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NEW PARENTING RESOURCE NETWORK AT THE FRIEDBERG JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER HOSTS EARLY CHILDHOOD RESOURCE FAIR

FIRST OF ITS KIND PARENTING INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SERVICE TO BE LAUNCHED AT EARLY CHILDHOOD RESOURCE FAIR

Oceanside, NY (April 26, 2007)  Temper tantrums, sibling rivalry, sleeping through the night, eating healthy, separation anxiety and the list goes on. What parent doesn't struggle with one or more of these challenges when trying to raise a happy, healthy child? If you're looking for parenting tips available at your fingertips, come to the Friedberg JCC Early Childhood Resource Fair, April 29^th from 10 AM - 12 Noon, to learn more about how parents can access important parenting information and resources.

The Early Childhood Resource Fair, open to the public, will focus on sharing information in three areas: learning with your child;health, wellness and fitness;and parenting tools for the early years. Part of the day's festivities will include the launch of the Parenting Resource Network, a first of its kind initiative designed to be a comprehensive information and referral service for parents of children birth to five years old. Parents will receive a "Parents Tool Kit" goody bag as they visit an assortment of informational display tables and there will be children's entertainment, costumed characters, a Castle Bounce and other fun activities. Car seat safety check information and fingerprinting/ID will also be available. The Friedberg JCC is located at 15 Neil Court, Oceanside. For more information, please call Karen Horowitz at 516-766-4341 extension 162 or visit the website at: http://www.friedbergjcc.org/.

The Parenting Resource Network has brought together community and government agencies, libraries, hospitals, school districts, nursery schools and child care centers that provide parent education in the 14 communities served by the Friedberg JCC, said Karen Horowitz, Coordinator of the Parenting Resource Network.The Network has a Warm Line (516-240-6018) for parents to call to get information, reassurance, support and guidance. In addition there will be an online directory of resources for parents to access information. Parents can Call, Click or Come to check it out. The Parenting Resource Network will link together all agencies on the South Shore that are involved in early childhood and parenting education. Each organization recognizes the importance of the first five years of life to a child's future educational achievements and wants to help parents maximize that potential. Parents can call the Parenting Resource Network for information and go to the accompanying website at http://www.ParentingrResourceNetwork.org/ for a complete list of resources.

"For working parents there is barely enough time to spend with their families much less look for support and opportunities to educate themselves on parenting matters",said Karen Horowitz. These parents, like all parents, need to know where they can go to obtain knowledge, improve their parenting skills and get the information and support they need at little or no cost. The Resource Fair and the launch of the Parenting Resource Network coincides with the Week of the Young Child, designated by the National Association for Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Week of the Young Child celebrates young children and thanks early childhood teachers and everyone involved in the care and education of young children. It is celebrated across the country by hundreds of local organizations working to improve opportunities for all young children.

"Early learning experiences are crucial to the growth and development of young children," said Sheryl Smith, Associate Executive Director of the Friedberg JCC. "The goal of the Parenting Resource Network is to become a 'one stop shop' for parents on the South Shore to help them find the resources they need to do the best job they can."

The Friedberg JCC is a non-profit, full-service, community center offering programs for infants through senior adults.The JCC is a beneficiary agency of UJA-Federation of New York. For more information about the JCC, visit the website at www.friedbergjcc.org.