The FAIR on ICE Party last month was a great success, with over 100 skaters of all ages and many more “encouragers” and chatters! A special thank you to Judy Rowlee for camping out (literally) last fall to guarantee FAIR a good choice of dates for our two parties. (Sandra Short, and Kingsley and Lansing Wood also took a shift.)
Congratulations to Tasha Parrett, our newest FAIR Board Member, elected unanimously at FAIR’s Annual Meeting and Elections during a brief break in the ice skating action. We will try to present a profile of all of FAIR’s Board Members in the near future. If you would like to be more involved in volunteer leadership of FAIR, be sure to let us know.
We are looking forward to an educational workshop on Friday evening, May 16th at the HP auditorium in Palo Alto. FAIR welcomes Jane Brown, MSW, back to the bay area to present the workshop and lead the Adoption Playshop groups for the older kids on Saturday and Sunday. More information will be available soon about the topic and registration for the Friday Adult evening, which is open to all. There will be refreshments before the program, so save the date, and invite another adoptive parent or your child’s teacher.
Those of you who are part of email reminder or announcement lists for FAIR’s various groups will soon receive an email asking a few questions about possible plans for our website. Our dedicated volunteer webmaster, Bill Fitler, has been investigating ways to make it more useful for members. Please watch for the email in the next week and respond with your opinions. If you are not on any of our reminder lists and would like to participate in the survey, please send an email to info@fairfamilies.org .
Sun. April 6. 2:00pm. 1st Sunday Playdate. East Bay. Families that attend typically have children from preschool to middle school. FAIR member Hazel White coordinates this monthly event, which alternates between SF and E Bay. For more information contact molliemcleod@aol.com
Wed. April 2, 7-9pm. “Moving On.” Saratoga. A support and networking group for parents of teens and young adults. Share the ups and downs of parenting kids who have extra challenging behaviors or tasks at this stage of development. Facilitated by experienced adoptive parents. Please contact Lansing lansingw@earthlink.net or Kathy Katherine.metz@comcast.net before coming for the first time.
Fri. April 18, 2008, 7-9 pm. FAIR Adoption Support Group. San Francisco. Come share the joys and challenges of adoptive family life with other adoptive parents in an informal setting. This time we'll be sharing our experiences trying out the Beyond Consequences approach to parenting (see beyondconsequences.com). Everyone welcome. For directions and to RSVP, contact amyk@stanfordalumni.org
Mon. April 21, 7-9pm. Parents of Young Children Support and Networking Group. Mountain View. This group is for adoptive parents of infants and young children through elementary school. Pre-adopt parents will also find this group helpful. Thanks to BAAS for the meeting space! 465 Fairchild Dr. Ste 215. RSVP lansingw@earthlink.net
May 16-17-18. 2nd Playshop Weekend. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FAIR-Playshops2008
Friday May 16. 6:30-9:30pm. HP Auditorium, Palo Alto. Workshop open to all adults. Presenter will be Jane Brown, MSW. Topic will be decided soon and posted on the FAIR Google Calendar at www.fairfamilies.org as well as on the yahoo FAIR-Playshops site. Check back for more information about this popular event.
FAIR on ICEFAIR FAMILY FUN – YOU ARE INVITED!Bring extended family members, other adoptive
families, and friends. What: The last FAIR on ICE party of the season will take place on at the Winter Lodge in Palo Alto. Join other FAIR families for a wonderful evening at this cozy outdoor rink. FAIR has exclusive use of the ice and the picnic/barbecue area. Non-skaters are welcome to watch, encourage, and chat. Please invite extended family members and friends. Waiting parents are welcome. Teens are encouraged to come. Wheelchairs and strollers glide beautifully on the ice, so bring the little ones! There is a covered area in case of rain. Our goal is 75 skaters. See you there! Where: Winter Lodge, 3009 Middlefield Rd., Palo
Alto What to bring: A simple dinner for your family: sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs, etc. Gas barbecues and picnic tables will be ready. (There is a Safeway with a deli and a Round Table almost next to the rink.) FAIR will provide hot chocolate, cookies, cups, plates, utensils, mustard, catsup, and relish. No alcohol, please. What to expect: Fun, good company, a great time! This is one of our most popular events, definitely worth a drive. Since FAIR has the whole rink, it will be a relaxed, comfortable evening for all. Meet old and new friends! Cost: $5.00 per skater, collected at the door. This includes skate rental, even if you own skates. No RSVP necessary. Just come!!! Questions? lansingw@earthlink.net
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Sat. Mar. 1. 9:30am-4pm. Oakland. Pact’s Spring Training for Adoptive Families. Inside Outside: Experiencing Adoption with relatives, schools, strangers and the world! For information, contact Pact at http://pactadopt.org for registration information.
Sun. Mar. 2. 2:00pm. 1st Sunday Playdate. SF.
Families that attend typically have children from preschool to middle
school. FAIR member Hazel White coordinates this monthly event, which
alternates between SF and E Bay.
Let's dare to optimistic that this rain will be over and meet where we have
been meeting of late—on the beach where the water from the Crissy Field
Tidal Marsh flows out to the Bay. Park at the Crissy Field Center, where
there are exhibits and a cafe; then cross the road and walk over the bridge
across the lagoon/marsh and follow the outflow from the lagoon/marsh to the
Bay (100 feet away) and there we'll be, on the sand. – Hazel.
http://www.crissyfield.org/dynamic/subpages/image_1_337.pdf For
more information contact
molliemcleod@aol.com Save the date for 1st Sunday in April 6, at 2
p.m. in the East Bay.
Wed. Mar. 5, 7-9pm. “Moving On.” Saratoga. A support and networking group for parents of teens and young adults. Share the ups and downs of parenting kids who have extra challenging behaviors or tasks at this stage of development. Facilitated by experienced adoptive parents. Please contact Lansing lansingw@earthlink.net or Kathy Katherine.metz@comcast.net before coming for the first time. Next meeting will be April 2. Fri. Mar. 14, 2008, 7-9 pm.
FAIR Adoption Support Group. San Francisco. All are welcome. For directions and to RSVP, contact amyk@stanfordalumni.org
Sat. Mar. 15. 5:30-7:30pm. FAIR on ICE Party and Annual Meeting and elections. Winter Lodge, Palo Alto. Don’t miss it! See details above.
Mon. Mar. 17, 7-9pm. Parents of Young Children Support and Networking Group. Mountain View. This group is for adoptive parents of infants and young children through elementary school. Pre-adopt parents will also find this group helpful. Thanks to BAAS for the meeting space! 465 Fairchild Dr. Ste 215. RSVP lansingw@earthlink.net Next meeting April 21
Planning Ahead: May 16-17-18. 2nd Playshop Weekend. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FAIR-Playshops2008
FAIR on ICEFAIR FAMILY FUN – YOU ARE INVITED!Bring extended family members, other adoptive
families, and friends. What: The last FAIR on ICE party of the season will take place on at the Winter Lodge in Palo Alto. Join other FAIR families for a wonderful evening at this cozy outdoor rink. FAIR has exclusive use of the ice and the picnic/barbecue area. Non-skaters are welcome to watch, encourage, and chat. Please invite extended family members and friends. Waiting parents are welcome. Teens are encouraged to come. Wheelchairs and strollers glide beautifully on the ice, so bring the little ones! There is a covered area in case of rain. Our goal is 75 skaters. See you there! Where: Winter Lodge, 3009 Middlefield Rd., Palo
Alto What to bring: A simple dinner for your family: sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs, etc. Gas barbecues and picnic tables will be ready. (There is a Safeway with a deli and a Round Table almost next to the rink.) FAIR will provide hot chocolate, cookies, cups, plates, utensils, mustard, catsup, and relish. No alcohol, please. What to expect: Fun, good company, a great time! This is one of our most popular events, definitely worth a drive. Since FAIR has the whole rink, it will be a relaxed, comfortable evening for all. Meet old and new friends! Cost: $5.00 per skater, collected at the door. This includes skate rental, even if you own skates. No RSVP necessary. Just come!!! Questions? lansingw@earthlink.net
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Thurs. Jan. 31. 6-7:30pm. Palo Alto. Understanding Our Stories Group. Meets for six weeks skipping Feb. 21. Registration is full for this small group in which children meet to share and find out more about their adoption stories. Parents meet separately. FAIR will offer this group again in the future.
Sun. Feb. 3. 2:00pm. 1st Sunday Playdate. Bowling at
Southshore Lanes in Alameda. Families that attend typically have children
from preschool to middle school. FAIR member Hazel White coordinates this
monthly event, which alternates between SF and E Bay. Southshore Lanes is at
300 Park St.
Here's the link, with directions:
http://www.amf.com/southshorelanes/Mapping/maps_directions.amfx
For more information contact
molliemcleod@aol.com Save the date for 1st Sunday in March: March
3, at 2 p.m. in SF.
Wed. Feb. 6, 7-9pm. “Moving On.” Saratoga. A support and networking group for parents of teens and young adults. Share the ups and downs of parenting kids who have extra challenging behaviors or tasks at this stage of development. Facilitated by experienced adoptive parents. Please contact Lansing lansingw@earthlink.net or Kathy Katherine.metz@comcast.net before coming for the first time. Next meeting will be Mar. 5.
Feb. 9-10. 1st FAIR Playshop Weekend with Jane Brown. Berkeley. Go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FAIR-Playshops2008 for details.
Mon. Feb. 11, 7-9pm. Parents of Young Children Support and Networking Group. Mountain View. This group is for adoptive parents of infants and young children through elementary school. Pre-adopt parents will also find this group helpful. Thanks to BAAS for the meeting space! 465 Fairchild Dr. Ste 215. RSVP lansingw@earthlink.net Next meeting Mar. 10.
Fri. Mar. 14, 2008, 7-9 pm. FAIR Adoption Support Group. San Francisco. All are welcome. For directions and to RSVP, contact amyk@stanfordalumni.org
Sat. Mar. 15. 5:30-7:30pm. FAIR on ICE Party and Annual
Meeting and elections. Winter Lodge, Palo Alto. Don’t miss it!
May 17-18. 2nd Playshop Weekend. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FAIR-Playshops2008
| FAIR is planning another six-week session of our popular program
Understanding Our Stories. Children, between 7 and 11, will meet to
explore and share their stories. Parents will meet separately to
learn more about communicating with their children about adoption
now and as their children grow. Nancy Ng will work with the children
with the help of other experienced adults.
The children will make a very special book about their own unique adoption story as they learn more about adoption from their peers. Lots of hands-on activities, food, and fun! This is a small group, which will meet starting the week of January 21 or 28 for six evenings, 6-7:30 in Palo Alto, probably on a Tuesday or Thursday. Note that this group is different from the FAIR sponsored Adoption Playshops, led by Jane Brown, MSW. Children may and are encourage to participate in both programs. If you are interested in this group for your child, please contact Nancy Ng at nancycng@gmail.com as soon as possible to help with planning and for registration information. There will be a fee for the sessions but, as always, FAIR will offer scholarships to those who need them. |
A Note to FAIR Families:
We would like to use our website to make communications easier and possibly less expensive. Our webmaster has installed a calendar so that you can check details of regular and special events.
Also, you can easily order FAIR’s recently reprinted and updated edition of Adoption and the Schools as well as our video “I Wonder…” Teenagers Talk About Being Adopted, now in DVD. We are still working on the new DVD “Kind of Happy, Kind of Sad …” School Aged Kids Talk About Adoption and hope it will be ready soon. You can order through PayPal on line.
Renewing your membership can also be done through PayPal on the website.
Please let us know if you have any suggestions for making the website more helpful for FAIR families. Contact Bill, webmaster@fairfamilies.org
The FAIR Board of Directors
Sun. Jan. 6. 2:00pm. 1st Sunday Playdate. Families that attend typically have children from preschool to middle school. FAIR member Hazel White coordinates this event monthly event, which alternates between SF and E Bay. This month is E Bay. For more information contact molliemcleod@aol.com . Next meeting will be Feb. 3.
Wed. Jan. 9, 7-9pm. “Moving On.” Saratoga. A support and networking group for parents of teens and young adults. Share the ups and downs of parenting kids who have extra challenging behaviors or tasks at this stage of development. Facilitated by experienced adoptive parents. Please contact Lansing lansingw@earthlink.net or Kathy Katherine.metz@comcast.net before coming for the first time. Next meeting will be Feb. 6.
Sun. Jan. 13. 3-5pm. Palo Alto. FAIR Board of Directors Meeting. Contact Lansing for information.
Mon. Jan. 14, 7-9pm. Parents of Young Children Support and Networking Group. Mountain View. This group is for adoptive parents of infants and young children through elementary school. Pre-adopt parents will also find this group helpful. Thanks to BAAS for the meeting space! 465 Fairchild Dr. Ste 215. RSVP lansingw@earthlink.net Feb. meeting will be Feb. 11.
Fri. Jan. 18, 2008, 7-9 pm. FAIR Adoption Support Group. San Francisco. The group decided to read a book over the holidays--The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog, by Bruce Perry--and use it as a jumping-off point for our continuing discussion of attachment, trauma, and brain development. We'll always make time for an urgent off-topic issue as well. All are welcome. For directions and to RSVP, contact amyk@stanfordalumni.org .
Feb. 8-10. 1st FAIR Playshop Weekend with Jane Brown. Berkeley Hedge School, Berkeley. This will be for the YOUNGER kids, a change from previous information. For more information on ages, groups and more, visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FAIR-Playshops2008
Sat. Mar. 15. 5:30-7:30pm. FAIR on ICE Party and Annual Meeting and elections. Winter Lodge, Palo Alto. Save the date!
May 17-18. 2nd Playshop Weekend. Berkeley. Groups for OLDER kids. Visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FAIR-Playshops2008