Great Start Family Coalition

Great Start Shiawassee Family Coalition

Parents play a critical role in the healthy development of young children, ages 0-8.  Great Start Shiawassee recognizes the expertise and value of parents. The Great Start Family Coalition supports efforts to engage, empower and recruit parent leaders.

Family Coalition Meetings 

Join us at our next meeting to enjoy dinner and conversation with other parents. Fun learning activities for parents and children.

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 6pm. Tot watch is available.  Meeting details are located on the Great Start event calendar. Location: 114 W. North Street, Owosso, Michigan.

RSVP to Family Coalition Meetings 

Contact Us

To find out more information about the Great Start Shiawassee Family Coalition contact our

Great Start Family Liaison
Jennifer Babcock
989-725-2581
babcockj@sresd.org

Family Coalition Activities

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library - Children in Shiawassee County (ages 0-4) are eligible to receive an age-appropriate book in the mail each month.  Family Coalition members assist in signing children up for the program. Families can register at https://imaginationlibrary.com

Bus Book Buckets - Bus rides can be long for young children so the Coalition provides buckets of books to various school bus routes. The Coalition provides the books, volunteers stop in regularly to refresh the selection.

Story Walks - Families looking to explore the outdoors with their children will enjoy the Story Walks.  As they walk along the designated path they will find pages from a book, which they can read together. The walk at DeVries Nature Conservancy is a 1/8th of a mile or as far as your imagination can take you. The Story Walk at Camp Shiawassee is slightly longer but easily managed by young walkers. The stories shared on the Story Walks vary by season.

The Great Start Family Coalition also has mobile Story Walks available for use by non-profits and educational institutions.  Learn more on our resource page.

Great Start Resource Hub 989-725-2581
Car seat replacements made available through a grant from Wal-Mart and the Shiawassee County Health Department

Parenting Classes

The Great Start Family Coalition also offers parenting classes.  The next class will be offered April 10 - May 8, 2025. The program, called Make Parenting a Pleasure, focuses on children aged 0-8.

Topics will include:

  • Parents identify and discuss “Barriers” they may encounter
  • Parents identify the values and goals they want for their child, as they “pack their child’s suitcase”
  • Parents learn to support their children's emotional development through emotion coaching 
  • Parents learn to strengthen the parent-child relationship with “Positive Attention Through Play”
  • Parents learn about current brain development information and the “Effect of Stress” on child development

Register for Make Parenting A Pleasure

Great Start Shiawassee at Work

Toddler in stroller reaches from pamphlet being ready by another toddler.
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These materials are funded through a grant provided by the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential.

Little boy with magnifying glass looking for preschool

Join Us! Great Start Shiawassee Event Calendar

  • 24 April
    • Make Parenting A Pleasure Parenting Class
      Date: Thu Apr 24
      Time: 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM
      Location: Shiawassee RESD, 1025 N Shiawassee St, Corunna, MI 48817, USA
      Calendar: Great Start Shiawassee

      Thursday April 10th thru May 8th5:30-8pm.


      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.

      Topics Include:
      • Self care
      • Stress
      • Anger management
      • Communication skills
      • Positive discipline
      • Support emotional development
      • ...much more!

      Register at

      https://bit.ly/3KiJ0Si

  • 29 April
  • 1 May
    • Make Parenting A Pleasure Parenting Class
      Date: Thu May 1
      Time: 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM
      Location: Shiawassee RESD, 1025 N Shiawassee St, Corunna, MI 48817, USA
      Calendar: Great Start Shiawassee

      Thursday April 10th thru May 8th5:30-8pm.


      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.

      Topics Include:
      • Self care
      • Stress
      • Anger management
      • Communication skills
      • Positive discipline
      • Support emotional development
      • ...much more!

      Register at

      https://bit.ly/3KiJ0Si

  • 8 May
    • Make Parenting A Pleasure Parenting Class
      Date: Thu May 8
      Time: 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM
      Location: Shiawassee RESD, 1025 N Shiawassee St, Corunna, MI 48817, USA
      Calendar: Great Start Shiawassee

      Thursday April 10th thru May 8th5:30-8pm.


      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.

      Topics Include:
      • Self care
      • Stress
      • Anger management
      • Communication skills
      • Positive discipline
      • Support emotional development
      • ...much more!

      Register at

      https://bit.ly/3KiJ0Si

  • 27 May
    • Touch A Truck Planning - Great Start Family Coalition Meeting
      Date: Tue May 27
      Time: 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM
      Location: Early Childhood Learning Center, 114 W North St, Owosso, MI 48867, USA
      Calendar: Great Start Shiawassee
      Join us at our next meeting to enjoy dinner and conversation with other parents.  Meetings are held on the last Tuesdays of the month with dinner served at 5:30.  Tot watch is provided.

      Please RSVP at https://bit.ly/3X40vgo

 

 

 

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