Sunday, January 17, 2010
Monday, November 23, 2009
UFO's: Unique Family Occasions
On Wednesday, November 18, the Darien MOPS meeting focused on family traditions and child-friendly holiday celebrations - and everyone decorated a "blessing box," a wooden cigar box in which we can store treasured notes, cards, and reminders of the people and occasions we are thankful for.
The Turquoise Table, busy completing their boxes
MOPS moms thinking creatively as they choose their decorative paper
The Turquoise Table, busy completing their boxes
This week's announcements:
Because of Thanksgiving there is no off-week Bible study this week; the final study in our series "Where to, Lord?" will be on December 9.
Did you get an Evite to the December 15 White Elephant Party? If not, please send an email to DarienMOPS@gmail.com to be added to the invitation list.
Because of Thanksgiving there is no off-week Bible study this week; the final study in our series "Where to, Lord?" will be on December 9.
Did you get an Evite to the December 15 White Elephant Party? If not, please send an email to DarienMOPS@gmail.com to be added to the invitation list.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Scream-Free Parenting
This week, our MOPS meeting focused on calm parenting - with ideas taken primarily from the book Scream Free Parenting, by Hal Runkel. A few of the main points:
Calm yourself down by:
- Recognizing that you feel angry
- Understanding yourself and your trigger points . . . this includes pressure from within (lack of sleep, poor nutrition, hormones, personal expectations), pressure from without (relationships, finances, kids' behavior, others' expectations), and the anxiety that lies beneath your anger
- Increasing your window of response time . . . by counting to ten, taking a few steps back, giving yourself time to think
Take the anger out of discipline by:
- Precluding angry situations . . . that is, establishing patterns and habits that help prevent situations that lead to anger - for example:
- Constantly fill your children's emotional tanks
- Say yes to your kids as much as possible
- Don't use the phrase "pick your battles," because that puts you in the wrong frame of mind from the git-go (i.e., winning and losing, war, etc.)
- Know what your child understands developmentally
- Minimize surprises and maintain routines
- Build in time buffers (for example, take 15 minutes each evening to prepare for the next morning)
- Letting the consequences do the screaming . . . that is, remembering that the right consequences will get the desired result without you ever having to raise your voice
MOPS moms enjoying breakfast
MOPS Coordinator Lisa Hadlow
This week's announcements:
- Our November Ladies Night Out will be a Make Your Own Cards and Gifts Night on Wednesday, November 11 ($10 cost to cover supplies). MOPS moms should be receiving an Evite shortly; if you didn't receive the October Evite, please email DarienMOPS@gmail.com and we'll get you added to the list.
- The off-week Bible study "Where to, Lord?" continues on Wednesday, October 28, 9:30-11:00, and it's not too late to come; please email Elaine at elainetalking@gmail.com if you're interested.
- Operation Christmas Child: Each MOPS table is putting together two shoe boxes of gifts for less fortunate children around the world; don't forget to bring your items to the next meeting, November 4. If you missed this week's MOPS, your table leader will be contacting you about what items are still needed for your boxes.
Calm yourself down by:
- Recognizing that you feel angry
- Understanding yourself and your trigger points . . . this includes pressure from within (lack of sleep, poor nutrition, hormones, personal expectations), pressure from without (relationships, finances, kids' behavior, others' expectations), and the anxiety that lies beneath your anger
- Increasing your window of response time . . . by counting to ten, taking a few steps back, giving yourself time to think
Take the anger out of discipline by:
- Precluding angry situations . . . that is, establishing patterns and habits that help prevent situations that lead to anger - for example:
- Constantly fill your children's emotional tanks
- Say yes to your kids as much as possible
- Don't use the phrase "pick your battles," because that puts you in the wrong frame of mind from the git-go (i.e., winning and losing, war, etc.)
- Know what your child understands developmentally
- Minimize surprises and maintain routines
- Build in time buffers (for example, take 15 minutes each evening to prepare for the next morning)
- Letting the consequences do the screaming . . . that is, remembering that the right consequences will get the desired result without you ever having to raise your voice
MOPS moms enjoying breakfast
MOPS Coordinator Lisa Hadlow
This week's announcements:
- Our November Ladies Night Out will be a Make Your Own Cards and Gifts Night on Wednesday, November 11 ($10 cost to cover supplies). MOPS moms should be receiving an Evite shortly; if you didn't receive the October Evite, please email DarienMOPS@gmail.com and we'll get you added to the list.
- The off-week Bible study "Where to, Lord?" continues on Wednesday, October 28, 9:30-11:00, and it's not too late to come; please email Elaine at elainetalking@gmail.com if you're interested.
- Operation Christmas Child: Each MOPS table is putting together two shoe boxes of gifts for less fortunate children around the world; don't forget to bring your items to the next meeting, November 4. If you missed this week's MOPS, your table leader will be contacting you about what items are still needed for your boxes.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Open Heart, Open Home
What are the stumbling blocks to making friends and building friendships? What does it take to be a friend? And what are the relational benefits to opening up our homes? These are some of the questions Janet Leighton addressed in her talk at the last Darien MOPS gathering.
MOPS members were encouraged to "be a friend" by taking genuine interest in others, listening well, being encouraging, and accepting differences. We were also challenged to get past an "entertaining" mindset and find ways to open our home to others - and, for some help and encouragement, Janet directed us to flylady.net, a site that helps you "gain control of your house and home."
Announcements from the October 7 meeting:
- The next Ladies Night Out is pottery night, October 22 (RSVP was required by October 8).
- Off-Week Study: A Bible Study on understanding God's guidance in your life continues October 14 (3rd study of 6) from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Please email Elaine Mullins at elainetalking@gmail.com if you would like to attend.
- MOPS Directories: If your page is not in the directory, which was distributed at the October 7 meeting, please email Sima at sfdfarmer@yahoo.com and we will add your page and any other new pages in an addendum later this fall.
MOPS members were encouraged to "be a friend" by taking genuine interest in others, listening well, being encouraging, and accepting differences. We were also challenged to get past an "entertaining" mindset and find ways to open our home to others - and, for some help and encouragement, Janet directed us to flylady.net, a site that helps you "gain control of your house and home."
Announcements from the October 7 meeting:
- The next Ladies Night Out is pottery night, October 22 (RSVP was required by October 8).
- Off-Week Study: A Bible Study on understanding God's guidance in your life continues October 14 (3rd study of 6) from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Please email Elaine Mullins at elainetalking@gmail.com if you would like to attend.
- MOPS Directories: If your page is not in the directory, which was distributed at the October 7 meeting, please email Sima at sfdfarmer@yahoo.com and we will add your page and any other new pages in an addendum later this fall.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Self-Care on Planet Mom
Darien MOPS is underway! Yesterday, at our second MOPS Wednesday of the fall, Janet Leighton listed 10 ways to care for ourselves in the midst of caring for our children:
- Make peace with perfection (drop the comparisons with other moms - and with magazines!)
- Deliberately move (find creative ways to get a little bit of exercise!)
- Make a gentle plan, but go with the flow (be realistic and flexible)
- Stretch your brain (read a book, do a puzzle, discuss a good film with a friend)
- Make a MOPS connection
- Don't forget YOUR sippy cup (that is, remember to drink plenty of water!)
- Let go or be dragged (beware of the snowball effect of worried thinking)
- Get to know God
- Do something spontaneous
- Collect signs of hope
There are lots of signs of hope at MOPS itself - moms reaching out to other moms, amazing caregivers working with our children, great breakfast (!) . . . and newcomers are still welcome to join us.
MOPS moms, check back at the blog for regular updates and announcements, and have a great couple weeks until we gather again!
- Make peace with perfection (drop the comparisons with other moms - and with magazines!)
- Deliberately move (find creative ways to get a little bit of exercise!)
- Make a gentle plan, but go with the flow (be realistic and flexible)
- Stretch your brain (read a book, do a puzzle, discuss a good film with a friend)
- Make a MOPS connection
- Don't forget YOUR sippy cup (that is, remember to drink plenty of water!)
- Let go or be dragged (beware of the snowball effect of worried thinking)
- Get to know God
- Do something spontaneous
- Collect signs of hope
There are lots of signs of hope at MOPS itself - moms reaching out to other moms, amazing caregivers working with our children, great breakfast (!) . . . and newcomers are still welcome to join us.
MOPS moms, check back at the blog for regular updates and announcements, and have a great couple weeks until we gather again!
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
2009 Fall Semester
We're two weeks away from the first MOPS meeting of the semester! Registration is still open, and all mothers of preschool-aged children (from newborns on up) are welcome to join us. Please email DarienMOPS@gmail.com for a registration form, and we look forward to seeing you on September 9.
Where: St. Paul's Church, 471 Mansfield Avenue in Darien
When: alternate Wednesdays from 9:15 to 11:30 a.m.
Specific dates: September 9, 23; October 7, 21; November 4, 18; December 2, 16
Open House: If you'd like to meet caregivers and tour the facilities, stop by St. Paul's between 9:30 and 11:00 on Wednesday, September 2.
For one perspective on the MOPS experience, check out this article in the Darien Times.
Where: St. Paul's Church, 471 Mansfield Avenue in Darien
When: alternate Wednesdays from 9:15 to 11:30 a.m.
Specific dates: September 9, 23; October 7, 21; November 4, 18; December 2, 16
Open House: If you'd like to meet caregivers and tour the facilities, stop by St. Paul's between 9:30 and 11:00 on Wednesday, September 2.
For one perspective on the MOPS experience, check out this article in the Darien Times.
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