Hands for Growing
Growing Gardens, Growing Healthy Relationships

​"Teaching kids about healthy relationships is so important! Especially in this digital age.
This is such a great opportunity for 6th, 7th & 8th graders in our community! They learn how to create/maintain healthy relationships and spot unhealthy ones, then literally bring home the fruits of their labors." 
-from the mom of two Hands for Growing participants

​Summer time fun!
May 29- ?, 2020
As with every other activity that normally includes a group of people meeting, Hands for Growing will be different this summer. Our plan at this time is to begin at the end of May with an introductory video that participants can watch before May 29, and then gather via Zoom for a virtual meeting. Kids who have registered will have received a "home kit" of a planting pot, soil and seeds to begin their piece of the garden. 
At this time plans are still being made and updates will be added as soon as possible. We are venturing into new territory and are open to suggestions and feedback. It seems fitting that Hands for Growing will be experienced differently this year as many relationships are also being experienced differently. Together we will explore this new way of being and enjoy the ride, wherever it takes us!

Hands for Growing is a fun,hands-on experience for young people who will be entering 6th, 7th or 8th in the coming school year. We learn skills needed to grow a healthy garden and relate those to skills needed to grow healthy relationships. For example, some of our topics are: Good Foundations, Boundaries, Identifying Signs, and Handling Conflict.

​Young people who have participated in the past have been very positive about their experience and often return for a second and third year. We use games, creative activities, and discussions - as well as gardening, of course

You can REGISTER RIGHT HERE,  or call Pat, 254-2828, to have one mailed to you.

Hands for Growing is open to kids who are not members of St. Patrick's also...so invite your friends to sign up!

Follow us on St. Patrick's  Facebook

​​Hands for Growing is a partnership of St. Patrick's and DOVES.

---

This is our usual outline, this summer's outline will change to reflect our changed times and circumstances.
​
A look at the topics :

* Week 1,  Initial Garden Site Meeting, Introductions
* Week 2,  - Good Foundations
* Week 3,   Boundaries
* Week 4,   Handling Conflict
* Week 5, Thugs and Bullies
* Week 6, Identifying Signs
* Week 7,  R-E-S-P-E-C-T
* Week 8,  Oh, the Pressure!
* Week 9, Getting By With a Little Help From Our Friends
* Week 10,  Ways Gardening is Like Dating
* Week 11,  - See How Our Garden Grows
* Week 12,   Shifting Gears and Evening Family Celebration

And...Hopefully Never! - Disaster Strikes - What do we do if the garden gets hailed out or otherwise destroyed? What do you do if a relationship "gets hailed out"?
We have had to break out this session in past years.