Community Connections: June

The Community Connections Communicator
June - July 2005

In this Issue:

The theme of this month’s issue is Time & Stress Management Strategies. Parents, teachers, and community providers will benefit from the tips and articles provided in this issue. If you have lots to do with little time to accomplish your tasks take a look at the following ideas to help you get motivated and to cut down on your stress. Remember time is ticking so get started now.

	Tip Sheet: Stress Management for Parents
	Check out this tip sheet for 52 ideas on how to manage your time to avoid the stress associated with parenting children. Click on the link below for the entire tip sheet. http://www.childdevelopmentinfo.com/parenting/stress.shtml
	Additional Tip Sheet:The ABC’s of Time Management
	http://www.everydaywarriors.com/caregivers/art_time_management.htm
	Articles: How Busy Parents Can Make More Time for Parenting
	Organization, family responsibility and prioritization are all discussed in this short article. If you need ideas on any of the above please click on the following link to view the article in full. http://bottomlinesecrets.com/blpnet/article.html?article_id=13108
	Additional articles:
	Time Management http://www.makinglemonade.com/timemanage.htm
	Time Management for Working Parents http://www.todaysparent.com/lifeasparent/workfinance/article.jsp?content=405&page=1
	Spotlights of the Month:
	The Maryland Health LEADers Program This program is sponsored by the Parents’ Place of Maryland and provides advocacy training to families raising children with disabilities. If you would like to view the entire flyer please scroll down to the next section titled Spotlight of the Month.
	Recommended Websites:
	Between Friends http://www.betweenfriends.org/
	Sesame Street’s Parent Site http://www.sesameworkshop.org/newsletter/newNewsletter_article.php?contentId=109060&
	Spotlight a Welcoming Business:
	Community Connections would like to “Spotlight” businesses who are welcoming to children with disabilities and their families. If you would like to spotlight a business, please click on this link and we will post it free of charge on our website. Thank you.

Tip Sheet: Stress Management for Parents

Check out this tip sheet for 52 ideas on how to manage your time to avoid the stress associated with parenting children. Did you know stress can affect your body in a variety of ways? Some of us eat too much or even too little when we are under stress. We may also have headaches and stomach aches if we are worried and over stressed. This tip sheet provides great suggestions on how to manage your time and stress in order to live a healthier lifestyle. You will find suggestions on how to take time to relax, breath, and take a mental vacation. For some really cool suggestions, please click on the following link to view the entire tip sheet.
http://www.childdevelopmentinfo.com/parenting/stress.shtml

Additional Tip Sheet: The ABC’s of Time Management

Are you easily distracted? Do you have good intentions but find yourself spinning your wheels? Are you trying to accomplish everyday tasks such as cleaning and cooking but find that you are running out of time? If any of these issues applies to you the ABC’s of Time Management tip sheet will help you look at things differently to begin to organize your days and life more effectively. To view the entire tip sheet, please click on the following link. http://www.everydaywarriors.com/caregivers/art_time_management.htm

Articles: How Busy Parents Can Make More Time for Parenting

Do you need ideas on how to prioritize? Are you struggling with making all of your children feel important with so little time to focus on each of them? How can you get organized with so little time? If you have these and other questions this article is for you. It will give you suggestions on how to manage your time and stress. In doing so you will find that you have more time to create a bonding relationship with your family that you and your children will cherish forever. To view the entire article, please click on the following link.
http://bottomlinesecrets.com/blpnet/article.html?article_id=13108

Additional articles:

Time Management
This is a really good article written by a single parent. The suggestions provided apply to anyone. This article will help you become a better manager of your time.
http://www.makinglemonade.com/timemanage.htm

Time Management for Working Parents
If you need ideas on how to involve your entire family in household work and errands you will find a few good suggestions on how to do just that. Further you will find ideas on how to plan your day and how to shop with time management in mind. To view this entire article, please click on the following link.
http://www.todaysparent.com/lifeasparent/workfinance/article.jsp?content=405&page=1

Spotlights of the Month!

To help families become better equipped in raising children with disabilities, the Parents’ Place of Maryland has started a leadership program to help families become better advocates. This training will help families alleviate the stress associated with navigating the education and healthcare systems. As the above articles and tip sheets have conveyed, stress and time management are tied together. If you are able to become more knowledgeable about your rights and responsibilities in raising children with disabilities, you will have more time to work towards enhancing both you and your child’s lives. If you would like to apply for the program, please read the following information for further details.

The Maryland Health LEADers Program

Leadership Education and Advocacy Development
The Parents’ Place of Maryland

• Do you have a child with special health care needs?
• Does your child have a chronic illness like juvenile Diabetes, Cystic Fibrosis, or Cancer?
• Does your child have a developmental disability such as Autism, Down Syndrome, or Cerebral Palsy?
• Do you feel confused by all of the rules and paperwork involved in the health care of your child?
• Frustrated by the lack of support or answers to your questions?
• Unaware of services available to help you and other parents like you?

Help end the frustration --
Become an advocate for your child and others!!!

The Maryland Health LEADers Program is an educational training project that focuses on giving 20 selected parents and guardians of children with special health care needs the tools and information to navigate the health care system and advocate for the rights of children with special health care needs. Chosen parents and guardians will serve as community leaders and experts in the field of health care advocacy for children with disabilities. There is no cost to you to apply and participate. The program consists of 7 day-long sessions from October 2005 - May 2006.

The topics covered in these sessions will include:
• Access to health care resources
• Choosing the right health care plan for your child
• Understanding and navigating Managed Care system and how to obtain needed services from your Managed Care Plan
• How to appeal insurance denials
• Understanding Medical Assistance/Medicaid
• The Heath Landscape in Maryland: who are the players? Medical professionals, government agencies, lawmakers, and parents
• Advocacy: How to make the systems more responsive to families’ Laws, Regulation, Legislation
• And many more!!!

With individualized support from the staff at The Parents’ Place of Maryland, you could become an expert in all of these areas, help your child, and share this knowledge with other parents!
We are seeking highly motivated, geographically, culturally, and economically diverse primary caregivers of children of all aged with various disabilities and special health care needs to participate in this innovative project.

Apply now!!! Applications will be accepted until September 9, 2005!
Want more information or an application?

Please contact Sarah Eby at The Parents’ Place of Maryland
Email: leaders@ppmd.org Call: 410-768-9100 ext 107

Recommended Websites

Between Friends
This site was created especially for moms. It provides fast easy tips on time management, household chores, and organization. To take a look at this website, please click on the following link.
http://www.betweenfriends.org/

Sesame Street’s Parent Site
If you need ideas on how to find time for yourself take a look at this website. You will find helpful suggestions on parenting, time management, and stress relief. To view this website, please click on the following link.
http://www.sesameworkshop.org/newsletter/newNewsletter_article.php?contentId=109060&

We currently offer training and technical consultation to businesses, churches, and other community organizations to help make them more welcoming to families and children with special needs. If you know of a business or other organization that would like to take advantage of these services, please e-mail us at: communityconnections@umd.edu
OR
If you know of a business that is already welcoming to children with special needs and their families and you would like to share this information with other families and professionals, please send us your name as well as the name and contact information for the business with a brief description of why you believe they are welcoming to families. If appropriate, we will post the business on our website and we may even feature it as a 'Spotlight if the Month'. E-mail your submissions to: communityconnections@umd.edu

*Questions or Suggestions about our newsletter? Have an idea you would like to submit? Please feel free to contact us at communityconnections@umd.edu

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Disclaimer
Unless otherwise noted, all referenced articles are available at no charge to you. Community Connections provides this for informational purposes only and cannot attest to the accuracy of information provided by linked sites. The opinions and views expressed at these web sites do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of Community Connections. Any personal information requested by any of the web sites will be governed by the privacy policy at the site, and any questions you have related to the sites' use of information should be directed there. The information contained in this newsletter is not intended to make any offer or commitment to purchase, subscribe to, provide or sell any service or product or to provide any recommendations on which readers should rely.

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Helping to Facilitate the Participation of Children with Disabilities in Community Settings

The Community Connections Communicator June - July 2005