Why Playgroup? Its hard to know what to commit to, when so many pre-school programs are available. But as a parent of 3 teenagers, I look back now and can vouch for the local playgroup hands-down. It hooked me into a local network that was only a pram push away. Over the years we got to know each - a type of 'in the trenches' type friendship that grows through doing time together. Week in, week out, you can't pretty up a toddler tantrum or hide the shattered look from a sleepless night. Pretences eventually drop and there you are comrades with toddlers in arms. I made some life-long friends that even if I don't see them so much now, they would drop sticks and come if I called. Belly-laughs and tears, we've shared them all. Today our children are still catching up with some of their mates they made through playgroup, and the great blessing is, most of them are in walking distance.

If you want to hook up with a playgroup in your area, go to playgroupwa.com.au

FamilyWorks comes to Playgroup  Sharon has recently been attending a few different playgroups around Perth to help support parents with a range of challenges in those first few months. If there are a bunch of you in a mothers group or playgroup that would like a visit - contact Sharon - she can present strategies to address a variety of early parenting issues or simply visit and respond to your questions. 

Is your child calm, focussed and learning? Children are exposed to all sorts of stimulation in their environment, both positive and challenging. How your child deals with their environment depends on your child's capacity to self-regulate. Stimulation can come in all shapes and sizes that stir a different responses in a child's thinking, feeling and body. For example, one child might find loud music energising, another might find it overwhelming. Even though a child may be raised in a similar setting as a sibling; they may well have differing abilities to understand and manage strong emotions and impulses. 

Protecting children from excessive stress and helping them to manage strong emotions provides a foundation for healthy development and learning. Check out this short video by Dr Jack Shonkoff.