Wildcat Connection October 2018 | Page 4

Tara Solomon-Smith

Adult Dev'p. and Aging

he 2018 Parents University had quite the adventure ‘Under the Big Top’ this year! Having 20 community partners, 14 educational activity stations, and 4 additional food and fun stops; allowed our 52 families with over 100 kids have a full evening! The way the community, businesses, and agencies came together to pull off such an event truly amazes me.

Our community youth had reading time with the Cat in the Hat and received a book to take home! Science was in play with our very own STEM Extension Agent, Will Morris, and was mentioned as a nightly favorite several times on our evaluation! The sheriff’s department informed on Ident-A-Kid and the police department completed car seat checks. Healthy snacks, sensory play, fine motor skills, family dance, physical activity with the Y, kid crafts, and safety games were among the evening events.

You may wonder how something so fun can be educational, there is a reason, play and family powerfully assist in child development. Children need play to develop and to grow in relationships. As children play, they learn to solve problems, to get along with others and to develop the fine and gross motor skills needed to grow and learn. One of the six major qualities that strong, successful families exhibit is enjoyable time together.

The importance of quality family time definitely resonated with our participants this year! Forty-seven percent of those that completed our evaluation, noted this very concept when asked because of this event, what changes would be made in their family interactions. Our community network is already discussing ways to grow and improve the event for next year!

In Other News

-I successfully completed the training for Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas and am ready to assist Medicare Beneficiaries in reviewing their Prescription Drug Plans during open enrollment, October 15-December 7. Also equipped with needed tools to hold a Medicare Basics seminar for those new to Medicare, taking place on Thursday, October 18, 6 p.m., at the Pittsburg Public Library.

- Gained a new connection with Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, presenting on stress management tools for a pain management group.

-Completed the Stay Strong Stay Health Level 1 Training and will be honing my strength skills to hold a class right after the first of the year!

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