Melrose Education Foundation Launches Series of Free Workshops For Parents and Caregivers

The Melrose Education Foundation is launching Parent U, a series of virtual workshops and conversations created to support Melrose parents and caregivers. The workshops and conversations will be facilitated by members of our very own community who are experts on topics such as education, parenting and support. Parent U will be presented virtually in January and will be free to all, thanks to the generous support of our local community. To register for Parent U, visit tinyurl.com/parentujterm2022.

Workshops will be presented via Zoom and offered over the course of the next several weeks during varying days and times. The Melrose Education Foundation website melroseedfoundation.org offers the complete Parent U schedule, and descriptions of each workshop can be found below.

Waiting for the Light to Come Back - Supporting Depressed and Anxious Teens
Heading into the darkest winter months, especially in the pandemic dark winter season, anxiety and depression are most likely to rear their ugly heads. Dr. Lisa Coyne will speak to us about how to recognize anxiety and depression in our teens, discuss best practices to support them, and give guidelines for when and how to find help.

When: January 4, 7p.m.
Presenter: Dr. Lisa Coyne, PhD, New England Center for OCD and Anxiety and Harvard Medical School
Target Audience: Grades 5+

An Evolving Understanding of Gender
Our understanding of gender is changing. Caregivers and children are challenged by things that can feel unfamiliar. During this session of Parent University, we will explore current thoughts on gender and how to provide children with the information they need as they navigate a world that can look very different from the one in which their parents grew up.

When: January 18, 7p.m.
Presenters: Bert Whittier, published writer and lifelong resident of Melrose .
Target Audience: Every grade/age

The School of Hard Talks:
Parenting a teen or young adult can be hard. Sometimes, it seems like everything you say is wrong. The School of Hard Talks is here to help. Presented by two of the creators of the site, you'll get tips for having more productive conversations with the teens or young adults in your life.

When: January 20, 7pm (90 minutes)
Presenters: Dr. Kelly English, PhD, MA Department of Mental Health and Dr.Emily Kline, PhD, Boston Medical Center
Target Audience: Grades 6+