Greetings!
We are so excited that spring is on its way. March is also Women's History Month - a time to reflect on the progress we've made as women and mothers and plan for the work that has yet to be done. NAMC is poised to embark upon some exciting strategic goals to reach more mothers and to begin a search to hire a new Executive Director this summer following my upcoming retirement. And keep an eye out for details on our annual Mile for Mothers Campaign! We hope you'll find these articles interesting. Best wishes,
Linda Lisi Juergens
Executive Director
516 939-MOMS X101
The National Association of Mothers' Centers (NAMC) provides programs that empower mothers, fathers and caregivers to find solutions that work for their families, their work lives and their personal lives.
|
2013 Virtual Mile for Mothers Campaign
As the beloved Long Beach boardwalk is being recreated, the NAMC has recreated our Mile For Mothers, one "foot" at a time. Honor a mother in your life and help us fill 5,280 shoes representing the number of feet in a mile. Watch for details on how you can walk this mile virtually with us!
|
 Remembering NAMC's Roots During
Women's History Month
March is Women's History Month and a great time to reflect on the impact the National Association of Mothers' Centers has had on women and families while also looking toward the future. The NAMC's roots stretch back to the early 1970s when Patsy Turrini, a social worker in Nassau County, New York, noticed a disconcerting trend among her clients: They were struggling to raise their children, they felt conflicted and lacked confidence in their new role as mothers. They felt alone and didn't know where to turn for help. Her concern led to a research study that involved some 40 women, who met regularly to discuss the issues they were facing, along with some possible solutions. After the project ended, a group of the women, including NAMC co-founder Lorri Slepian and NAMC Board Member the Honorable Hope S. Zimmerman, helped start the first Mothers' Center in Hicksville, NY. In 1984, the appearance of Lorri Slepian, NAMC Co-Founder, speaking from the audience on The Phil Donahue Show and a feature article in Parents magazine about support mothers could gain from Mothers' Centers led to more than 10,000 inquiries from women around the country! Since that time, hundreds of Mothers' Centers have been started around the country generating countless stories of lives that have been positively impacted by the Mothers' Center experience.
|
NAMC Executive Director Job Description
We ask your assistance to help us spread the word and get the best candidate pool possible for the important work of leading the NAMC into the future. Please feel free to pass along our job opening to anyone you think might be interested as well as to your networks. Thanks so much. |
Mothers' Center in the Spotlight Bexley Mothers' Center. Ohio
Pictured above are members of the Bexley Mothers' Center gathered at a summer storytime event. Located just beyond the borders of the city of Columbus, Ohio - the Bexley Mothers' Center is a small (but mighty) group of mothers who are working to rebuild their group after a year of transition and change.
Regardless of size, space or meeting frequency, the foundation of every Mothers' Center Group is support. The remaining handful of Bexley members are bound together by the need for a community of support in their role as caregivers. And where there is a need, there is a way to survive.
Have you ever been one of just a few "sole survivors" left to rebuild a group primarily because you still personally had a need for it? How do you know when something is worth being rebuilt? Share your experiences by leaving a comment on the Mothers Central Blog post: The Sole Survivors: Rebuilding an Organizational Base (Even When It Feels Impossible).
Join us each month as we highlight a different local Mothers' Center across the nation. Don't have a Mothers' Center near you? Learn more about starting a local Mothers' Center group by downloading our New Center Start-up Guide.
|
Stop the Marketing of Violence to Young Children The recent tragedy in Newtown, CT has finally motivated the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) to participate in the discussion to stop companies from promoting violent movies to preschoolers. CCFC has been fighting the battle to put an end to this type of marketing for many years and the Federal Trade Commission along with thousands of parents have been working alongside CCFC since 2008. The NAMC has been proud to work with CCFC to get the word out about the efforts of parents to protect their children. You can support this vital cause to protect our children from unnecessary and harmful exposure to media violence by adding your voice and signing the CCFC petition. You can also read more from CCFC on its efforts to " reclaim childhood from corporate marketers." |
Dr  . Daniel Stern's Impact on the Art and Science of Motherwork by Lorri Slepian
Dr. Daniel Stern was a giant in the child development field and passed away in November. He was a keynote speaker at one of the very early Mothers' Center conferences. HIs research has brought new thinking regarding how professionals were viewing and teaching about babies and their development.
In her Huffington Post article, Ellen Galinsky, another expert in the child development field, expands on some aspects of Stern's theoretical views - the very views that caused a stir in the thinking of both mothers and experts in the field. Many mothers have felt attuned to Stern's ideas since they were already aware that their babies showed behaviors suggesting they know they are different from others sooner than the teaching at large suggested. The mothers just didn't know what to call it or even that this was important knowledge.
Building child development theory is an evolving, changing process, one that mothers can bring their expertise to - expertise learned through observations and interactions with their own non-verbal developing infants. That a mother's wisdom grows through her thoughtful motherwork is not to be denied, though usually it is undervalued by experts AND mothers and likely to be unknown to the mother herself.
Mothers' Centers provide a safe, nonjudgmental environment that supports mothers in tuning into this maternal wisdom through connection with other mothers and sharing experiences. We have not yet put words to our practice of the art and science of mothering, but make no mistake, it is important work.
|
 Protect Your Unborn Baby or Newborn from Infections
Important information from the Center for Disease Control:
If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, find out how to protect your unborn baby from infections that can cause serious health problems. |
Your Gift Makes a Difference for Families Please consider making a tax-deductable donation to the National Association of Mothers' Centers today. Thank you for making a difference! |
