Young mothers enjoy Discovery Day

BANGOR – The second annual Discovery Day for pregnant or parenting moms age 21 or younger was held April 10 at the Maine Discovery Museum.

The free day of fun, exploration and support attracted 40 young moms and moms-to-be. Free child care and transportation made attending the event possible for many of the young women, and the day served as a way for them to learn about how to be the best parent possible for their children.

The day began with trainer and speaker Chris Trout providing the keynote presentation, “Stronger than you Thought: Using Your Strengths to Be Your Best.” The rest of the morning had the moms participating in one of four workshops – Home Spa, Kids’ Cupboard Crafts, Kitchen Adventures and Poetry in Motion.

After a lunch break, the participants learned about the Maine Discovery Museum by forming teams and doing a scavenger hunt.

The response from the young mothers in attendance was overwhelmingly positive.

One mom said, “I had so much fun and met some really great people. I hope to bring my child here someday so she can have as much fun as I had. The speaker inspired me to think about the positive side and not the negative side. So I will have faith and be stronger, and succeed in life as a new mother.”

Discovery Day is organized by the Parents Are Teachers, Too Coalition, consisting of the Acadia Hospital, Bangor Public Health Nursing, Bangor Region Partners for Health, DHHS Public Health Nursing, Good Samaritan Agency, Maine Discovery Museum, Penquis Parents are Teachers Too, Penquis Dispute Resolution Center, Penquis Health Services, Rape Response Services, River Coalition, Spruce Run and UM Penobscot County Cooperative Extension.

Discovery Day sponsors are the Acadia Hospital, Bangor Region Partners for Health, Bangor Hydro, Grace United Methodist Church, Maine Discovery Museum, Maine State Troopers Foundation, Maine Women’s Fund, Montes International Catering Inc., PATAWA Women’s Club, Penquis CAP, Parents Are Teachers Too, Unifirst Corp. and University of Maine Alpha Phi Omega Service Fraternity.

Many local businesses have donated free passes or reduced cost coupons to encourage and support the young families’ involvement in a variety of community activities.