December update from Cornerstone

The Cornerstone Program in Chehalis, Washington aims to help local families achieve greater academic and economic success over time. Some families are hampered by a lack of educational and occupational credentials, limited access to quality childcare, and fragmented, inadequate support services. Programs and policies typically target parents OR children separately, limiting their impact on the family as a whole.

Our goal is to establish relationships with families so that students are prepared for the journey ahead. We want to come alongside parents and families to help navigate the schools - and life. We believe that by providing a focus on both adults and their children, families will be more successful. This kind of work is called a “Dual-generation strategy.”

Dual-generation strategies stress simultaneous services to children and their parents, providing them with quality developmental opportunities of demonstrated effectiveness and the supports needed for them to take full advantage of those opportunities.

DUAL-GENERATION STRATEGIES PROVIDED THROUGH CORNERSTONE

• Sources of flexible funding and family services including: laundry services, food vouchers, winter coats, diapers, blankets, gas cards, pre-school scholarships.
• Career counseling and one-on-one assistance including: resume writing, use of Dave Ramsey Career Change Assessment, college application support, encouragement and transportation support.
• Adult education opportunities including: Love and Logic parenting classes, career pathway planning with Dr. Kevin Fleming, support for dual-language households from Summit Center for Child Development.
• Support for Chehalis School District students including: rotating learning kits for academic and sensory support, homework space and assistance at Olympic.

If you know a family who might benefit from any of these dual-generation strategies, please contact us at Cornerstone at 360-219-3657 or 360-219-7267.

We recently held two Love and Logic workshops helping parents put an end to arguing, back talk, and begging. Over 40 parents gathered in our multi-purpose space at Olympic to learn strategies for responding to children when they start to get mouthy. Some were surprised to learn they should "Go Brain Dead" when the arguing begins.

Going brain dead simply means, "Don't let the arguing get to you." Parents often think too hard during this kind of conflict, get red in the face, and get sucked into the argument. Glen Spinnie, our Love and Logic trainer suggests that parents remain calm and repeat one simple phrase over and over to keep from getting pulled into an argument. Love and Logic recommends using phrases like:

• "I love you too much to argue."
• "I'll listen when your voice is calm like mine."
• "I know."
• "What did I say?"

When parents use this strategy, they replace anger with empathy. Arguing can end much faster when parents follow simple strategies to end power struggles.

You can read more about this strategy in a blog post on the Love and Logic website. It's called "Make Parenting Easier by Ending Back Talk and Bad Attitudes" and you can find it using the button below.

We are pleased to present the next workshop in our Love and Logic series for parents on January 11 and 18. Dinner and childcare (for children age 3 and older) are provided FREE for those who register by January 10. Dinner will be served from 5:30 to 6:00 pm and childcare begins at 6 pm for the one hour class. Reserve your space by calling or texting 360-219-7267 or 360-219-3657. To learn more about this parenting series, including the dates for each class, visit the Cornerstone Program webpage.

Please let us know if you have questions, or would like to refer a friend. We are excited to have an office located in the old Olympic Elementary building on Salsbury Avenue. Our doors open at 8 am and drop-ins are welcome through noon.

You can also make an appointment by contacting Cecilia or DeeDee. Give us a call:

• Cecilia Jimenez 360-219-3657
• DeeDee Judd 360-219-7267

Read our past newsletters, and learn more about the Cornerstone Program by visiting our website using the button below:

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Anti-bullying Policy and Procedure

Cornerstone Program website