Resources

Parent Support

Parenting is the most important and challenging job there is! Children don't come with a manual but there is support available!

Great Start Family Coalition

Family Coalition Meetings- Meetings are held on the last Tuesday of the Month from 5:30 - 7:00 pm. Dinner is served at 5:30, discussion starts at 6 pm. Supervised care is available.   Location: 114 W. North Street, Owosso, Michigan.  See our full schedule at https://www.sresd.org/great-start-shiawassee/great-start-parent-coalition/

CDC Developmental Milestones

Skills such as taking a first step, smiling for the first time, and waving “bye bye” are called developmental milestones. Children reach milestones in how they play, learn, speak, act, and move.

 If your child is not meeting one or more milestones, has lost skills he or she once had, or you have other concerns, act early. Talk with your child's doctor, share your concerns, and ask about developmental screening. 

The CDC has a free milestone checklist to help you learn more about how your baby is developing at https://www.cdc.gov/act-early/milestones.

Zero to Three

Infants and toddlers are ready to absorb new information, environments, and love from their caregivers. Zero to Three has resources for parents and grandparents to support them in promoting their children's growth and development in both English and Spanish at https://www.zerotothree.org/resources/for-families/.

Parenting Classes

Catholic Charities

Parenting Classes - In Person 

• Catholic Charities offers parenting classes on a rolling schedule. They can be reached at 989-723-8239.

Great Start Family Coalition

Make Parenting A Pleasure - In Person 

• Make Parenting a Pleasure (MPAP) is a training program that promotes family resilience by bringing parents together to share and normalize their parenting experiences, learn about typical early childhood development and parenting strategies, develop a support network, and learn about other community resources available to them. Classes are free for families. Free dinner & supervised care for children, infant to eight.  Programs are run twice a year, more information is available on the Great Start Family Coalition page at https://www.sresd.org/great-start-shiawassee/great-start-parent-coalition/

MSU Extension

Parent Classes - Virtual 

MSU Extension offers a variety of online parenting education classes. You can find a complete list of dates, times, and topics on their website at https://www.canr.msu.edu. Classes typically take place in the evening and are free.

• Online Guiding Principles for Highly Successful Parenting

Guiding Principles for Highly Successful Parenting is a parenting series to help you explore ways that you can be highly effective in raising your kids to be successful in school and in life. This class is meant for parents of kids from toddlers to teens.

• Online Building Early Emotional Skills for Parents

Parenting stress? New baby in the house? Trouble with tantrums? Learn how to help your young child manage their strong emotions! Building Early Emotional Skills or BEES is a four-week class for parents and other primary caregivers of children 0-3 that teaches about how young children develop social emotional skills and helps give parents skills to deal with the stress of caring for children and help their children develop strong social emotional skills.

Need diapers?

Shiawassee County Health Department

• Who qualifies for Diaper Assistance?

Shiawassee County Residents meeting income eligibility or receiving TANF, SNAP, SER, or SSI. Must show a valid ID at pickup.

• How to get them:

Go to Shiawassee County Health Department, 149 E. Corunna Ave. Corunna, on the first Tuesday of each month between 10:00 am - noon.

• What will you receive?

Two packs of diapers per month while sizes and supplies last.  You may receive diapers for four consecutive months only per year.

MDHHS

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) has a local diaper bank. They are located at 1720 E. Main Street, Suite 1. Owosso, MI 48867 (near Walmart).

• Who qualifies for Diaper Assistance?

Families currently on one of these programs:

Food Assistance, Medicaid, Child Day Care, or Cash Assistance and have a picture ID.

• How to get them:

Go to DHHS at 1720 E. Main St., STE 1, Owosso, Monday – Friday 8am-5pm

Ask the receptionist at the DHHS window for a Diaper Assistance Request Form.

Fill out the form and give it back to the receptionist with a photo ID.

**You must go to the county where you reside & your case is active in.**

• How often can you get them?

You may get diapers/wipes/ointment for your children who wear diapers for four months in a row, as long as you are active in one of the programs mentioned above. Do not skip a month, as you will not be able to get another month.

Example: The first time you come in for diapers is May. You can get them in May, June, July, and August. You cannot get them in any other months.