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NEWS | Nov. 20, 2014

Parents, children find outlet through 'Baby and Me' class

By Senior Airman Kimberly Nagle 633rd Air Base Wing Public Affairs

The sound of small giggles and scooting bottoms fill the room as parents and their young ones enter the Soldier and Family Assistance Center's Baby and Me Playgroup class at Fort Eustis, Nov. 18.

The Baby and Me Playgroup offers children and their parents a way to learn new skills from the instructors, guest speakers and each other, in addition to giving children a way to learn to socialize with other children and adults.

"The class is an outlet for the parents to mingle with other parents," said Sharon Rector, Army Community Service community readiness consultant. "We also want the class to help in developing socialization skills for the babies."

Throughout the year, guest speakers from the Family Advocacy, New Parent Support and Employment Readiness programs come in to teach various life skills, said Rector.

The ACS hosts the class throughout the school year, between September and June, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. The class is on a walk-in basis.

During the class, the children are given the opportunity to interact with others their age, playing with a wide variety of toys, books and other items.

Nurses from the FAP New Parent Support Program visited one of the classes and spoke to the group about shaken baby and sudden infant death syndromes. They provided pamphlets and a presentation for the parents, followed by an opportunity to ask and answer questions in hopes to inform the parents of things they might not know.

For more information about the class, contact the FAP at 878-0807.