Community Connect
Welcome to the seventh edition of Family and Community Services' e-newsletter.
ISSUE 7 • JULY 2009
E-news from Family and Community Services
Celebrating Mothers in Manurewa
Over sixty mothers celebrated being a 'mother' at a series of workshops held at three schools in Manurewa in early May 2009.
The workshops were organised by Linda Biggs, co-ordinator of the Manurewa Parents' Support Group – an initiative funded by Family and Community Services that supports parents in the area by providing a series of workshops on topics they select.
Linda Biggs said that the Celebrating Mothers workshop was one of the most successful of the year.
"For some women this session helped them realise how important they are in the family," she said.
The workshop looked at what it meant to be a mother and went through all the roles mothers cover – such as chef, chauffeur, mentor, cleaner, money manager, coach, role model - counting up to 24 different roles in one day. During the workshop, each participant drew a picture of her hand, cut it out, and wrote down five special things she does for her family (over and above the basics) and then the hand was used to provide a "pat on the back" for that person.
Linda said that feedback from this workshop was positive with parents reporting that it helped them feel more confident about what they knew as parents.
"One mother wrote to me that that being part of the parenting group helped her realise she was not alone as a parent."
At the end of the day each 'mum' received a Gainsborough toilet bag filled with shampoo, conditioner, body lotion and bath gel donated by Sky City and Grand Chancellor Hotels.
"The parents were really thrilled and excited to have something like this for themselves," said Linda.
Celebrating Mother's workshop participants.
