Every week the Chester Public Library hosts Lapsits for children ages birth to five years old. The group meets to sing and dance to songs, listen to a short story and then complete a craft. The event is part of the Randolph County Birth to Three Program. The grant based program provides information and activities about parenting skills, parent/child interaction and child development in order to help children enter grade school prepared to learn and succeed.
Memorial Hospital staff had the pleasure of providing the program on Tuesday, July 23rd. MH staff talked about visiting the doctor and how it may seem scary, but it really isn't. Amy Eggeymeyer, Utilization Management Nurse, presented a power point with images of equipment, people, and rooms they may visit at the hospital. The children then decorated face masks and tried on hair nets and gloves. Playing with some of the accessories they may be asked to wear makes it a little less scary when they need to do it for real. Mariah Bargman, Community Relations Coordinator helped each family assemble a first aid kit to take home. Bags and medication disposal kits provided by Southern Illinois Substance Abuse Alliance were included in the families' first aid kits.
Much fun was had by all and kids are now prepared for their next doctor’s visit and mom/dad can better mend bumps and bruises at home with their kits. Thank you to the Chester Library and Toni Dierks for putting on this event.