Parenting Sweet is a resource for parents and caregivers, featuring all the great opportunities in our region that make parenting sweet!
This issue features new opportunities to invent, jump, audition, share, laugh, discover, and experience, as well as the top checked-out library books at the Bristol Public Library, current movies at the Bristol Virginia Legacy Theaters, and Parenting Prime Time!
Previous Poll – Your Take on New Year’s Resolutions: Everyday is a chance to begin again!
Bristol’s Promise Making Parenting Sweet
We have tips, information, practices, and parenting classes, sessions, workshops, support groups, seasoned educators, and friendships that can help lighten some of your load and make parenting easier.
Wish you had an extra hand? A little help? A hack that makes things a little easier? Wondering if doing something different would help?
Check out the Parenting Educator Network opportunities below in the February 2022 Highlights.
Parenting Sweet helps us keep our five promises of caring adults, safe places, a healthy start, effective education, and opportunities to serve.
See Bristol’s Promise for details, flyers, and more events and classes
Introducing Prime Your Parenting!
Bristol Public Library
Top Five Checked Out Children’s Books:
A Loud Winter’s Nap / Hudson, Katy
Dog Man: Lord of the Fleas / Pilkey, Dav
Dog Man / Pilkey, Dav
How to Catch a Snowman / Wallace, Adam
Mermaids / London, Martha
Join us for Zoom Story Time! Tuesdays @ 11 AM
The Zoom link is posted on the BPL Children’s Facebook page one hour before the program starts.
Together is Our Favorite Place To Be
Write thank you notes
Sign up for a class together
Go to the park
Start family meetings
Revamp the chore routine
Plan a family trip
Sort and take items to donate
Visit a museum
Go to a show
Plan a menu and cook a meal together
Go on a hike
Volunteer together
Have a family dance party
Pull out a board game
Zoom or Facetime with grandparents or family members
Free Parenting Classes throughout the year in Abingdon, Bristol and over Zoom/Phone as needed. Contact David Ledgerwood at 276-525-2233.
Project Dads
Project Dads is a comprehensive and innovative parenting class for fathers that utilize the 24/7 Dad curriculum developed by the parenting experts of the National Fatherhood Initiative. This program helps men develop the attitudes, knowledge and skills they need to get and stay involved with their children. Topics covered include discipline, working with mom and co-parenting, showing and handling feelings, masculinity, dealing with anger, improving communication skills, stress, substance use, work and more.
Call today for more information or to enroll in any of the classes below.
Kelly Thomas: 276-525-1550, ext. 1430 | Kelly Walker: 276-525-1550, ext. 1453
“Little Free Libraries” maintained by BRHA are located at:
Three at Rice Terrace (near ‘O’ Building on Oakview Avenue; near ‘O’ Building on Mary Street; and near ‘T’ Building on Mary Street)
Twelfth Night Tickets on sale now!
Theatre Bristol presents William Shakespeare’s hilarious Twelfth Night on the ARTspace stage February 11-14. Performances are Friday, Saturday, and Monday at 7:30 PM, and Sunday at 2:30 PM. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for students and seniors. Tickets are available at theatrebristol.org.
Twelfth Night is a tragedy-quickly-turned-comedy as twins Viola and Sebastian are separated after a shipwreck on the Illyrian coast. Thinking the other dead, Viola and Sebastian mourn their lost sibling. As they work to regain their footing on their separate paths, they meet some of the interesting characters of Illyria.
Welcoming new participants and mentors!
First Appalachian Robotics is a community robotics team based in Bristol TN/VA. The team strives to provide opportunities for young people in grades 7-12 to be science and technology leaders by encouraging innovation and self-confidence. During the school year, the team competes in an international robotics competition challenge through FIRST, and does so much more than robotics!
Students gain life skills in teamwork, leadership, imagination, communications, engineering, and design. Team students and mentors also teach and lead explorations in STEM subjects with younger students, peers, and adults throughout the Tri-Cities area and beyond! For more information, contact: sgray@firstappalachianrobotics.org.
Mark your calendar – one performance only – Join Bristol Ballet for the beloved classic fairytale, Cinderella, on May 14 at Paramount Bristol. This performance features all of the students and company members of Bristol Ballet, as well as community members and guest artists.
Enjoy the humorous antics of the stepsisters, the elegant dancing of the four fairies (Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter), the magic of the Fairy Godmother, and the bustling royal ball where Cinderella meets her prince. And of course, dancing. Lots of dancing! Ticket information will be available soon, so stay tuned!
Bristol’s Promise Buckle Up for Life has a limited number of car seats available for families in need. Classes are available for parents and caregivers on car seat safety.
Johnson City Parents’ Club – February Playdate, February 2 at 10:30 am
Jones Meeting Room (first room as you enter the Johnson City Library on the left).
This playdate is open to current and prospective members!
We will be talking about future events of the club (public, private events, moms night out, Valentine’s party, etc) and letting the children play in a warm, safe environment.
Auditions:
Jack & the Beanstalk
Theatre Bristol announces auditions for “Jack and the Beanstalk” February 6, 7, and 9 at Theatre Bristol, 512 State Street, Bristol, TN. This giant fairy tale classic comes to the ARTspace stage in April under the direction of Cindi Brooks. No preparation is required to audition and roles are available for men, women, and children. Show details, audition times, character list, and rehearsal dates are available at www.TheatreBristol.org/audition.
2022 Kids Business Expo
This year’s Kids Business Expo is taking place on Friday, February 25th!
Applications are open to all regional middle school students
Located at MeadowView Marriott Conference Resort & Convention Center.
Sunshine Skippers is a jump rope team of K thru 12th students that practices, performs, travels and competes. The jump rope team offers a great cardiovascular workout for students that combines gymnastics, dance ,and jump rope skills to form routines.
Students improve coordination and cognitive function, gain friendships, sportsmanship, discipline and leadership. Sunshine Skippers perform at local events and venues, and travel too. Welcoming new participants now, and available to help schools and other locations start teams.
Meets at New Victory Church in Jonesborough every Tuesday 5 to 7
Join Hands On! You will get a “charge” out of all the fun we will be having in the lab! Make static spheres wiggle inside our static tube, test out our static generating Fun Fly Stick, and use a balloon to move objects such as bubbles, ping-pong balls, and more! The Discovery Lab will be open by announcement periodically throughout each day.
Let us help you with tips, information, support, resources, and more!
Sign up now to register for Attached at the Heart Parenting Program Online classes.
Classes are free of charge:
Thursday evenings at 7:30 pm online
or
Friday mornings at 10:30 am online.
Attached at the Heart Parenting Online classes serve parents and caregivers of children from prenatal through 5 years of age.
How Siblings Become Lifelong Best Friends
“The importance of a secure parent-child attachment is not a revelation: This is what sets the foundation for all future relationships a child will have in his or her life. But there is something to be said for relationship security between siblings.
A connected relationship between brothers and sisters also provides a foundational context: It is an opportunity to develop the groundwork for peer relationships in a child’s life.”
The Bristol Public Library’s Teen & YA department offers local teens (12-19 years old) the opportunity to earn community service hours by reviewing YA books! To participate, submit reviews that follow these guidelines using our online form. If your review is accepted, you will earn ONE SERVICE HOUR for each review submitted.
Bristol, Virginia Now playing or coming soon:
Sing 2
Spider-Man No Way Home
Ghostbusters Afterlife
March 6: Swan Lake
Find a program that fits your needs! Click to search for free or low cost, morning or evening, online or in-person, first-time or veteran parent/caregiver, and more!
The Parenting Education Network, Bristol Family Resource Center, YWCA MOMS R US, Mom Power, Hope House, Frontier Health, Highlands Community Services, Breastfeeding Essentials, La Leche League Breastfeeding Support, Cherished Mom, Attached at the Heart Classes, Twin City Reads, Buckle Up for Life, Doula by Donation, Sullivan County Family Services, High Country Doulas, ETSU Family Physicians, Bethany Services, TriCities Babywearing TN, Sullivan County Health Department, STRONG Pregnancies, STRONG Starts, and more.
Parenting Sweet works to help make parenting sweet! Parents get connected to support and information because learning about parenting and getting support does make a difference.
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