Friday, March 14, 2014

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

This post sponsored by The Motherhood, in cooperation with United Way of Allegheny County & partnership with The Fred Rogers Company and WQED.
Are you a good neighbor?
Do you have good neighbors?
Our family loves to take neighborhood walks and it is rare to find people hanging out on their front porches anymore - I miss that! But for many families evenings now mean sports or music practice, homework, the draw of TV and a million other things....everyone is really, really busy. Taking time to shovel a neighbor's driveway, or rake an elderly neighbor's yard, sending over a loaf of fresh bread, dropping off a crockpot of soup when a neighbor is sick, or just simply stopping to chat helps build great neighbors & neighborhoods.
We all know the BEST neighbor of all, and that was Pittsburgh's beloved Mr. Rogers. And in honor of his March birthday, some very special FREE events are happening that you don't want to miss!

On March 22, 2014, four YMCA locations across the Pittsburgh area will host a variety of fun, free, family-friendly activities to give children the opportunity to practice being neighborly. Daniel Tiger of the PBS series Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood will make his first Pittsburgh appearance as part of the event!

“’Be My Neighbor Day’ builds on the indomitable legacy of Fred Rogers, who for more than 40 years taught kindness, generosity and respect to thousands of children and families,” said William Isler, president, The Fred Rogers Company. “Like our new series Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, this event embodies the values Fred stood for and carries his timeless message to a new generation of children.”
Inspired by an episode of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, “Be My Neighbor Day” encourages neighbors to come together to help one another. Families will learn about acts of kindness, work together on craft projects to benefit their local communities, participate in YMCA Healthy Kids activities, and have the opportunity to meet Daniel Tiger.  
Additionally, in honor of Rogers’ favorite attire, families are encouraged to bring a new or gently worn sweater to the event. Sweater donations will be distributed to needy families throughout the region.
March 22, 2014 (times vary by location)
Visit www.bemyneighborday.org for more information and to register at one of four locations: Baierl Family YMCA (Sewickley), Western Area YMCA (Coraopolis), Penn Hills YMCA, or Thelma Lovett YMCA (Centre Avenue).  There is no cost to attend.

Tips for Being Neighborly

To help encourage neighborliness with your little ones at home, here are some tips inspired by the “Neighbor Day” episode of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood that will help show your children that doing something nice for their neighbors can be a rewarding experience that makes them feel good about themselves!  
  • Volunteer!:  Check out your local food bank, library or neighborhood park for opportunities for your family to contribute, whether it is going through your house with your preschooler and donating extra canned goods or old books  or helping plant brand-new trees!
  • Play outside and meet new people!:  Bring your young children for a fun visit at the neighborhood playground, so they can make new friends and interact with old friends, too!
  • Ask to help!:  When your family sees someone who might need a hand, offer it!  Work together with an elderly neighbor who needs extra assistance in their yard or even have your preschooler help take care of a friend’s pet while they’re away on an end-of-summer trip.  You can also just talk with your child about times when you helped someone in need.
  • Smile and say, hello!:  Sometimes the littlest things makes the biggest difference!  When you are walking through your own neighborhood with your kids, greet passing neighbors with a friendly smile and a “hello” – you might just brighten someone’s day!
  • Make Coupons for Giving: Help your child create homemade paper coupons for kind and helpful acts, like “a hug,” “help with household chores” or “reading a book to a younger sibling.”

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Don't forget that Thursday, March 20th is Mister Rogers Day and includes
FREE admission at The Children's Museum of PittsburghEnjoy a visit from everyone's favorite speedy delivery man, Mr. McFeely at 11:00 am.

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 #BeMyNeighborDay

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