Several months ago, volunteer Jean Schlittenhart, a registered nurse and graduate student, observed a need for some basic health and wellness training for the mothers at Anna Ogden Hall.  “Many women in the program have not had sufficient mothering themselves,” Jean noted, “and are therefore a little unclear on how to proceed with their own children.”  In a desire to address that need and with the backing of a grant from Bank of America, Jean created the Mom and Tot Wellness and Illness Prevention Program.  The first two-day seminar was held in April and covered a wealth of information:  the importance of drinking water rather than pop or juice; good nutrition and exercise; how to take your child’s temperature and the treatment of minor illnesses; when to go to the doctor or emergency room. 

The multi-media presentation helped the moms to stay engaged, and Jean provided lots of opportunities for questions and answers about their specific concerns.  One mom’s comments represented the general feedback:  “I really appreciated the chance to focus on my son and his health.  I will be using my binder frequently for reference.  Thanks so much.” 

A special thank you to Jean Schlittenhart for taking the initiative to create this program and to Bank of America for providing the funding!