- Wentzville School District
- Parent Groups and Events
- Virtual Parent Group Library
-
Conscious Discipline: Introduction
Struggling with behaviors? Feel like you are constantly in a power struggle with your child? Join us for an introduction to Conscious Discipline. We will be discussing the research behind certain behaviors and ways to use that knowledge to address them and to encourage a more peaceful home with your children. Watch Here
-
Baby Teeth and Early Dental Care
Did you know dental caries (the fancy term for cavities) is the #1 childhood disease? It also is almost 100% preventable. Dentists can't prevent the disease alone. With your help, we can attack this as a team. Dr. Emily Hahn shares the importance of taking care of children's teeth. Did you know that cavities are caused by bacteria? Meaning that cavities are actually contagious. Avoiding sharing utensils and cups can help minimize the spread of that bacteria that causes cavities. Or that frequent snacking causes mouths to be more acidic, which is the perfect environment for bad bacteria to grow and cause cavities? Dr. Hahn will share more important dental information with us during this presentation. This is your opportunity to ask those dental questions while also learning how smiles grow up.
-
Behavior Strategies
Have you ever thought to yourself, what just happened? How did we get ourselves into such an altercation? How do I figure out WHY these behaviors are occurring? How do I keep my child safe when their body is not safe and they are in crisis? This class focuses on strategies when the original discipline strategies fail and you are in a conflict with the child, such as physical aggression or verbal aggression. Come with questions as much of this session will be more individualized to help through those tough times.
-
Boosting Your Child's Immunity
Join us as Dr. Whitney Hamed discusses top ways to boost your child’s immune system; including how misalignments in their spine could be decreasing their ability to fight off illness. This virtual parent group is presented by Barfield Early Childhood and Wentzville Parents as Teachers.
-
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is the latest buzzword in education! What is dyslexia? Does it look different with different ages of children? How do I know if my child has dyslexia? What can I do as a parent? Where do we get help? Tune in to find out all of the things you need to know about Dyslexia and how that pertains to your child's education.
-
Food Wars: Picky Eaters
-
Grow Your Reader Virtual Parent Group
We love the library! Youth Services Supervisor Shelley Bretsnyder from St. Charles County Library will go over the five early literacy practices and how parents can use those to help prepare little ones for becoming readers. Your kiddos are welcome to join in this Virtual Parent Group. Shelley will read and share some books that will put some of those early literacy practices to use. We will also learn about what resources the library has to offer families and children.
-
Joint Attention
How do you teach someone to share an experience with someone else, when it comes natural to most? So many of our children are on the Autism Spectrum, or exhibit similar characteristics to children on the spectrum. This session focuses on the social component of development and different strategies that can be implemented in their everyday lives. You will learn what joint attention is and why it is IMPERATIVE to develop these skills in order to continue to develop in other areas of development.
-
Learn to See, See to Learn: Vision Therapy
Do you ever wonder what activities you can do to help with your child's vision? What milestones should you be looking for with your young child to make sure they are seeing clearly and healthy? Come and listen to Dr. Jeffrey Lant as he shares with us important information about your children’s eyes.
-
Let's Talk: Infusing Language In The Home Environment
Are you not sure how to expand your child's vocabulary? Do you need ideas of how to incorporate language into your daily life? Enriching your home environment with language is the best way to increase your child's use and understanding of everyday language. Speech and Language Pathologists from Barfield Early Childhood will be presenting at this parent group. They will discuss the need for bombardment of language throughout a child's entire day. The Speech Pathologists will offer strategies and supports for your home!
-
Milestones and Impact on Learning
Lisa Cooseman, from Leaps and Bounds, will discuss developmental milestones and sensory processing. She will talk about the importance of tummy time, as well as some ideas for sensory strategies.
-
Music Therapy for Kids
We will discuss how to use music in your home in a functional way to help your child in many different areas such as communication, pre-academics, socialization, physical movement, and more!
Presented by by Melissa Dierenfeldt, MT-BC, a board certified music therapist and owner of Accel Music Therapy LLC. Click here to watch! -
Pediatric Anxiety
Anxiety is on the rise in children and is being observed in younger children every day, especially with family history. Katie Fischer, our Educational Support Counselor at Barfield Early Childhood Center will be presenting on pediatric anxiety. She will be providing information on early warning signs, strategies to work through anxiety and how to find the root of the anxiety.
-
Pediatric Sleep
Mercy Pediatric Sleep doctor and sleep technician Dr. John Spivey and Jonathan Charpentier will present on the importance of sleep for young children ages 2-5 years of age, as well as adolescents and teenagers. Sleep is incredibly important for young children, it can affect their behavior, mood, health, and cognitive development. Up to 50% of children will experience sleep issues at some point in their lives. Dr. Spivey and Mr. Charpentier will discuss establishing healthy sleep habits, strategies to try, bringing concerns to your pediatrician, and what a sleep study involves.
-
Play Therapy
Play therapy utilizes play, children's natural medium of expression, to help them express their feelings more easily through toys instead of words. Join us virtually as Kristen James of Kristen James Counseling will be sharing what play therapy is, why it can be helpful, and when to seek out a play therapist.
-
Poison Control
National Poison Prevention week is March 21-27. Did you know that more than 90% of poisonings happen in the home? As a parent there are resources available in case of an accident where your child might get into some kind of chemical or household item that they shouldn't. There’s enough to worry about these days. Poison centers are here to help, and they are always open. This year take steps to Prepare. Prevent. Protect. against poisons. Please join us for this presentation from Amanda Ruback, MSN,RN,C SPI.
-
Relationship and Regulation
Stacy Kelsey joins us for Part 2 with her Relationships and Regulation presentation. Have you wondered about how you can support your child's social-emotional development? Would you like to learn more strategies for encouraging self-regulation? Stacy will discuss the importance of building attachment by connecting with your child and how these relationships have an impact on your child's learning.
-
Selective Mutism
Children with untreated Selective Mutism (a childhood anxiety disorder resulting in reduced speaking in public) are at an increased risk for self-esteem issues, depression, school failure, social skill problems, and school refusal. Early and evidence-based therapeutic intervention is of upmost importance to decreasing anxiety and increase communication in children with Selective Mutism. In this one-hour webinar, Dr. Kotrba will teach parents to identify Selective Mutism (or related speaking-related anxieties) in their child and what parents and schools can do to help.
-
Sensory Processing and Regulation
What is sensory? How can I help my child meet their sensory needs? Is this a sign that they display signs of Autism? Are sensory concerns common? Most people have sensory needs but there are more appropriate ways to meet those sensory needs. Through this training, you will learn how to identify sensory, what need is trying to be met and how you can help you child meet those needs in a more appropriate manner.
-
SNOWGA: Yoga and Mindfulness for Kids
Join us for some Snowga! Christine Davis of Rooted Warriors Yoga will teach useful yoga and mindfulness practices for children.
-
Speech Articulation
Speech articulation can be a very trying thing to work on at home. It seems that it is harder for kids to qualify for services now. If my child exhibits speech errors, what can I do to model and work on these skills at home? What resources are available to me? Join us to learn the ins and outs of speech articulation and how to help ease your child's frustration with not being understood.
-
Stay Calm and Flush On: Potty Training
-
Sweet Dreams: Infant and Toddler Sleep
Sleep Baby Infant and Children's Sleep Consultants will be presenting on how to set even the youngest of children up for good sleep. They'll discuss how to encourage self-soothing, why independent sleep is important, and how to make that happen. They'll also share about the importance of the sleep environment. A question and answer session will also be available at the end.
-
The Importance of Play
Join Ashley McLaren, Wentzville Parent Educator, for this Virtual Parent Group. We will be discussing the importance of play, and breaking down by age, activities that will encourage your child to practice specific skills throughout their early developmental years. This group is broken down into three age ranges: birth to 12 months, 12 to 24 months and 36 months and older.
-
Trauma and Behavior
Childhood trauma and stress can affect a child’s brain development, social-emotional development, overall development, and health. Trauma can have a large impact on behaviors. Have you wondered about ways to encourage your child to be more resilient? Would you like to know more ways to support self-regulation? Stacey will discuss behavioral responses to trauma and exploring coping strategies.
-
Why Read? Birth through Age Five - Part 1
Part 1: Birth Through Age 5. Lisa Greening from Turn the Page STL will be chatting with us in a two-part discussion about why reading to young children impacts the rest of their lives. Reading aloud to young children builds their vocabulary, strengthens brain development, improves school readiness, and can encourage lifelong learning. Lisa will share with us the Three "T"s of reading: tune in, talk more, and take turns. Come learn more about how sharing books with your young ones can set them up for lifelong success.
-
Why Read? Teaching a Child to Read - Part 2
Part 2: Teaching a Child to Read. Lisa Greening from Turn the Page STL will be chatting with us in a two-part discussion about why reading to young children impacts the rest of their lives. Reading aloud to young children builds their vocabulary, strengthens brain development, improves school readiness, and can encourage lifelong learning. Lisa will share with us the Three "T"s of reading: tune in, talk more, and take turns. Come learn more about how sharing books with your young ones can set them up for lifelong success.