Mentors Will Offer Tips About Raising Children

Thu., Sept. 25, 1997

Amy Scribner Staff writer

Children don’t come with instruction manuals, so the saying goes.

But a pilot program announced last week by Spokane County’s Washington State University Cooperative Extension office will try to give new parents in the Spangle, Fairfield and Rockford area a step in the right direction.

The volunteer-based ParentShare program has been in the works for more than two years, said county extension agent Chris Koehler, who will head up the project when it begins next month.

The program will pair new parents with experienced mentors to learn more about child-rearing.

WSU’s Cooperative Extension was asked to participate in this test of the ParentShare concept by Kansas State University, which put out a call for willing sites. Although the program could have been launched in any area within Spokane County, Koehler said she chose the region south of Spokane for specific reasons.

“This gives us a slice at both Liberty and Freeman school districts,” said Koehler.

“When you get down into that area of Rockford, Fairfield and Spangle, you realize these folks have to go to Spokane for everything,” she said.

“Spokane has a lot of people in the help profession, and many of the resources center around the population of the city. When you get to where the population is sparser, there’s not as much help.”

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: MENTOR TRAINING Parents willing to volunteer about two hours a week can apply to be a ParentShare mentor by calling the Cooperative Extension office at 533-2048. Applications are due by Tuesday, Sept 30. The four-part mentor-training program will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. every other Monday beginning Oct. 20 and running through Dec. 1. The meeting site will alternate between the Fairfield Presbyterian Church and the Rockford Methodist Church.

This sidebar appeared with the story: MENTOR TRAINING Parents willing to volunteer about two hours a week can apply to be a ParentShare mentor by calling the Cooperative Extension office at 533-2048. Applications are due by Tuesday, Sept 30. The four-part mentor-training program will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. every other Monday beginning Oct. 20 and running through Dec. 1. The meeting site will alternate between the Fairfield Presbyterian Church and the Rockford Methodist Church.

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