It’s that time of year again! Summer is coming to an end, and we are transitioning back to school.

Hear from one of our wonderful fathers who use our services at Annie's Place!

Kait is excited to join the team at Mommies in Need as a play therapist. Play therapy is the developmentally appropriate way to engage children in therapy. Just as adults typically attend talk therapy using spoken language, children use play as their language and toys as their words.

As you get settled in the new year, there are likely old and new stressors that affect both you and your children. Sometimes people show no reactions to stress, other times you may see significant change in behavior within yourself or you child. Here are some common changes you may see:.

After two weeks of fun, family, and relaxation, it can be difficult to return to the school day routine. Below are some ideas of how to support your child (and yourself) in the transition back to your school schedule.

This can be such an exciting time for families- seeing family members, giving and receiving gifts, and specifically time off from school. Time off from school may mean sleeping in, more screen time, more family time, and less following a schedule. We are here to suggest that keeping kids on a schedule, even during their holiday break, may be beneficial for their development and returning back to school in January.

In this season of thanksgiving spend time teaching your children about gratitude. Studies have shown that gratitude is linked to happiness in children by age 5! In preteens, research shows grateful kids tend to be happier, more optimistic, and have better social support. In teens, research on gratefulness shows grateful teens are more engaged in schoolwork, use their strengths more often, are more satisfied with their lives, and have better grades. We all want happier children and one way to instill happiness may be by teaching gratitude.

‘We live here, we give here,’ is mantra of coalition of realtors aiming to make a difference.

The six like-minded (“like-hearted”) Coldwell Banker realtors with a purpose who comprise the Dallas area’s Live Local Group are on a mission to ignite kindness while serving others. Bringing that fire to Mommies In Need, the women of the Live Local Group are encouraging their communities to help families access healthcare by helping Mommies In Need offer safe, loving, free childcare.

This school year may look different for your kiddos, so it’s important to start talking about it now. Dr. Sara Weeks discusses ways to set expectations, acknowledge your child's feelings, and practice your back to school routine in her latest Play Therapy blog post.

For nonprofits, monthly gifts provide a sustainable, predictable base of support to help with long-term planning. For donors, recurring gifts spread the impact of the gift over the course of the year, making the commitment more manageable.

You may be familiar with Comerica as a fantastic banking partner for your family and your business, but for Mommies In Need, this company is known as an important collaborator in our mission to serve families. With the help of Comerica, Mommies In Need is able to provide safe, loving childcare so that families may access the healthcare they need. To date, the financial services organization has provided financial support totaling more than $100,000.

If you’ve already played Candyland with your kids 800 times (or it just feels like it!), read on. Sara Weeks, the play therapist at Annie’s Place, has a few helpful ideas for beating boredom this summer.

In its mission to care for kids so families can access healthcare, Mommies In Need is collaborating with another North Texas nonprofit organization, Magdalen House, a recovery community for alcoholic women. Mommies In Need is providing expert, complimentary childcare to allow mothers to focus on their recovery and utilize the services and support Magdalen House offers while their children are in a safe, loving environment.

For the second time in six years, Tinashe Mabvundwe received a scary and life changing diagnosis of cancer. But this time, he has two more reasons to worry: three-year-old Zahara and two-year-old Zion.

Playing catch. Manning the grill. Changing a tire. These are a few stereotypical things that come to mind when we think about a dad’s role in the family. You may not immediately associate fathers with feelings. But studies have shown how dads play an important role in fostering a child’s emotional intelligence.

On Mother’s Day, we celebrate the selfless heroes in our children’s lives, and each and every one of you moms and mother figures deserves a big thank you! Thank you for the sleepless nights, the lunches packed, the planning and worrying, and most of all, the love that you share with your children every day.