1. Parent Involvement
Parent’s Committee
The committee is a
We want you to become an great opportunity to
active part of the decisions we show the leader you May, June, July 2011
make in Early Steps of SWFL . have inside and get
We are working on creating a prepared for the
future, understand
RESOURCES
Parent’s Committee, formed of
course for the parents of our policies and learn
children in Early Steps. how to grow along
Special points of interest:
with your child.
The Parent Committee will
Early Steps is one of the  Share your story with Early Steps
meet once a month with the
participation of the Program BE A LEADER FOR YOUR FAMILY
Director “Trina Puddefoot” ,  Family Café. Requirements to
apply
Family Resource Specialist
“Eliana Tardio” and others that first steps parents take along
the Committee considers that the parenting journey full of FOR INFORMATION  Download the application for
challenges, and from my The Family Café at our page in
need to be part of the team. facebook
perspective is the greatest Please contact me:
If you want to be considered to opportunity to learn and turn www. Facebook.com/earlystepsSWFL
participate, please contact me. yourself from a parent to a Eliana Tardio
Your input is very important for parent’s advocate. Family Resource Specialist
us and we need more parents to
Information is the key, don’t elianatardio@hpcswf.com
get involved to improve
services for children with special miss the opportunity to be part (239) 433-6700 # 224 Online resources :
needs. of your child’s growth!
(239) 919-4295 Free Potty Training
IPOD - IPAD app.
Potty Training
POTTY TRAINING FREE RESOURCES Concepts
If you are in process of “Potty
Training” your child, these are
some very good resources for For the ones that
free, available online. If you don’t love technology ,
Download the app Also visit:
have access at home DON’T’
FORGET you can always visit for free at
http://
your library ! www.pottytrainingconcepts.
http://itunes.apple.com/app/
pull-ups-igo-potty/ com/
http://www.pull-ups.com/na/
potty_training_dvd.aspx id386335120?mt=8
FREE POTTY TRAINING

2. Page 2
Parent Involvement
FAMILY CAFÉ SCHOLARHIPS FROM EARLY STEPS OF SWFL
Becas para el Family Café
Early Steps will be providing 8 scholarships for our active families in the program.
As we have very limited funding, families interested in participating need to meet the following requirements:
- Be first time participants of the Family Café
- Child should have a significant delay or an established condition
- Be available to participate at the Early Wishes Conference to be held Friday, June 3 from 1:30 to 4:00
If you meet all the requirements, please contact your FRS to request an application or download it from our
facebook page www.facebook.com/earlystepsSWFL.
The due date for receiving the application is May 16th, 2011.
If approved, a check of $ 250.- (two hundred and fifty 00/100 dollars) will be handed to you in person at the Family
Café event, Friday, June 3rd, before the Early Wishes Conference.
Please mail out the application to
Eliana Tardio
Family Resource Specialist
Early Steps
8961 DANIELS CENTER DR. SUITE # 401
Early Steps estará entregando 8 becas para nuestras familias activas en el programa.
Como tenemos recursos limitados, las familias interesadas en participar deberán cubrir los siguientes requisitos :
- Estar participando por primera vez en el Family Café
- El niño debe tener algún tipo de retraso importante en el desarrollo o condición establecida
- Estar dispuestos a participar en la Conferencia de Early Wishes a realizarse el
viernes, Junio 3 de 1:30 a 4:00 pm
Si usted cumple con todos los requisitos, porfavor contacte a su FRS para solicitar una aplicación o
descargarla desde nuestra página en facebook www.facebook.com/earlystepsSWFL.
La fecha límite para recibir la aplicación es Mayo 16, 2011.
Si se aprueba ,un cheque de $ 250.- (doscientos cincuenta 00/100 dólares) le será entregado en persona en el
Family Café éste Viernes, Junio 3, antes del evento Early Wishes.
Porfavor envíe la apliación por correo a :
Eliana Tardio
Family Resource Specialist
Early Steps
8961 DANIELS CENTER DR. SUITE # 401

3. Page 3
May, June, July 2011
FAMILIES..Tell us your Story
Early Steps is looking for Family  What was your child and family’s  How has your family become
Stories that share your positive life like before you began empowered since receiving
experiences with the Early Steps receiving services in your services?
program in your everyday activities, everyday routines, activities and
routines, and settings. The Family settings? Call your
FRS to
Stories will be used in public  What is your child now able to request a
awareness materials and might be accomplish since receiving Photo/
shared with other families, programs, services in your everyday Material
websites, and communities through- routines, activities and settings? Consent and
out Florida, and possibly nationally. a prepaid
 What is your family now able to envelope to mail out your story to
Some ideas for writing your Family accomplish since receiving the State Parent Consultant.
Story. services in your everyday
routines, activities and settings?
FAMILIAS.. Compartan su historia con nosotros
Pasos Tempranos anda en busca de
Historias de Familias que compartan  Como era la vida de su familia y
su experiencia positiva acerca de los de su hijo hasta que comenzaron
servicios recibidos por Pasos a recibir los servicios en sus
Tempranos en sus actividades rutinas diarias, entorno y
diarias. Las historias de las familias actividades?
seran compartidas con otras familias,  Que avances ha conseguido su
programas, paginas web, y hijo gracias a los servicios en sus
comunidades alrededor del Estado de rutinas diarias, entorno y Contacte a su FRS para solicitar
la Florida y posiblemente actividades? una forma de consentimiento de
nacionalmente.  Como se ha fortalecido su familia uso de material y fotografia y
desde que comenzaron a recibir recibir un sobre pre-pagado para el
A continuacion algunas ideas para los servicio en sus actividades envio de su historia al Lider del
escribir la historia de su familia. diarias, entorno y rutinas? Estado.
- Como
EARLY STEPS PLAYGORUPS are inclusive, Designed for caregivers & Children Birth to Five.
Playgroups help children learn valuable social skills such as sharing, taking turns, and interacting with their peers.
These skills help ready them for learning in a preschool setting. For calendars or more information
call your FRS or please visit us at :
http://www.hpcswf.com/EarlyStepsFamilies.asp
Los grupos de juegos son inclusivos, diseñados para niños de 0 a 5 años de edad. Ayudan a los niños a
aprender habilidades para desarrollarse en la escuela. Para mayor información visite la página web
o llame a su FRS .

4. Early Steps of SWFL
8961 Daniels Center Dr. Suite 401
Fort Myers, Fl 33912
Phone: 239-433-6700
Fax: 239-433-6703
E-mail: elianatardio@hpcswf.com
HANEN CLASSES
Our Speech and Language Pathologist, Jeremi
Grosser is excited to announce that she will be
CLASS # 2: For families with a child between the
starting some Hanen Classes in Naples/San Carlos
ages of 0 to 14 months of age. This class will have
area in May.
only 2 sessions that are just for parents. It’s an
There will be 2 separate informative class, targeting the “at risk” sort of kids
classes that will be based on diagnosis or being in the NICU or any other
running: reason that might be concerned about the child’s
language development and engagement.
CLASS # 1 : For families This class will be held In San Carlos area.
with a child between the
age of 15 and 36 months For more information please contact
with a communication
delay.
Jeremi Grosser MS,CCC-SLP
This class will involve 4
sessions that are just for the parents and 2 jeremigrosser@hpcswf.com
sessions where she will visit your home to video-
tape and do some coaching. We need 8 families for (239) 834-9631
this class en will be held in Naples.