September 5, 2008
New club gives Purdue's working parents a place to connect, learn
Balancing parenting and work can be a challenge, but now there's a new source of support on the West Lafayette campus for those juggling both. Started in June, the Purdue Working Parents Club offers a place for parents to meet in a social, educational and supportive environment.
"The primary need is for networking -- meeting with other parents with children of similar ages and issues to share ideas, stories and have a good time," says Branna Smith, WorkLIfe Programs specialist.
The club grew out of a recommendation to WorkLife from the Administrative and Professional Staff Advisory Committee. WorkLife teamed with APSAC and the Clerical and Service Staff Advisory Committee to hold a callout in June.
The callout drew 25 parents of children ranging in age from 8 weeks old to 19 years old.
"The response has been very positive," Smith says. "We have new people coming in every month."
The club is open to faculty, staff and graduate staff. Meetings are held once a month from noon to 1 p.m., allowing for many employees to attend during their lunch hour.
Meetings include a program or speaker as well as informal discussion. Smith says new members can expect a friendly, comfortable setting that encourages inPurdueteraction.
The Sept. 17 meeting will feature guest speaker Candace Shaffer from the Tippecanoe County Chapter of the Indiana Association for the Education of Young Children. Shaffer will discuss accreditation, requirements for day care centers, and the questions parents should ask when choosing a day care provider.
The club is also looking at seasonal activities such as a Halloween costume exchange and a program on coping with holiday stress.
The group will be led by a steering committee formed in July. Members are Laura Esman, Water Quality Program coordinator; Kimberly Berman, assistant to the chief operations officer at the Purdue Alumni Association; Jeanette Britton, chemist in the Office of the Indiana State Chemist; Chris Sharp, director of alumni relations and special events in the College of Liberal Arts; and Cara Wetzel, academic adviser in the Undergraduate Studies Program.
"The steering committee has been quite energetic in researching speakers and activities that are timely and at the forefront of concern for parents," Smith says.
WorkLife Programs will continue to serve in an advisory capacity as needed.
Sharp says the club will give working parents the chance to learn from each other.
"After having my son, I had questions about everything from child care to balancing work and family," she says. "Having a group of people with whom I can share ideas and learn about what I should expect next is a tremendous resource and comfort."
Some of the best information comes from informal talk among the group, Esman says.
"There is a huge number of parents at Purdue with an incredible amount of information to share regarding their experiences with children of all ages -- all with the commonality of working at the University," she says. "This is an incredible resource! The Purdue Working Parents Club will provide a platform to share experiences and meet others with similar interests and situations."
Meeting dates, Web site
The Purdue Working Parents Club will meet from noon to 1p.m. in Room 202, Stewart Center, on the following dates:
-- Sept. 17.
-- Oct. 22.
-- Nov. 12.
Purdue Working Parents Club has a Web site through MeetUp.com. To join the group, go to www.meetup.com and click on the link "Find a MeetUp." Search for "Purdue Working Parents Club"
Click on "New! Join Today!" Register your name, e-mail, and password, and check "Agree to Terms of Service" box. Click "Join."
MeetUp.com will send an e-mail to verify the e-mail address submitted. Participants must click the link in that e-mail to finish signing up.
When signing in or registering, participants may be asked for an "invitation code." The code is PWPC.
The site will provide details on meetings, parenting resources and group events.
More resources
Branna Smith, WorkLIfe Programs specialist, also suggests these resources for parents:
-- Child Care Resource Network, 1100 Elizabeth St. Suite 1, Lafayette. Phone: (800) 932-3302 or 742-7105. Online: www.thechildcareresourcenetwork.org/
-- http://parenting.ivillage.com
-- From the Aug. 28 Inside Purdue.