Parent Trek

05/25/2022

It's only natural to have conversations of school safety filling our thoughts and homes today. Be outraged, be concerned, make a plan to take action! But please, help young children to still feel safe at school. It's more important than we often realize and whenever you are in earshot of youth, you have more influence than you might think. Please share this post.

Feeling safe is critically important to a child’s development. At home, in their neighborhood, and at school. Feeling safe at school contributes to a strong sense of community and belonging in a place where kids spend 6-7 hours a day. So, how do we help our kids feel safe when reports of guns and violence and disruptive behavior are filling our news cycles and social media feeds?
Start with these 5 basic principles.

02/09/2022

By recognizing youth's effort, trusted adults can increase a child's sense of value, improve the emotional health of youth and expect better outcomes related to underage substance use. For professional tips for how you can best recognize effort in youth, visit wcctc.org/resilience-2

01/05/2022

Recognition of a child's effort from teachers, parents, peers or other trusted adults helps youth to know their value and has a cumulative positive effect on emotional well-being. It is never too early or too late to build confidence in children by turning our focus to the energy they give their work. For example, "You worked really hard on that painting." Instead of: "You are a great artist.")(www.wcctc.org/resilience1vy) Start early. Talk often.

09/24/2021

Join us for this important dialogue for parents and teens led by Main Line Health staff and hosted by WCCTC and WCASD.
Register here to receive the link for Sept 28th: https://wcasd-net.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_mx9uqmTXTUC4q8oeCcCz3A

03/02/2021

Parent Trek's winter hiatus is ending a month early. With temps in the 50s tomorrow, March 3rd, we just can't stand to stay in. We will meet at East Goshen Park at 12:00 noon by the pavilion near the playground. Let's stretch our legs and breathe in the fresh air together. We'll walk and talk about the waning commitment to school among West Chester students and learn 3 factors that contribute to this climbing risk factor for youth.

11/02/2020

Join Parent Trek on Wednesday, November 4th at 12 noon to discuss Growth Mindset. For us and our kids it's good to ask, is our mindset fixed or growing? We meet at East Goshen Park at the Pavillion near the playground. See you there!
Read this if you want to learn more about Growth Mindset before you come. https://www.techtello.com/fixed-mindset-vs-growth-mindset/

09/01/2020

In appreciation of those parents juggling new virtual learning schedules this week, this week’s Parent Trek will be held online. Tomorrow, Wednesday, Sept. 2nd at 12 noon, we will meet via Zoom for a 10 minute mindfulness exercise.
Mindfulness is designed to quell negative stress and help us to live in the moment rather than obsessing about the past or unnecessarily worrying about the future. PM us with your email for to receive the Zoom meeting info.
Mindful parenting is linked to better relationships with your kids and more positive behavior in kids. Join us to learn more.
If you’d like to know a little more about mindfulness, here’s a brief explanation from the Mayo Clinic.

Engaging with the world around you can lower your stress. Here's how to practice mindfulness meditation.

08/05/2020

It's a beautiful day to be outside.

08/05/2020

Positivity breeds positivity, but parenting is hard and sometimes being positive isn't easy. Join us today at 12 noon at EG Park pavilion (near the playground) to walk and talk about staying positive about online schooling with other positive parents.

08/03/2020

Join us August 5th at 12 noon at East Goshen Park Pavillion (near the playground) to discuss managing fears about returning to school and the power of positivity. We’ll get fresh air and light exercise which will be good for us. Plus, the discussion topic is meant to strengthen our families’ well-being.
The goal of Parent Trek is to strengthen ourselves and each other by building a community around positive parenting.
See you at the park.

07/27/2020

Anxious at all about your kids re-socializing to school this fall? We love the messages this article promotes. "Prepare them, listen to them and expect success." Kids are resilient and are unlikely to have any major difficulties provided we don't plant negative thoughts. Read on.

Dr Keller discusses the best ways to help children prepare for reentering school life after being absent since Spring Break. Reporter Jamie Cerretta asks questions to encourage parents to get their kids ready to attending school differently this year.

07/27/2020

Gratitude is our topic for July. Practice in one of our free gratitude journals available at our monthly meet ups. Let's walk, talk and be grateful together. First Wednesdays. Message us for time and location details.

Start your day by writing down 3 things you are grateful for. Try this everyday for a week and see if you start to notice a difference in how you see your circumstances and your life.