Page 28 May 2015 Group guides moms through parenting for 30 years By Kourtney Seaton North Central Parenting Group is a nonpro fi t, nondenominational organization that offers community parents a chance to learn current parenting trends from professional educators and gain insight into their child’s developmental stages with age-appropriate information. The program recently celebrated its 30th anniversary. NCPG currently offers classes between September and late April to parents with children ranging in ages from birth to kindergarten, and also have a “pre-infant” class for pregnant women. The program plans to introduce a primary class in 2015-2016 for parents with children in fi rst through third grades. The expansion will add to the educational atmosphere that allows both parents and children the opportunity to build friendships, President Molly Livak said. “Many alumni give us feedback that they miss being a part of NCPG and this is a great opportunity to get involved again,” Livak said. The primary class will cover pertinent topics including how to: • Create a safety net for your child. • Teach your child to set boundaries with their teacher and peers. • Build relationships with teachers. • Establish school organization in your home. • Communicate effectively. • Empower your child. • Utilize successful homework and reading strategies. Susie Garlick, a mother of three who has earned a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from the University of Arizona and a Master of Arts in Professional Counseling from Ottawa University, will teach the new class. While completing her master’s degree, Garlick wrote and published the book DiddleDots: Tips to Ease the Craziness of Parenting . She actively promotes her book and shares parenting tips with the community. Professional instruction is what sets NCPG apart and makes it the best resource to moms in Arcadia, Biltmore and North Central Phoenix, NCPG vice president and mother of two, Sarah Frey said. “On Facebook and Instagram, we share our perfectly edited, sweet children. At NCPG, we share dirty stuff – the tantrums, the meltdowns, the frustrations. But we also celebrate the victories, from sleeping through the night to no tears at preschool drop off. And we can credit our instructors and classmates for helping us get there,” Frey said. Lindsay Morris, Arcadia mother of two, said NCPG has taught her how important it is to think ahead for our children and not get caught up in the day-to-day routine that is so easy to do. “As all my NCPG teachers have emphasized, this precious window of time in our children’s lives only comes once,” she said. “As parents, we have an opportunity to help support, build and guide our kids to become thoughtful, moral, social-minded and giving, independent and con fi dent individuals. These skills and abilities are fostered early and will carry through their lifetime.” NCPG makes you feel like you are not alone, Arcadia mother of two, Kacey Raab said. She is grateful to meet other moms and exchange ideas about how to get their children to eat their vegetables, sleep through the night, potty train and more. “But most of all, I have been so fortunate to meet a great group of families,” Raab said, She noted that many of those families live in Arcadia and she looks forward to watching their kids grow up together. NCPG currently has 166 families as members and grows entirely by word of mouth, Frey said. “We have some members whose mothers were NCPG members when they were born.” NCPG is managed by a group of 20 volunteer board members and eight instructors teach the classes. Classes take place every other Wednesday during the school year at The Church of the Beatitudes, 555 W. Glendale Ave., Phoenix, 85021. An annual membership fee of $250 covers 15 classes plus social events. NCPG offers a discounted rate of $200 for early registration before June 1. On-site childcare is available but not included in membership fee. Through the support of sponsors and advertisers, financial and scholarship opportunities are available for tuition and nursery fees to those in need. To learn more, visit NCPGAZ.org. The Preschool I class learns the bene fi ts of being silly with your kids. NCPG hosts family events each spring and fall. NCPG members are welcomed in a general session on the fi rst day of class. ̵̲̳̰ ΎƦ˷Ύ̴̵ɂȶΎƫɂɀȳȳɂ˴ΎƨȶȽȳȼȷɆΎ̗Ύ̷̳̯˹̸̴̳˹̸̴̶̲Ύ̗ΎɅɅɅ˷ȾȽȾȾȶȽȳȼȷɆ˷Ƚɀ ȵ ƦȽɀɂȶȳȯɁɂΎȱȽɀȼȳɀΎȽȴΎ̴̵ɂȶΎƫɂ˷ΎȯȼȲΎơȼȲȷȯȼΎƫȱȶȽȽȺΎƪȽȯȲ Lots of fun for your preschooler this summer! • Ages 2-5 • Flexible Scheduling • Indoor Gymnasium Preschool Summer Camp Preschool Fall Registr ation Registration may still be available on a limited basis. &DOOWKHRIŰ FHWRGD\DWWRVFKHGXOHDWRXU Vacation Bible School is On The Way! EVEREST: Conquering Challenges with God’s Mighty Power! 7RUHJLVWHUFDOOWKHFKXUFKRIŰ FHRUJRRQOLQH June 8-12, from 9 a.m. - Noon $JHVSHUVRQ 3HWWLQJ=RRŗ$UL]RQD3XSSHW7KHDWHUŗ%RXQFH+RXVHVŗ%HDFK'D\ 9DFDWLRQ%LEOH6FKRROŗ,FH&DVWOHVŗ3DWULRWLF3DUDGHŗ&RVWXPH'D\ŗ/XDX 0XVLFDQG$UW([SHULHQFHVŗ6FLHQFH([SHULPHQWVŗ6SRUWVŗ6QRZ&RQHV Join us for 8 weeks of Preschool Fun from June 1–July 24 5HJLVWUDWLRQ)RUPVIRU&DPSDYDLODEOHLQWKHRIğ FH or at www.poppreschool.com

Page 29 May 2015 Valley women come together to form 100 Women Who Care By Shelby Slaughter Arcadia is home to the local chapter of the nationwide group, Giving Circles. The chapter goes by the name of 100 Women Who Care, with women coming together from all over the Valley to bring awareness to different charities. Resident and founder of the Phoenix chapter, Cindy Little, recalls when she fi rst heard about the organization in Ohio. “It seemed like something I would like to put together if I could bring in the right women to start the group with me,” Little said. “I was fortunate that when presented with the 100 Women concept, Michelle, Kelley and Kathleen shared my interest and made it happen. I would say their immediate interest and commitment is a great memory for me.” By January 2014, Little and her four friends held their fi rst meeting, which brought 100 Women Who Care to action. Now, with more than 100 women between the ages of 40 and 60, this group wants to help more people and grow. Kelley MacWilliam, one of the founders of the Phoenix chapter, revisits a special memory from their fi rst meeting. “One of the fi rst charities drawn to be considered was Wigged Out, which was formed for a Xavier and U of A graduate who was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma a few months before she got married,” said MacWilliam. MacWilliam cherishes this story because her friends and family rallied around a loved one and helped make the woman a beautiful bride despite her battle with cancer. “Many of the philanthropies proposed have such local roots or branches. By forging together, we have really been able to impact and support our community.” Kathleen McClain says after each meeting she is amazed at how much the group accomplishes for charities around the Valley. “I think most of our members feel that (Left to right) Kathleen McClain, Michelle Wilkie Miller, Cindy Little and Kelley MacWilliam. as a group we are able to make a large impact in our community with very little effort. In most philanthropic organizations it takes an hour just to create name tags!” said McClain. In one year the group raised $31,000 for charities. Some of these include the Happily Ever After League which supports single mothers who have at least one child living at home, Scottsdale Prevention Institute that provides youth and families with life skills and practical strategies to foster a stronger and healthier community, Teen Lifeline which is a crisis service where teens help other teens make healthy decisions, and the Hospice of the Valley Pediatric Program that provides support and care to children and their families with life threatening diseases. The group of women enjoys raising money for local organizations and is always open to new and local charities. The group meets four times a year at the Pink Pony in Scottsdale. For more information about the group, visit 100womenwhocarephoenix.org.