Oregon Parenting Education Collaborative Blog
By Megan McQueen Parenting educators, we have a gender problem. We didn’t create this problem, but we can help shift our classes and materials to become more inclusive. We need to include fathers in our parenting mindsets. I usually see mothers carrying the heavy load of caregiving work, research, and education in my social circles. […]
By Megan McQueen As an educator, I have worked with many people who have autism. No two of these people have been the same (of course). Sometimes there are common traits among them, but not always. Unlike other neurodiverse syndromes, I can’t just look up their condition to better understand them. I need to get […]
By Megan McQueen I spent many hours of my childhood learning about Filipino and Vietnamese cultures. I am white, but I grew up with close Asian friends. Most of these friends were first-generation Americans, so their family’s native cultural ways were still powerful. I learned from their grandparents that lived with them, even though we […]
By Megan McQueen Early in my career, I left work close to tears after listening to a heartbreaking story from a family. I called my sister, then a family counselor, and asked her how she handled challenging emotions after listening to others’ trauma. We talked through strategies that might help me separate myself from my […]
By Megan McQueen Young kids have notoriously short attention spans. As my 12-year-old prepares to babysit our toddler neighbor, we talk about the power of distracting him from an unpreferred activity. But sometimes, we don’t want our children to be distracted. Many of us wonder how we can help our kids lengthen their focus time […]
by Megan McQueen As educators, we are resources to connect our families with community services. Many times a family member has asked me for help finding services, or I’ve noticed a space in their life where I could support a connection with local resources – if only I knew where to turn. Hopefully, this compilation […]
By Megan McQueen Fall feels like a good time to reset our family routines. We are adjusting to new school schedules and still flush with delicious summer produce. There have been times that my kids have been less than enthusiastic about the food I have made. There are days that I don’t have the time […]
Mindful ways to create a positive environment in your parenting education classes. By Megan McQueen. As leaders of a class, we shape the culture and feel of our environments. Whether we meet online or in person, our energy can be contagious. When I take a moment before class to energize myself and ground myself in […]
Parenting educators share tips for finding fun and structure in our families this summer. By Megan McQueen. For many families, there is a whole different vibe to parenting in the summer. Our kids want summer to be epic and carefree. We need them to be cared for and occupied to continue our work. Sometimes I […]
One educator’s story with tips and resources for Pride month. By Linse Sullivan. I am monitoring lunch time, opening fruit snacks and talking with students. A kindergartener comes up to me and asks, “are you a boy or a girl?” While colleagues rush over with apologies and admonitions, I love that question. Kids are curious, […]