Urban Mamas

Hello PDX Mamas and Families,

My name is Karen Chenier. I am a counselor, group facilitator, dance movement therapist, and a part-time professor at Portland State University's Psychology Department. 

In February, I am offering a New Parents Group (baby and parent(s)) and a Parents Only group.

You shall see various flyers posted up and around the neighborhood in the next week (New Seasons Market, Common Ground Wellness Center, Jim and Patty's Coffee House ect...)  If you wish to receive a informational flyer please call, or email, and I would be happy to send one to you. 

In addtion, I am scheduled to speak on the subject of Mindful Attached Parenting at the New Renaissance Bookstore, NW Portland  on Thursday, April 26th, 7-8:30pm.   

To give you a little background, I have an interest in the creative and somatic aspects of psychotherapy and wellness, and have over 12 years of experience in the field.  I specialize in working with individuals, couples, and families in helping to address parenting skills, school/work related problems, relationship issues, marital problems, divorce, and life-transitions, loss, anxiety and depression.  My office is located at Common Ground, Flanders House in NE Portland.

I am very happy to answer any quesitons you may have regarding the groups and services.  You may contact me by phone or email.

Warmly,
Karen

Karen Marie Chenier Ph.D, R-DMT
Counselor & Lecturer
Common Ground Wellness Center
Flanders House
2926 NE Flanders St., Suite 2D
Portland, Oregon
mobile: 503.206.2297
email: kchenierphd@gmail.com
website:  flandershousepdx.org

Kindermusik with Tiny Talkers!

 "IS TODAY A KINDERMUSIK DAY?"

Young children around the world are asking that very question every day. That’s because Kindermusik children can’t wait to sing, move, explore, play, express, create and simply experience the incredible power of music.

When it comes to choosing your child’s activities, the options seem endless. One choice provides more ways for your child to grow and thrive than any other. Kindermusik.

Kindermusik makes great parenting easier and Tiny Talkers is so excited to start offering these wonderful classes to the community!

Classes start in just 2 weeks- so don't delay, enroll today! More info:

http://tinytalkersportland.com/Baby_Sign_Language_kindermusik.html

SIGN & SING: Session A - Class Length: 5 week, 45 minute class - Ages: Birth-3 years

Tuition & Materials: $50 for 5 weeks ($10 PER CLASS- much less than other play based sign language classes in the Portland Metro area)

$35 for home materials (Home Materials are sold to you at my cost. I make no profit off of these.)

 Locations:  

New Seasons- Happy Valley http://www.newseasonsmarket.com/our-stores/happy-valley

The Warehouse (Portland Green Parenting) http://portlandgreenparenting.com/

 Current Schedule:

 New Seasons: Sign and Sing Session A - Tuesday 9:30-10:15 am - October 11-Nov 8

 The Warehouse: Sign and Sing Session A - Thursday 9:45-10:30 am - October 13-Nov 10

FAMILY TIME: BIRTH - 7 YEARS (OFFERED AS AN "ADVENTURES" CLASS)

Video: http://youtu.be/ZCbV7NcivWg

Class Length: 5 weeks, 45 minute class - Ages: Birth-7 years 

Tuition & Materials: $50 for 5 weeks ($10 PER CLASS- much less than other music & movement classes in the Portland Metro area)

$35 for home materials (Home Materials are sold to you at my cost. I make no profit off of these.)

Locations: 

 New Seasons- Happy Valley http://www.newseasonsmarket.com/our-stores/happy-valley

Current Schedule: 

 New Seasons: Adventures (TAUGHT FAMILY STYLE birth-7 years)- Zoo Train

Tuesday 10:45-11:30 am - October 18-Nov 15

  For more info, please contact Shira at 503.754.8776 or by email: shira@tinytalkersportland.com 

or simply checkout the website: www.TinyTalkersPortland.com (find the Kindermusik link at top right)

Indulge in devilish snacks while the kids enjoy their own treat bags, crafts, coloring and games!  You'll even score a free digital Facebook photo to show off your little gobling in costume.  While you're here, schedule your holiday family portraits and receive 50% off the session fee!

There's no catch... no charge... just bring the kids in for some fun.  It's Halloween!!!

Simply RSVP to amy's email at amyvining@me.com so I can make sure to have enough treats for all.  Looking forward to seeing you and your kids at the LITTLE GOBLINS PARTY!

Please join our FREE MOMS GROUP!

Our online community includes:

Message Boards to help you connect with area moms for support, advice and local information.

Support Groups so you can connect with other career moms, single moms, step-moms, adoptive moms, moms from different races, cultures and more.

Local Area Groups so you can meet neaeby moms.

Loads of events every month, including Mom's Night Out, Playdates, and Community Outreach.

Go to PortlandMetroMommies.com to register!

What Every Parent Should Know About Wills and Trusts

Presented By

 Michelle-Shari Kruss, Attorney at Law

Michelle-shari@Krusslaw.com

Our children are our greatest treasures, yet 74% of parents don’t even have a will.  Of the 26% who do, most have made at least one of the ten most common mistakes that leave their children and estate at risk.

 Have you:

1.    Made a plan?  The most common planning mistake is the failure to have any plan        at all, or having an antiquated or improper plan.

2.    Chosen a guardian, conservator, and trustee for your children?

3.    Chosen an alternate guardian, a temporary guardian, and provided a detailed                         description of your wishes regarding the raising of your children?

4.    Left money outright to minor children?

5.    Identified possible contingent beneficiaries other than your heirs?

6.    Properly signed your documents?

7.    Drafted a health care directive?

8.    Created a Durable Power of Attorney?

9.    Made handwritten edits to your Will or reviewed your Will recently?

10.  Coordinated your beneficiary designations with your Will language? 

Michelle-Shari Kruss’ practice focuses exclusively on helping new and busy parents address their estate planning needs.  For the past thirteen year she has been a frequent lecturer at many of our local hospitals, MOPS groups, playgroups, professional groups, and religious organizations. 

Babies can communicate their wants and needs very early in their lives because they have an instinctive need to communicate with others. The problem lies in the fact that they lack the muscle strength and coordination in their mouths that are necessary to form words. This is where using sign language with your baby comes to the rescue. Baby signing is a pre-verbal form of communication.

According to Linda Acredolo, one of the founders of the baby signing movement, “All the skills necessary to say words are very intricate and hard to conquer.” However, “It is a fact that infants develop the fine muscles in their hands before they develop those required for speech, so they’re equipped to communicate with you before they can speak.”

In addition to needing muscle control for speaking, toddlers must also recall how to say the actual word as well as correctly matching that word to the desired object. This is often a very confusing process for young children. Using signs comes quickly to most pre-verbal children because it simply makes sense.

Flash forward to your 18 month old child. It is likely that they are speaking a handful of words by now. However, now the issue is that while those muscles in their mouths are still continuing to fine-tune themselves, your toddler is often very hard to understand. Did he just say “hat” or “cat?” When an undecipherable word is combined with a sign, you are able to immediately interact back with your child rather than try and guess what it is he was trying to say. This, in turn, eliminates a potential opportunity for a temper tantrum based on a communication break down.

Written by: Shira Fogel, founder of Tiny Talkers, Baby Signing Workshops for Parents & Caregivers, located in Portland, Oregon. The next workshop offered will be at the brand new Sante Mama located in Vancouver on Saturday Nov. 6th  from 10-12 p.m.

www.TinyTalkersPortland.com

The Sensory Seminars are for all families in the Portland area who are interested in finding solutions for their sensory kids, regardless of diagnosis. That means, that even if your child isn't officially diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD/SID), but has sensory challenges, this Sensory Seminar series is for you. And, of course, you'll have a chance to speak one-on-one with the speaker afterwards and chat a bit with each other.

We've combined the efforts of the NE and SW Portland area sensory support groups to bring these educational seminars to families throughout the metro area.

Sensory Seminars will be held the 2nd Thursday of the month, 7 pm -- 9 pm, October through May, 2011. (October 14, November 11, December 9, January 13, February 10, March 10, April 14, May 12)

Web of Life is a hub of unbiased, impartial support for growing families. We are set to open in early November 2010 in SE Portland.

We are starting with 'a la carte' childbirth prep workshops (not your typical 4-6 week long classes) and facilitated drop-in groups for new parents during daytime and evening hours.

To get this baby off the ground, we need your help!

WE NEED GROUP LEADERS & TEACHERS 

We are looking for interested and credentialed health care practitioners (infant development specialist, pediatrician, nurse, midwife)  to lead and facilitate age-based drop in groups for new parents.  We are also offering a sleep issues group and will add more as there is demand. The idea is that parents of 0-3 month old babies (and 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12 months) can come to Web of Life and ask this practitioner any question pertaining to development or challenges.  Each parent/family will be asked to pay a suggested $10 donation for participating.  Group leaders will be compensated for their time.  Please send all suggestions and inquiries to info@weboflife.com.

All of our program descriptions, dates, and times are on our web site.  Pre-registration is only required for childbirth prep workshops and our GPS (Groups for early Parenthood Support) structured programs.

WE NEED SMALL, MEDIUM, & LARGE DONATIONS

To subsidize the cost of our programs, provide access to all families regardless of ability to pay,  and to fairly compensate our group leaders, we are partnering with other businesses and our community. Donations are an essential part of keeping Web of Life going.  In order to increase access to well-researched and unbiased information for new families, we intend to have one location in each quadrant of Portland by Fall 2011.

WE NEED YOU TO TELL OTHERS!

Please share with others that Web of Life exists, is launching, and promises to fill support gaps in Portland's new parent community.  We can be found on Facebook and we also have an email list! 

Web of Life will be opening in SE Portland at 3434 SE Milwaukie Ave, across from Brooklyn Park in The Warehouse: a cafe, food buying club, and community. All inquiries can be sent to Kelly Schneyer, Executive Director,  (503) 449-5296 or info@weboflifepdx.com.

Thanks for your support!  We can't wait to launch!