Tag Archives: parenting support

Unconditional Love on Mothers Day – Big Time Love

Parenting, Principles, , , , , , , , , ,

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY to very special ladies, who loved us , nurtured, and shape our lives, including non-biological moms with Big Time Love.

A time of bonding and a foundation of future relationships; a vital part of early childhood development.
Big Time Love that never give up.
Happy Mother’s Day Mom. Thank you for loving and nurturing us.
Happy Mother’s Day – Love this Beautiful photo, Amy with mom Emiko Kessinger.

Thank You Mom for taking care of us while we grew in you, as you felt our movements, heard our heart beating, and brought us into this world crying and kicking.

Thank you for providing for our physical needs because we were too small to change our diapers and feed ourselves; we were little gems, great hopes, and aspirations to do big things in our lives.

Mom, thank you for not giving up on dad, my brothers, sisters, and me.  We know it was difficult and sometimes you wanted to call it quits and just walk out the door or walk off the face of the planet, but your Big Time Love persevered for us.

Thanks for teaching us to pray and know that with faith we can make our hopes and dreams a reality.

Thanks for the times you were pulling your hair because no one helped you and you were alone and crying.  And when when you were a single mom, thank you for not taking your frustrations out on me, we saw it coming many times but somehow you maintained your temper and you managed to love us through those toughest of times.. those blessings of grace and acts of courage were Big Time Love.

Mom thank you for not beating and hurting us, like when you were raised by your hurtful and harmful parents, your forgiving of grandpa and grandma is unconditional love.  We now understand how difficult is was for you to be abused yet you forgave and didn’t look back with bitterness in your heart.

Mom thank you for those times we know you wanted to go out with your friends or watch that special program but instead stayed to read and play with us.

Mom thanks for being lovingly strict with us as now we know why we had to obey; you wanted the best for us.  When we were little children, we thought you were the worst mom an enemy could send, but we were wrong, you were good preventive medicine.  We’re glad you held on to the medicine spoon and made us drink for our own good.

Mom thank you for the time I had to move back home because things were just not working out in my life, you took us back with your unconditional love and you were again there for us.

Thank you for teaching us that the material things in life are nice but our character and relationships are priceless that have everlasting value, it’s not the “bling” in the end that will make us sing.

Happy Mother’s Day!  We love you and your unconditional Big Time Love.

By Carl Okuyama

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My wife Amy’s mother’s name is Emiko and my mother’s name is Kiyoko.  Now, Amy is a grandmother and is helping nurture, love, and train our grandchildren, the next generation.

Free Days at National Parks – Parents and Children enjoying Earth and Nature

Events for Families, , , , , , , , ,

Enjoy our National Parks with the children, fun exploring, learning, and relaxing with the family.  America’s Best Idea – National parks – gets even better this year with several fee-free days at more than 100 national parks that usually charge entrance fees.  For more information visit:http://www.nps.gov/findapark/feefreeparksbystate.htm

*Fee waiver includes: entrance fees, commercial tour fees, and transportation entrance fees. Other fees such as reservation, camping, tours, concession and fees collected by third parties are not included unless stated otherwise. Free offers may change, please visit the National Parks for details. 

If you’re in Hawaii, visit the probably the most active Volcano in the world – Kilauea Volcano, part the the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.  The hot thing to do is visit a live lava flow.  It’s the coooolest thing you can do.

Real Hot, be careful… Aloha!

Volcano, Hawaii – Halemau’ma’u Crater, Hawaii Volcano National Park, Located on the Island of Hawaii  –  http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/

 

Professional Workshop on Helping Children – Parents, Inc. Hawaii, May 4 & 18

Classes, Events for Parents, , , , , , ,

This is an opportunity to enhance your knowledge on how to help children cope with difficult family situations. Starting at Home believes in preventing a divorce, however should it happen, knowledge to mitigate negative impacts are important to understand.

Workshop 1 (9:00am – Noon)
Understanding the Impact of Parental Divorce on Children and
Blended Family Issues
by Ms. Kathi Kreinik, MSW, ACSW, DCSW, BCD, LCSW

Workshop Content
The learning objectives for this workshop are to increase participants’ knowledge of the prevalence of divorce; how children feel, think and act when their parents divorce; and issues that stepfamilies encounter including parental authority, children’s acting out behaviors, family members’ feelings, thoughts, and actions; and how to make blended families work.

Speaker Bio
Kathi is currently retired after more than 40 years as a professional social worker. She has served as the Executive Director of both the NASW-Hawaii Chapter and Parents Anonymous, Hawaii. She also worked for the federal government in Family Advocacy. Her specialty is in the area of child abuse and neglect. Kathi has developed parenting and domestic violence curriculums, has taught parenting to thousands of parents, and has provided individual, couple, and family therapy to hundreds during her career. She is currently the President of the Board of Directors for P.A.R.E.N.T.S., Inc.

Workshop 2 (1:00pm – 4:00pm)
Understanding the Impact of Domestic Violence on Children
by Danielle Spain, Master of Counseling

Workshop Content
The learning objectives for this workshop include: increasing awareness of the effects of domestic violence on women, children and families; and one’s understanding of how the impact of domestic violence influences parenting and affects child development from perinatal through adolescence. Participants working in the helping professions will develop their competency in educating parents about the impact domestic violence has on their family system and will learn personal safety and self-care strategies to reduce potential danger and stress from working with families experiencing domestic violence.

Speaker Bio
Danielle has her Master’s in Counseling with emphasis in Marriage and family Therapy. Since 1999 she has been working with families afflicted by domestic violence. She and her husband are the parents of three biological children and 4 foster youth. She has extensive experience working with a number of social ills, including substance abuse, domestic violence and sex abuse. She is one of our Program Directors in East Hawaii.

Workshop Dates & Venues
Big Island Workshops: May 4 (Fri)
Address: Aupuni Center Conference Room, Rm 101 Pauahi St, Hilo, HI 96720
Oahu Workshops: May 18 (Fri)
Address: HawaiiUSA Federal Credit Union, 1226 College Walk, Honolulu, HI 96817
*Workshop content is the same in both locations.

Workshop Fees
$40 per workshop, $60 for both workshops
$30 per workshop, $50 for both workshops (for students)
Pricing is the same for Big Island and Oahu workshops.

For more information visit Parent’s Inc.’s website.

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Starts at Home thanks PARENTS Inc. for their support at a Starts at Home parenting pot-luck dinner program, teaching about child abuse and sex education. Their professional programs are well attended and is a excellent training program for child development professional and empowered parents. We wish them well and much success; it’s about our children’s successful future.

Class – Raising Your Kids Without Raising Your Blood Pressure

Classes, Events for Parents, , ,

For parents with children 4-40! Healthy families are not an accident. They are a result of wise actions and wise decisions by wise parents. Discover God’s 4 purposes for the family. Materials used are from Pastor Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church.

Class is taught by Gaye Chai, retired State of Hawaii, Keaau High School’s Parent Community Networking Coordinator. Gaye is a certified Parent Project teacher.

Thursdays, February 2, 9, & 16, 6:30 pm.

There is no cost or fees for attendees.

Glad Tidings Church, Green Room; 113 Kuawa Street;  Hilo, Hawaii 96720

For more information and reservations, please call Gay Chai at (808) 854-5177 or Glad Tidings Church (808) 961-0616.