Mindful Beginnings is an outdoor meet-up for new and expecting parents that will launch Fall 2024. We'll meet monthly on the third Wednesday of each month from 10-11:30am at different trails to walk together and connect with nature. Bring your baby (carriers encouraged) and join us for a walk led by Kassie Leachman, a certified doula and childbirth educator. This is a great opportunity to connect with other parents and share your experiences. Sign up for meet-up emails here.

Children are naturally drawn to various forms of Power Play, such as Rough and Tumble and Superhero play. While these activities come instinctively to children, they often raise concerns for parents. How can we ensure safety without stifling their exploration? In this workshop, we will first reflect on our own experiences and biases regarding this type of play. Then, we’ll explore the learning opportunities children engage in through these games. Finally, we will discuss strategies to support our children in staying safe, having fun, and learning to play collaboratively.

Register Here

Mindful Beginnings is an outdoor meet-up for new and expecting parents that will launch Fall 2024. We'll meet monthly on the third Wednesday of each month from 10-11:30am at different trails to walk together and connect with nature. Bring your baby (carriers encouraged) and join us for a walk led by Kassie Leachman, a certified doula and childbirth educator. This is a great opportunity to connect with other parents and share your experiences. Sign up for meet-up emails here.

Mindful Beginnings is an outdoor meet-up for new and expecting parents that will launch Fall 2024. We'll meet monthly on the third Wednesday of each month from 10-11:30am at different trails to walk together and connect with nature. Bring your baby (carriers encouraged) and join us for a walk led by Kassie Leachman, a certified doula and childbirth educator. This is a great opportunity to connect with other parents and share your experiences. Sign up for meet-up emails here.

Mindful Beginnings is an outdoor meet-up for new and expecting parents that will launch Fall 2024. We'll meet monthly on the third Wednesday of each month from 10-11:30am at different trails to walk together and connect with nature. Bring your baby (carriers encouraged) and join us for a walk led by Kassie Leachman, a certified doula and childbirth educator. This is a great opportunity to connect with other parents and share your experiences. Sign up for meet-up emails here.

BONUS BOOK GIVEAWAY! FAN is giving away copies of The Way of Play to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on the webinar registration page. Register Here

Most parents understand that free, unstructured playtime is great for children’s development. What they may not know is that playful interaction with parents is also a powerful way for kids to cultivate healthy emotional development and resilience. Kids often want their parents to play with them, but many parents don’t know how to play or see it only as an (often boring) way to kill time.

Playing with your kids doesn’t have to mean enrolling in countless parent-and-me classes or getting on all fours and making toy car sounds; the little daily moments together can make the most impact. In The Way of Play: Using Little Moments of Big Connection to Raise Calm and Confident Kids, world-renowned pediatric therapists and play experts Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D. and Georgie Wisen-Vincent, LMFT offer simple, playful techniques that harness this caregiving magic in only a few minutes each day.

Full of science-backed research, real-life stories, and charming line illustrations to bring this novel advice to life, The Way of Play will help you nurture your kids and encourage them to become calm listeners, cooperative problem solvers, and respectful communicators. Just as important, it will help your whole family have more fun together and build stronger relationships.

Bryson is the founder and CEO of The Center for Connection, a multidisciplinary clinical practice in Southern California. She is the co-author (with Dan Siegel, MD, FAN ‘13) of four books, including the New York Times bestsellers The Whole-Brain Child and No-Drama Discipline. Wisen-Vincent is a nationally recognized play therapy expert and co-founder (with Bryson) and head of faculty for The Play Strong Institute, a continuing education and training organization for professionals and parents.

Bryson and Wisen-Vincent will be in conversation with Carly Andrews, executive director of The Alliance for Early Childhood, a nonprofit organization devoted to nurturing the healthy development of young children by equipping early childhood educators, parents, and families with resources, education, and support.

This event suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.

As a parent, noticing that your child may have higher-level needs or needs that seem outside the scope of the current school context can be both challenging and overwhelming. This workshop is designed to guide parents through the initial stages of recognizing and addressing these unique needs. Participants will learn to identify key signs that their child may require additional support and discover how to effectively partner with their child's school to ensure the best possible outcomes. The workshop will also cover valuable resources and strategies for advocating for your child's needs within the educational system. Join us to empower yourself with the knowledge and tools to support your child's journey.

Register Here

Mindful Beginnings is an outdoor meet-up for new and expecting parents that will launch Fall 2024. We'll meet monthly on the third Wednesday of each month from 10-11:30am at different trails to walk together and connect with nature. Bring your baby (carriers encouraged) and join us for a walk led by Kassie Leachman, a certified doula and childbirth educator. This is a great opportunity to connect with other parents and share your experiences. Sign up for meet-up emails here.

Mindful Beginnings is an outdoor meet-up for new and expecting parents that will launch Fall 2024. We'll meet monthly on the third Wednesday of each month from 10-11:30am at different trails to walk together and connect with nature. Bring your baby (carriers encouraged) and join us for a walk led by Kassie Leachman, a certified doula and childbirth educator. This is a great opportunity to connect with other parents and share your experiences. Sign up for meet-up emails here.