Are you a stressed-out, overwhelmed, overworked, tired and under-nurtured mother of a child with ADHD, ADD, OCD, SPD, PBD, FASD, Autism, PDD, or any number of other brain-based differences that lead other people to judge your parenting, make you second-guess yourself, challenge your marriage, and keep you up at night worrying incessantly about your child?
If so, then look no further for a soft place to land. The Happy Mama Conference and Retreat weekend getaway has been created especially for you!
The Happy Mama Conference and Retreat is a weekend away for moms of children with special needs, created by moms of children with special needs. Not just a spa weekend, not just an educational conference, not just a moms-only weekend away – it’s all three rolled into one. We want to help you gain community with other mothers who share your questions, concerns, worries, and fears. We want to provide education to help you advocate for your child and yourself, and to give you the tools to re-discover your own happiness. We want to nurture you with a beautiful setting, wonderful food, and fun, relaxing activities. We want you to be happy, mama!
The Summer, 2012 inaugural Happy Mama Conference and Retreat will be held at the Rock Barn Club and Spa in Conover, North Carolina, on July 28th + 29th. We hope to see you there!
Schedule of Events
Friday, July 27:
Early arrival. Stay at the Rock Barn Golf & Spa (in town homes, space is very limited, only 8 rooms left) or in nearby Holiday Inn Express. See Conferene Registration page for complete details. Please note that accommodations are not included in price of Happy Mama Conference & Retreat.
Saturday, July 28:
9:30 a.m. Check-in and registration for give-aways.
10:00 a.m. “Welcome!” by Adrienne Ehlert Bashista, co-editor of Easy to Love but Hard To Raise: Real Parents, Challenging Kids, True Stories.
10:30 a.m. Ice-breakers/Let’s get to know each other!
11 a.m. “Parenthood, Stress, Health, and Resiliency”, by Dr. Daphne Timmons, experienced clinician for children and adults and certified parent trainer through CHADD
12 p.m. Break
12:15 p.m. Lunch and give-aways
1:30 p.m. Jill Critchfield, Nationally Board Certified Exceptional Children’s Teacher and Educational Advocate: “Advocating For Your Child in School,” and Q+A
3 p.m. Break + more giveaways
3:30 – 5 p.m. Kristin McClure, MSW, LCSW, Family + Child Therapist: “How to Be Happy: Calming Techniques for You and Your Child.”
5 – 6:30 p.m. Break (on or off site)
6:30 – 8 p.m. Dinner + Mingling
Sunday, July 29
a.m. – breakfast on your own
10 a.m. Fun activities! These may include spa treatments, relaxing by the pool, gem mining, hiking, yoga, horseback riding, or kayaking. Some of these activities may be at the individual’s expense.
Register NOW to reserve your spot at the conference. Early Bird price (through May 1, 2012) is $104, which includes all lunch, dinner, break, and beverages the day of the conference. Mini-spa treatments and activities on July 28th will have extra cost, which we are trying to keep minimal (and will hopefully find a sponsor for!). We have 2 choices for lodging, the lodges at the Rock Barn ($115 per night, very limited) or Holiday Inn Express nearby ($85-105 per night through our conference discount, details on the conference website). Please see registration page for complete details about pricing, what's included, lodging, etc.
So far, we have commitments from several of the {a mom's view of ADHD} bloggers to attend. Jill Critchfield will be speaking on Advocating for Your Child in School; Adrienne Bashista will give our Welcome; Kelly Miller will drive over from central North Carolina; Pamela Hutchins is traveling in from Texas; Kay Marner is traveling in from Iowa; Annette Gumm is coming from Washington D.C.; and Melissa Johnston is traveling in from New York. And our upcoming newest contributor, Amy Coffey, is helping us plan this event and will attend as well. Of course, I'll be there too!
I am so happy about this weekend, I could run in circles and squeal with delight.
I. just. can't. wait!
Won't you join us? Jump over to the conference website and registration page now.
*** Help us spread the word about the conference and retreat too. Download our flyer and post it around your town. Or share our Sponsorship Package with someone you think might make a donation to ensure our event is a success (please email us at happymamaretreat@gmail.com to request a sponsorship package). ***
~Adrienne, Amy, and Penny