Bryant’s PTSA Parent Speaker Series: The Anxiety Dance

Thanks to those of you who made it out to our latest speaker event on Tuesday. Chris McCurry shared the possible origins of anxiety in our kids and techniques for recognizing and coping with it. If you missed it (or your notes are incomplete!) download some of his information here.

Books for parents and kids
Breathing Exercises Handout
Validation Handout

The Anxiety Dance
Tuesday, March 14, 7 pm
Bryant Library

Noted expert Chris McCurry, Ph.D., is a clinical child psychologist in private practice at Associates in Behavior and Child Development, Inc. in Seattle. He is the author of Parenting Your Anxious Child with Mindfulness and Acceptance published by New Harbinger.

Chris will discuss:

  • The origins of child anxiety in biological factors (temperament, brain development) and early experiences, especially social experiences.
  • The ways a child’s fearful and anxious behaviors function to communicate distress and compel the parent to come to the child’s rescue.
  • Strategies for making this process or “dance” work better: clearer communication, mutual respect and cooperation, better problem solving and coping.
  • When to start the conversation.

** LASER will be providing babysitting from 6:45 – 9:15 pm – $10 per kid **
Minimum of 10 kids is required. Sign up for LASER babysitting here.

Introducing Bryant’s PTSA Parent Speaker Series!

As parents we share many of the same concerns. When do we cut off screen time? How do we broach the dreaded sex talk? What can we do we ease our kids’ test taking anxieties? We’re all figuring it out but it would be great to add some tools to our parenting skill sets.

We’re excited to announce the Bryant PTSA 2016-2017 Speaker Series. We will be hosting 3 expert speakers on these parenting topics at PTSA meetings this year to support you! First up, families and technology.

Raising Kids and Finding Balance in a Digitally Connected World
Monday, December 12th at 7 pm
Please welcome our very own Emily Cherkin, a Bryant parent, parent educator and academic coach, to December’s PTSA meeting. Emily will use recent data to help us develop realistic goals for our kids (and ourselves!), and find better balance in our lives when it comes to screens and technology. We’ll discuss:

★ Raising your “Digital Natives” (and what that means)
★ Current research on screen use for kids and teens
★ The impact of screens and technology on brain development
★ The pull of screens and technology for kids AND adults
★ Tools and resources for creating a balanced “tech-positive” family environment

**LASER will be providing babysitting from 6:45 – 9:15pm – $10 per kid**
Sign up for LASER babysitting @ laserchildcare.org.

2015-16 Meeting Schedule

All meetings are at 7pm in the Bryant Library unless otherwise noted. (Dates in bold are General Meetings)

September 15, 2015 
Minutes | Budget | 2014-15 Treasurer Recap

October 13, 2015
Minutes | Budget | PLC presentation

November 10, 2015 (starts at 6:30 with casual mixer)
Minutes | Budget | Paramount Duty resolution

December 8, 2015
Minutes | BudgetTech Presentation | PLC Training Presentation

January 12, 2016
Minutes | Budget

February 9, 2016
Minutes | Budget

March 8, 2016
Minutes | Budget

April 5, 2016 (not the 2nd Tuesday of the month due to SPS Spring Break)
Minutes | Budget

May 10, 2016
Minutes | Budget | Proposed 2016-17 Budget

June 14, 2016, Lunchroom Volunteer and Teacher/Staff Recognition Awards
Minutes | Budget | Approved 2016-17 Budget