Family Enrichment at Baptism and Beyond

Welcome Your Child: Birth to Two Years Old
Welcome Your Child is a six-session program presented in three phases and designed as a ministry to families with children from birth to 2 years. It includes elements of marriage enrichment, parenting education and family faith formation. The program addresses these three areas through the integration of the teachings of the Christian tradition regarding marriage and family life with sound information about child development and practical skills which contribute to healthy marriages and good parenting.

• Phase I, "Welcome Your Baby," is usually offered as an accompaniment to preparation for baptism. These two sessions focus on the welcoming posture of the Church to families as they bring their children to baptism, the relationship adjustments couples make as they bring a baby into their lives, what they can expect as their baby grows through the first year, and the sacred dimension of their vocation to marriage and parenthood.
  
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• Phase II, "Welcome Your Toddler," is offered near the baby's first birthday. These two sessions address discipline from a Christian perspective and child development. Parents are invited to reflect upon their own growth and the importance of understanding the cycles of the marriage relationship as a normal and necessary process.
• Phase III, "Welcome Your Two Year Old," is offered as the baby is between 18 and 24 months. These sessions address the relationship between play and learning, the need for family rituals and traditions which create sacred space in family life, and the many kinds of intimacy couples can build and celebrate within their marriage.