The Parent Chats initiative is growing in Upper Bucks County! In the past two months two more successful Parent Chats have taken place. Both were held in the Palisades community and were moderated by UBHCHY Coalition Parent Educator, Judi Pason. The first took place on March 24th and was held at the Riegelsville Library.
The library setting was perfect for this small group of parents whose children range in age from five to twelve. The parents in attendance were all familiar with each other through the school communities of Durham Nockamixon and Springfield Elementary Schools. The hour long chat centered on the differences between the elementary schools and the middle school. In particular, how parents of middle school students can benefit from being proactive in communicating with teachers and administrators about their children. In addition, the parents discussed different ways to increase their involvement in the schools.
The second Parent Chat held recently was on April 27th and was held at Johnny Mac’s American Grill in Kintnersville. This group included parents of pre-school, elementary and middle school students. Over coffee and muffins the group talked first about the appropriate age to let children have their own cell phones and personal computers. All agreed that these electronic devices can be very helpful to the family and can be appropriate as long as certain guidelines and boundaries exist for the children.
The consensus with this group is that personal computers can be monitored best when placed in high traffic areas in the home and not in children’s bedrooms. Another topic discussed was how parents of 5th graders can get better acquainted with the middle school. The parents talked about the possibility of initiating an orientation program for new parents to the middle school. The final discussion point centered on the declining enrollment in the Palisades School District and how the families in this community could be affected if one of the elementary schools is closed in the future.
Parent Chats are informal, small-group meetings that connect parents with other parents with the intent to share thoughts and ideas about parenting issues. If you would be interested in hosting or attending a Parent Chat, please contact Judi Pason, UBHCHY Coalition’s Parent Educator.
A full Q&A on Parent Chats can be found here.
