{"id":4712,"date":"2024-07-01T10:18:40","date_gmt":"2024-07-01T14:18:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/parenting\/?p=4712"},"modified":"2024-07-01T13:03:40","modified_gmt":"2024-07-01T17:03:40","slug":"maine-families-newsletter-july-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/extension.umaine.edu\/parenting\/2024\/07\/01\/maine-families-newsletter-july-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Maine Families Newsletter, July 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a>Spotlight on Literacy<\/h3>\n

\"aWe at Maine Families Mid-Coast love to support parents and children in their literacy journey together. One way that we are able to assist families in this endeavor is by providing them with board books. Each family enrolled in our program gets to explore their very own brand new board books covering a variety of topics. We provide books with black and white\/high color contrast pictures for vision development in early infancy, interactive touch and feel books promoting learning through senses and stories that teach about diversity in the world. When families have fun and read with their children, they are connecting and promoting positive attachment. Babies and toddlers also learn new sounds and words when someone reads to them. Additionally it helps to develop fine motor skills and problem solving when they pick up a book, practice turning the pages, and even put it in their mouths.<\/p>\n

\"anWe at Maine Families Mid-Coast are fortunate to have a board of directors full of dedicated individuals who also value our mission to share books with families. They work tirelessly every year to search out and apply for grant funding to purchase the books that we select, order and deliver to families during regular visits. It is so special to be able to bring a book to families during visits, watch an excited toddler take the book and ask to have it read to them or to watch an infant begin tracking a book that their caregiver is sharing with them.<\/p>\n

<\/a>Groups<\/h3>\n

\"twoAs part of our curriculum, we organize and offer free, monthly opportunities for enrolled and graduated families to meet each other at events we call “Group Connections.” During these group connections, adults and kids play together and talk with each other. It is a great way for families to connect with others during a period of parenting that can be very isolating.<\/p>\n

This year, we offered several groups at the Rumpus Room in Brunswick and the Coastal Children\u2019s Museum in Rockland. Because it is important for all families to be able to attend\u00a0 group connections, we schedule to have interpreters who are available to support families in making connections with one another.<\/p>\n

Rumpus Room Fun!<\/strong><\/h4>\n

(Click image to enlarge.)<\/p>\n\n\t\t