Oregon Parenting Education Collaborative Blog
By Megan McQueen As a parent of two teens, I am very familiar with the changes in our relationship since my kids have grown older. I have shifted into more of a coaching role and less of a director. There is no warning that kids are ready for a different dynamic. We, as caregivers, need […]
Authors: Guadalupe Díaz Lara, Cesiah A. Vega, Wendy Ochoa & Lucia Alcalá As early care and education programs including preschool classrooms continue to deal with the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, many parents are understandably hesitant to take their young children back into the classroom. Although we want to encourage parents to do what […]
By Megan McQueen For many people, finding community with others with a common identity is a helpful way to bond. A sense of camaraderie and pride can create an empathetic, vulnerable, and informative culture. Disability Pride Month has been celebrated in many forms in July after the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). […]
by Megan McQueen Many kids are exploring their gender identities, and caregivers may have questions about how best to support them. Centering safety and love for our families can help parents stay in relationship with their kids as they navigate new identities. Our classes and connections can become a safe place for families to learn […]
by Megan McQueen A six-year-old I know defines family as “a group of people who love each other.” This simple and inclusive definition encompasses biological, adoptive, queer, “chosen,” stepfamilies, blended families, and more. Intentionally considering your family’s unique members and origins can help you be thoughtful of the gentle steps you can take to build […]
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 […]