby Expo? It's at the Portland Convention Center Sept 28th through 30th and looks like an incredible event.

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Week of September 17th



Baby Playgroup
Tuesday, September 18th, Jen's house.

Playgroup
Friday, September 21, 10 am. Hollygrape Park.

Bookgroup
Sunday, September 23, 6:30 pm, Wild Oats Cafe. The Five Love Languages of Children by Chapman and Campbell. I'm hosting and will be posting some questions soon. This book is a quick read, but may actually change the way you think about love. Definitely worth the time.

If you have the time...
Having all three girls under the care of someone else last week, I treated myself to a This American Life podcast. The theme for the show was "Unconditional Love." If you have the time, this show was beautiful, humbling, and inspirational. Well, at least to me. The first part talks about turn of the century parenting and the scientific community's stance that love is not necessary for a baby to thrive. Act two and three are the stories of two sets of parents who face incredible difficulties. If you want to download it and put it on an iPod, it costs $.95, but if you just want to stream it on your computer and listen, it is free. Made my cry and shifted my perspective on my own life.

Discussion Questions for Five Love Languages

1. Think about the last day or two. List specific examples of ways love has been communicated to you. Who communicated the love and what language were they speaking? Also, think about the expressions of love you have made. Who did you communicate love to? What language did you speak? Do you think they heard you?

2. Spend the next 24 hours on the lookout for love. Note the expression of love you see each member of your family (including you) are making. Is it easy for you to add in more love? What impediments do you experience?

3. Rank the love languages according to ease of expression for you, 1 being the love language that you do most naturally, 5 being the language that is hard for you to speak. Why do you think some are more difficult than others? What implications does this have for your family?

4. Have you discovered your children's love languages? Yours? Your spouses? What challenges have you encountered in trying to determine them?

5. What would Naomi Aldort author of (Raising Our Children, Raising Ourselves) say about Chapter 8, the chapter about discipline, for example, the statement that defiance "cannot be permitted and the behavior must be corrected?" What do you think about it? What do the two books have in common? What are their differences?

6. Which of the forms of discipline listed in Chapter 8 do you currently use? Is that a conscious, deliberate choice you and other caregivers have agree on or one that's made more organically or spontaneously? Which ones did you plan on using before you had kids? If they are different, why? Do you think there are other forms, not listed here?

7. Are your children able to express anger verbally? How do you react to name calling from your children? The authors say that expression of anger is one of the most difficult and yet most important issues we will deal with as parents? Has anger been a challenging issue in your household?

8. In this book, there are several stories about transformations after parents attend a workshop or read a book. Has any book ever transformed your family? Have you had a breakthrough moment where you felt like you discovered something true, implemented changes in your behavior, and your family experienced lasting results? What was that book, and can I borrow it? Seriously, what was the book, what changes did you make, and how was your family changed?

9. If I discover that any of my daughters' love language is acts of service, am I going to have to start buying skirts that don't fit and then learn how to hem them? Did anyone else notice how much skirt hemming was going on?

Sunday, September 9, 2007

Week of September 10th



Field's Farm Day
Monday, September 10th, 11 a.m. Bring a picnic lunch & see the farm (Bend's one and only urban farm) in action. Contact Jen – bluesparrowbaking@yahoo.com or 280-7251 to RSVP. You can find it at 61915 Pettigrew Road, which is what Purcell turns into south of Greenwood.

Playgroup
Friday, September 14th, 10 a.m., Big Sky Park

Mom's Get Out
Saturday, Sept. 15th at 5:30 pm – Have dinner with your movie! Meet at O'Kanes in back of McMenamins to come together before the movie starts at 6pm. Currently the movie is Evan Almighty, but the movies may change for the weekend, and the theater's schedule doesn't go that far out. Check that link later in the week to see if the movie has been changed. Email an AP leader if it is your first time to come so that we can know to look for you!

UPDATE: The "movie" is a 3:00 OSU Football game, and no 6:00 movie is scheduled for that day. The McMenamin's person just told me to check back at the theater schedule to see if that changes, but if a movie is shown, it will probably be the 8:30 show. Ideas?


Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Week of September 3rd

Babygroup
Tuesday, September 4th, Cricket's house. Email her for directions and details.

Playgroup

Friday, September 7th, Overturf Park, meet about 10 a.m.

Sunday, August 19, 2007

Week of August 20th

Play Group
Friday, August 24th, Stover Park, meet about 10 a.m. Here's a map if you need one. It is supposed to warm up by the end of the week, back to the mid-80s.

Looking ahead to next week...
Book Group
We will discuss Shelter for the Spirit: How to Make Your Home a Haven in a Hectic World by Victoria Mann next week on Tuesday, August 28th. The library copies may or may not be all checked out, but you can buy it used for cheap at Amazon (about $4.50 including shipping). I won't be able to make it to book group, but I wish I could. I read the book a couple of years ago and found it very inspirational, but honestly have struggled incorporating anything substantial into my life. I'd love to hear if others have been more successful. Maybe I should try again, now that my kids are older.

What is Attachment Parenting?
Do you ever wonder this. Attachment Parenting International has their 8 principles which are helpful in their thoroughness and comprehensiveness. But here's one mom's view, more from the heart. It's very moving, and I love that she quotes Jan Hunt, our LOCAL attachment parenting writer and educator. Something for me to think about as I begin my week!

Sunday, August 12, 2007

Week of August 13th

Hiking with Kids
(This is probably too last minute to do you any good, but just in case)
Monday, August 13, 10 am, Pedestrian bridge at Farewell Bend Park. Bring a lunch and come ready to stroll along the river.

Playgroup
Friday, August 17th, Lewis and Clark Park. 10 a.m.

An interesting website...
Have you ever wanted a coloring sheet of a breastfeeding baby? Well, even if you haven't, here's somewhere you can get one. It's called Kiddie Games, and they have all kinds of educational games for preschoolers, even a "Dress the breastfeeding baby" game, a "Put the baby on the right/left breast" game, and some sign language games. I don't know how I feel about having computer games geared toward such little kids (it seems to me 2-3 year olds), but it's worth checking out.

And, another interesting article...

Here's a nice little story from CNN about doulas and how much they can contribute to a birth experience. I really, really wish I had had a doula for my first birth. A coworker of my husband's offered to be my doula for FREE (she was still in training) and I said no because I thought it would be strange for my husband and I to go through such a personal and intimate experience with a coworker. Honestly, I thought I'd be embarrassed to be so exposed and vulnerable in front of someone I didn't know. Little did I know how quickly modesty and privacy go out the window when you really need support and connection. I've always regretted that decison.

Sunday, August 5, 2007

Week of August 6th

Happy World Breastfeeding Week!

Remember, this is the week that you and your nursing baby are needed to set a new world record for simultaneous breastfeeding! Z21 and the Bulletin have reported on the upcoming potential-world-record-setting event.
Email Aria for more information. For background on the event, see their page.

When: Wednesday, August 8, 2007, 9:30-10:30am (babies need to nurse at 10am to count towards the record)

Where: First United Methodist Church, 680 NW Bond St., Bend

Food: Continental Breakfast Follows!

Oh, and if you haven't, check out that wonderful video Katherine shared about the founding mothers of LLL.




Playgroup
Friday, August
10, 10 a.m. McKay Park

Monday, July 30, 2007

Week of July 30th

Moms Get Out
Saturday August 4, 4pm
River Walk from Farewell Bend Park and either a picnic dinner or dinner/drinks/appetizers at Robbie J's (those going can vote as date approaches). Please email Aria to RSVP and give input.

Playgroup
August 3, Elk Lake
Please email Aria to coordinate time and location. (Sunset View Beach; turn off before Elk Lake Lodge road)

Planning ahead for next week:
Want to help set a world record? Got milk? Join thousands of breastfeeding women worldwide to set a new Synchronized Breastfeeding Guinness World Record! Email Aria for more information.

When: Wednesday, August 8, 2007, 9:30-10:30am (babies need to nurse at 10am to count towards the record)

Where: First United Methodist Church, 680 NW Bond St., Bend

Food: Continental Breakfast Follows!

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Week of July 23rd

I'm at work on Sunday, hoping lots of you are enjoying this beautiful weather at the Bend AP Summer Gathering. But, I did just see this lovely essay in the London Times about sleeping with your kids. Thought some of you might enjoy it.

This week:

Playgroup
Friday, July 27, Big Sky Park, meet about 10 a.m.

Sunday, July 15, 2007

Week of July 16th



Did you know...
That the first week of August is World Breastfeeding Week? Here is how Celebrity Baby Blog is celebrating. They are encouraging people to share their breastfeeding photos. Looking at the gorgeous and wonderful photos from last year was almost enough to make me want another baby (and those of you who know me know that is saying a lot). This year's photos so far are here. Here is one of my few pictures. Apparently, we rarely got our act together enough to keep all three kiddos happy AND capture it on film at the same time.

Book Group
Tuesday, July 17, 2007, 6:00 p.m. at the Wild Oats Cafe. Dispatches from a not-so-perfect life : or how I learned to love the house, the man, the child by Faulkner Fox. Cheryl is the host and she has come up with some great questions about the book and specifically how it relates to an Attachment Parenting lifestyle. I'm really looking forward to the discussion.

Note we are meeting 30 minutes earlier than usual to pick out future books. Bring any and all book suggestions.

Please bring your children if you want to/need to. Email Cheryl for more info.

Playgroup
Friday, July 20th, Blakely Park Meet about 10 am, earlier if you want to try to beat the heat.

Family Gathering
Sunday July 22 at 4pm, Tumalo State Park Day Use Area. The reservable day use areas (near the pay station) are already taken, so we are meeting in the regular day use area. Continue driving until the driveway becomes a one-way with parking on both sides. I'll try to get a balloon to tie where you should come down towards the river. Mark your calendars, bring a dish to share, and come join us for some fun! Please RSVP to Aria.

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

Week of July 2nd and 9th

We are on vacation - visiting family. Visit our summer calendar, for activity information.

Monday, June 25, 2007

Week of June 25th

Hiking with Kids
Tuesday, June 16, 9am, Farewell Bend Park. Plan on a little playing and little hiking along the River Trail. This is the group aimed at parents with kids ages 3-6. Email Cheryl if you have more questions or to let her know your coming so she knows who to wait for.

Playgroup ***CHANGED****
Friday, June 29, Quail Park Meet about 10 a.m. This is a new park northwest of COCC, west of Mt. Washington Drive on Regency St.

Mom's Breakfast Out
Saturday June 30, 8:30am

Breakfast Out at The Victorian Cafe, please RSVP to
Aria. I can't make it, and I'm disappointed, as I haven't been there in at least a couple of years, and this is such a great breakfast place. I hope many of you can make it and have an eggs benedict for me!

Preview: Book Group
Tuesday, July 17th, Dispatches from a Not-So-Perfect Life : Or How I Learned to Love the House, the Man, the Child by Faulkner Fox

Book group is still three weeks away, but I thought I'd remind everyone of the selection now. Here is a nice review and if you go to the bottom of the page, you can link to an interview, Faulkner Fox's web page and an excerpt from the book. I ordered the book from Amazon where you can buy a copy for less than $5 (plus $4 shipping), and I devoured the book. I really wish I'd read it a couple of years ago when it first came out as I struggled with my identity as mother so much these last few years.

Anyway, I have finished the book, so if anyone wants to borrow my copy, just let me know. I'm going to try to be at Farewell Bend Park tomorrow and maybe playgroup Friday, so I could bring it if anyone wants it. Just e-mail me.

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Week of June 18th

Hiking with Kids
Tuesday, June 19, 9am, Overturf Butte (at 17th and Elgin). This is the group aimed at parents with kids ages 3-6. Email Cheryl if you have more questions or to let her know your coming so she knows who to wait for.

Playgroup
Friday, June 22, Tumalo State Park, meet about 10 a.m.

Saturday, June 9, 2007

Week of June 11th

Hiking with Kids
Tuesday, June 12,
9am, 1st Street Rapids. This is the group aimed at parents with kids ages 3-6, so the pace will be slow enough to accommodate the little ones, but fast enough to keep their attention (we hope). Email Cheryl if you have more questions or to let her know your coming so she knows who to wait for.

Book Group

Tuesday, June 12, 6:30 p.m., Wild Oats Cafe. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver, Host: Katie. (I am rereading this book, and it is interesting what a different take I have now that I'm a parent. Has anyone else had that experience, with this or any book?)

Playgroup
Friday, June 15, Lewis and Clark Park, meet about 10 a.m. Everyone do a little sun dance and see if we can get spring back on track. Right now, the high is predicted to be 70, so here's hoping!

Monday, June 4, 2007

Week of June 4th

Playgroup
Friday, June 8, Quail Park Meet about 10 a.m. This is a new park northwest of COCC, west of Mt. Washington Drive on Regency St.

Reminder: Book Group Next Week
Just a reminder in case you want to start reading: we meet next week on Tuesday, June 12, to discuss The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. Here's a nice page with some information about the book, reviews and an author biography.

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Week of May 28th

Baby Group Gathering
Thursday, May 31, Katherine's House. Please email Aria or give her a call at 385-1787 for directions or more information. Any families with babies of any age are welcome.

Playgroup
Friday, June 1, Overturf Park. Meet about 10 a.m.

Saturday, May 19, 2007

Week of May 21st

Playgroup
Friday, May 25, Compass Park. (Compass Park is in NorthWest Crossing, just south of High Lakes Elemtary.) Meet about 10 a.m.

Saturday, May 12, 2007

Week of May 14th

Book Group
Wednesday, May 16, 6:30, Wild Oats. We Are the Ones We Have Been Waiting For: Light in a Time of Darkness by Alice Walker, Host: Shannon. Here's the interview Shannon passed along that may be of interest. I won't post the discussion questions, but feel free to email me and I'll send them to you.

Baby Group Gathering
Thursday, May 17, Jen's House. Please email Aria or give her a call at 385-1787 for directions or more information. Any families with babies of any age are welcome.

Playgroup

Friday, May 18 Big Sky Park Meet about 10 am.

Moms Get Out

Sunday, May 20, 1pm, Nancy P's. Notice this is a new location. Please RSVP to Aria.

  • Hope everyone had a HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!
  • Have a good week.

Monday, May 7, 2007

Week of May 7th

Playgroup
Friday, May 11
Shevlin Park Let's meet about 10:15 at picnic/BBQ shelter just down the hill from the parking lot (closest to the outhouses). Forecast calls for 68 degrees and sunny. Sounds pretty good!

REMINDER: NEXT Week, Book Group
Wednesday, May 16 (Note revised date!)
Just in case you want to start reading this month's selections, it is: We Are the Ones We Have Been Waiting For: Light in a Time of Darkness by Alice Walker

Saturday, April 28, 2007

Week of April 30th

Baby Group Gathering
Thursday, May 3
Renee's House. A group for families with babies of any age. Please email Aria or give her a call at 385-1787 for directions or more information.

Playgroup
Friday, May 5
Lewis and Clark Park, located in the Northwest Crossing Neighborhood. Meet about 10 am.
No need to RSVP. just show up and play, but feel free to contact me for more information (cathjasp@gmail.com).

Sunday, April 22, 2007

Week of April 23rd

Book Group
Tuesday, April 24, 6:30 pm, Wild Oats
The book is Raising Our Children, Raising Ourselves: Transforming Parent-child Relationships from Reaction And Struggle to Freedom, Power And Joy by Naomi Aldort.

Discussion Questions:

  1. How did you find this book to fit into your parenting philosophy?
  2. How does this method compare/contrast with other “gentle” types of discipline/parenting?
  3. Was there a particular story in the book that made you uncomfortable? Why?
  4. Can you think of a time when you suppressed natural child like behaviors in public because of your own embarrassment, not necessarily because you thought you child shouldn’t be acting in that way? How do you think Naomi’s children act at home or in public?
  5. How do you feel about Naomi’s suggestion for following through with your child’s power games?
  6. What are your feelings about chores. Do you agree with Naomi that children should only help out if they want to? Do you believe her that if they are not required to help that they will one day joyfully contribute?
  7. Explore Parent Centered vs. Child Centered parenting. How do you think the popular or current thinking of the day has moved on this gradient. How have our culture and the times contributed to what we consider appropriate parenting? Is there a pendulum effect?
  8. Throughout the book, Naomi suggests multiple times that certain types of behaviors, including sleeping and eating problems, aggression, bed-wetting, tics, and others are indicative of the parent(s) not allowing full expression, or letting the child fully be their authentic self. Do you believe this?
  9. Discuss the following quote from Love, page 84: “When your commitment to the child is greater than your personal fears, you will grow beyond your limitations and your child will flourish.”
Playgroup
Friday, April 27, 10:00 am
Larkspur Park (the big one by the senior center on Reed Market Road). Meet about 10 am. Right now, the forecast predicts a high of 65° and partly cloudy, so maybe this will be a nice park day. E-mail me for more information (cathjasp@gmail.com).

Monday, April 16, 2007

Week of April 16th

Playgroup
Friday, April 20
Juniper Park. Meet about 10 am. Right now, the forecast predicts a high of 49° and mostly cloudy, with a chance of snow or rain. Sounds perfect, right? Hmmm...we'll have to see how the week goes. Feel free to comment below! Or e-mail me for more information (cathjasp@gmail.com).

Reminder: Book Group Next Week
Just a reminder that we meet next week on Tuesday, April 24 at 6:30. The book is Raising Our Children, Raising Ourselves: Transforming Parent-child Relationships from Reaction And Struggle to Freedom, Power And Joy by Naomi Aldort.

It was fun for me to meet new people at Kebaba last night! Hope everyone has a great week.

Monday, April 9, 2007

Week of April 9th

Playgroup
Friday, April 13
Harmon Park. Meet about 10 am. Right now, the forecast predicts a high of 59° and mostly cloudy, but it is supposed to be the warmest day of the week.
No need to RSVP. just show up and play, but feel free to contact me for more information (cathjasp@gmail.com).

Mom's Dinner Out
Sunday April 15
Kebaba, 5pm, Please RSVP to Aria at mattandaria@gmail.com or 385-1787. As you probably already know, it is a small and very popular place, so RSVPs will be very helpful! Check out their website for a menu, prices and location or the the Source's review for more information.

Sunday, April 1, 2007

Week of April 2nd

Baby Group Gathering
Thursday, April 5th
Any families with babies of any age are welcome.
Please RSVP to Aria (mattandaria@gmail.com) for more information and directions.

Playgroup
Friday, April 6th
Blakely Park. Meet about 10 am.
No need to RSVP. just show up and play, but feel free to contact me for more information (cathjasp@gmail.com).

Sunday, March 25, 2007

This Week: Playgroup, Friday, Big Sky Park

Keep your fingers crossed for warm weather. We'll meet at 10:00 am at Big Sky Park. Feel free to e-mail me if you need directions or want more information (contact@bendap.org).

This Week: Book Group Meets

If you have read this month's book selection (Your Blues Ain't Like Mine by Bebe Moore Campbell) or would like to participate in the discussion, join us at 6:30 at Wild Oats on Tuesday, March 28th.

Some questions this month's leaders offered for us to think about before the discussion are:

1) How is this a book about fathers and sons?

2) How are sexism and racism intertwined in this book?

3) This was perhaps the author's first book. What, if any, are its failings?

Hope to see you there, and feel free to e-mail me (cathjasp@gmail.com) if you have any questions.

Thursday, March 1, 2007

Book Group

Tuesday, March 28
Your Blues Ain't Like Mine by Bebe Moore Campbell
6:30 at Wild Oats Cafe.

For some background on this month's book selection, you can visit Campbell's website. The library only owns one copy, so add your name to the list, or last time I checked there were some really cheap used books you could order from Amazon, as cheap as $4.03 including shipping.

Keep in mind future titles:

Tuesday, April 25, Raising Our Children, Raising Ourselves: Transforming Parent-child Relationships from Reaction And Struggle to Freedom, Power And Joy by Naomi Aldort

Tuesday, May 23, We Are the Ones We Have Been Waiting For: Light in a Time of Darkness by Alice Walker

Mark Your Calendar's: Mom's Get Out


Mom's Dinner Out: Kebaba, 5pm, Sunday April 15. Please RSVP.

Mom's Dessert Outing: Hurricanes, 1pm, Sunday May 20. Please RSVP.