Levis JCC Zale's Baby & Me "Blooming Babies" Class Fills Need in Community

BOCA RATON, Fla. - May 27, 2015 - PRLog -- The Adolph & Rose Levis Jewish Community Center in west Boca Raton is celebrating another year of successful Baby & Me “Blooming Babies” graduates as part of the Levis JCC Betty & Marvin Zale Early Childhood Learning Center (http://levisjcc.org/family/early/). The extremely popular free program for moms and their babies (age birth to five months) first launched six years ago and since then, thanks to the guidance and program development of parenting expert Marianne Bennett-Altschul, has graduated 240 mommies and 240 babies. All classes are held at the Levis JCC Zale Early Childhood Learning Center and are designed to create a calm, educational and happy environment for parents and their babies.

According to Program Coordinator Kim Greenbaum, Blooming Babies has become a real gift for new moms. “It’s an opportunity for moms to meet other new moms,” she added. “It’s a safety net type environment for them and ultimately a great introduction to the JCC’s many other child-focused programs.”

Bennett-Altschul attributes the success of the program to a need in the community that wasn’t being filled adequately. Blooming Babies was initially started in recognition that new parents experience challenges that are not being sufficiently addressed in today’s communities. “While in ancient societies, new moms were sheltered and cared for by grandmothers, aunts and cousins, today often new parents are isolated and living far away from family,” Bennett-Altschul said. “There is a real need to provide meaningful, honest, and supportive information and education to these parents, and I believe through Blooming Babies we are doing that very well.”

Bennett-Altschul went on to say that modern mothers are also facing the stress and complications of often being home for the first time in their lives. She admits to frequently meeting new mothers who are well-educated, professionally successful, and financially independent but are now entering a new world where they are alone at home caring for a newborn baby that requires an entirely new and different set of skills. “Our group seeks to provide meaningful, honest, truthful and sister-like support to new mothers in the midst of a very complex lifecycle transition,” Bennett-Altschul added.

While participating in the free Blooming Babies classes, moms can use the JCC’s sports and wellness center on the Jewish Federation’s campus at no charge. The program is sponsored by the West Boca Medical Center.

About Blooming Babies
Blooming Babies is a complimentary eight-week program that welcomes moms and their new babies (birth to five months) and serves as a support group for parents. Thanks to Blooming Babies, which is sponsored by the West Boca Medical Center, new parents are offered coping skills and techniques. In addition, Blooming Babies has provides a network of emotional support and wonderful new friendships. Blooming Babies takes place at the Levis JCC Zale Early Childhood Learning Center on the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County’s Boca Raton campus at 9801 Donna Klein Blvd, Boca Raton, FL 33428. Learn more at http://levisjcc.org/family/early/bloomingbabies/ or contact Kim Greenbaum at 561-852-3286.

In addition to the Blooming Babies program, the Levis JCC Zale Early Childhood Learning Center offers full-time and part-time programs for children ages two to five with a curriculum focused on building the skills that are necessary for children to become great problem solvers, successful students and lifelong learners. Learn more at http://levisjcc.org/family/early/.

About Marianne Bennett-Altschul
The Levis JCC’s Zale Blooming Babies program is facilitated by Marianne Bennett-Altschul, who has over 15 years of experience providing psychological, emotional and spiritual counseling. She has led numerous supportive, mutual aid and psycho-educational groups in various settings. Marianne earned her B.S.W. and graduated Summa cum Laude from McGill University in Montreal, Canada, and received her M.S. from Columbia University in New York City. She obtained post-graduate training from the Ackerman Institute of Family Therapy and extensive post-masters group facilitation training in NYC. Marianne is currently in private practice and is also an adjunct professor at Florida Atlantic University’s School of Social Work. In addition, she is a certified Kundalini yoga and meditation instructor. Marianne is a wife (to Eric) and mother of three children: Sydney (15), Eli (13) and Sam (6).

Key Topics of Discussion:

·         10-Point New Baby Coping Guide

·         How to Soothe a Crying Baby

·         Baby Blues and Postpartum Depression

·         Back to Work Issues

·         Childproofing Your Home

·         How to Get your Baby to Sleep

·         Baby Massage

·         Mother’s Health

·         Chat with a Pediatrician