F.U.N. Mothers' Club News

Giving Back

Tue, 10 Jul 2018 05:57:22 GMT

We are busy parents and often there isn’t enough time in the day to get everything done. Not for our own families, let alone worry about anything else that’s going on in the rest of the world.

Nonetheless, it is so important to give back to our communities and stay connected.

There are many reasons to involve young children in community service projects. For example as a way to reinforce the bond between families that volunteer together. It is also a great way to learn together. To teach young children, by example, how to care for others. That everyone has a responsibility to improve the community where they live. All this while they gain confidence in knowing they are contributing. There are many reasons to get young children started in Community Service Projects…

So where do we begin?...

FUN Mothers’ Club has a Community Outreach component for these, and all the other reasons we can think of.

We have many charitable initiatives that we tailor to our members AND their families. So they stay connected to the community with their time, skills, and generosity. We work together to benefit local causes and non-profit organizations #FUNMCgivesback:

THIS SUMMER we are teaming up with
Viola Blythe Community Services Center
Collecting school supplies to give to students in need.
Please consider donating through our Amazon Wish List

Other ways FUNMC connects with community...

Collections and Fundraising

We partner with other organizations and collect items accordingly League of Volunteers, Mended Little Hearts, Toys for Tots, Loved Twice...

Skills

We all have talents we team up with organizations that allow our children to use their skills for a good cause. We have an annual tradition to sing to the senior citizens at Masonic Home and have started bringing cheer by decorating greeting cards and distributing them to the residents. We’ve also partnered with LEAF center to help with gardening tasks.

Packing parties

These are great to get our littlest ones involved in helping out. We have hosted packing parties for the organizations we partner with including Loved Twice and Mended Little Hearts.

Speakers and Workshops

Along with our General Speaker series, we make it a priority to bring helpful resources to the community. This has come in different seminars that are open to the community. We keep members and others educated about important causes and parent-related topics including..

If you have volunteer opportunities, non-profits you love, or seminar topics you’d like to see us highlight, please get in touch! We love finding ways to keep everyone aware and involved.

We hope you will join us in our efforts to learn more, do more, and serve more.

Father's Day Celebration Event

Sun, 17 Jun 2018 16:51:57 GMT

Our first FUN Father's Day event was very memorable. The Monthly social team spent weeks planning to ensure dads had fun, felt involved, and honored.

At the event, the dads had the opportunity to mingle and talk with one another. The FUN Kids enjoyed the play structure and the outdoors. There were games, a trivia quiz, charades, and of course prizes for dads and kids! One of the prizes was given to the Dad and Lad with the best matching outfit, it was the matching shirt that put them over the top!

The Kids brought special cards, photo frames, pictures they drew, and gifted these treasures to their dads. The Dads were beaming with pride.

Father's day is a special day of the year and FUNMC appreciates all the hard work, love and guidance that dads give to the little ones. Thanks to our Member Families in Fremont. Union City, and Newark (FUN Families) for celebrating our Father's Day with us!

And special thanks to our creative board members Tina Chau and Geeta Masand, they make a great team. They planned this event to it's minutest detail. Bravo!

Disaster Preparedness Planning

Thu, 12 Oct 2017 03:38:05 GMT

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS PLANNING:
The many recent natural disasters have been very stressful, unpredictable, and caused a lot of damage. Personally, I have revisited disaster preparedness planning and updated our emergency kits. It is always a good idea to be prepared and develop a plan.

These tips have been compiled from several sources and I hope they will help you think about what will work best for your family.

Emergency Kits:
In the event of an emergency, you may not have much time to get your things together or to think about what you need.

Consider creating emergency kits that you can store in accessible locations, like your car, office, and somewhere central in your home.

Here are the two best lists that I found about what to have in your emergency kits:
https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/earthquakes/supplies.html
https://www.ready.gov/build-a-kit

You can find starter emergency kits online or in stores that you can build onto as needed.

Keeping important documents safe:
One personal suggestion that I have is to keep your important documents safe as this means one less thing to worry about.
Hard copies of key documents like passports, social security cards, birth certificates, Estate Plan, and real estate deeds, and your Estate Plan can be kept in a fireproof and waterproof container.

Additionally, you should have digital copies of these important documents available. These can be scanned then stored on the cloud through services like Dropbox. You can also keep a USB drive with digital copies of all the key documents with a trusted friend, family member, or in your safe deposit box at a bank, if you have one.

https://www.fema.gov/news-release/2015/11/18/keep-your-important-documents-safe-disaster

Make a plan with your family:
Have a designated place near your home or your neighborhood that your family will meet.
If you have children at school, determine with your partner or other guardian who will pick them up in the event of an emergency. It is important that whoever is picking up the kids is on the pick up authorization list with the school.
Make sure you all know this plan and have each family member’s phone number handy.
https://www.ready.gov/kids/make-a-plan
Stay safe and be prepared.

WAYS TO GIVE BACK TO VICTIMS OF NORTH BAY FIRES
With the rampant fires in the North Bay currently raging, there has been a lot of discussion about how best to help the victims. The need is great for in-kind and monetary donations.
Here are a few links about ways to give back:
http://time.com/money/4978071/napa-fire-donations-help-victims/
http://www.napavalleycf.org/fire-donation-page/
http://www.sfgate.com/local/article/how-to-help-north-bay-fires-napa-santa-rosa-12264095.php
http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/fires/article177964926.html

This post originally appeared at: https://www.liushairlaw.com/blog/2017/10/11/disaster-preparedness

Notes from the Kitchen

Sun, 30 Apr 2017 03:34:35 GMT

By Amy DeJesus, Newsletter Editor, newsletter@funmothersclub.org

Food. It’s what’s for breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner. Preparing meals, feeding your family and then cleaning up after you’ve eaten comprises a large part of each day. Planning meals, grocery shopping and visiting the farmer’s market take up more time out of every week. Like so many mothers, I have high aspirations and am eage r to provide a healthy diet full of fruits, vegetables and home-cooked meals. What I have found, however, is that good intentions can quickly run dry in the chaos of daily life.

There are currently many businesses offering services that are designed to help ease the burden of meal preparation and execution. Pre-planned meal and grocery delivery services abound, many advertising healthy gourmet food that will transform your mid-week meal into a glorious, hassle-free event. With the hope that they actually would improve our diet and cut down our list of daily to-dos, my husband and I went ahead an tried some of these services. Hopefully our experiences, shared below, will be of some help to those of you who are looking to do the same.

Blue Apron is the first meal delivery service that we decided to try, when we had only one 2 year old child. We opted for 3 dinners per week, each dinner designed to serve two adults. We chose the vegetarian and fish options; once a week we received a box containing all of the ingredients and recipes. Over the course of ten months, I was delighted to learn new methods of cooking flavorful, healthy food that filled the tummies of my husband, myself and even my toddler. There were occasional times when the ingredients we received had gone bad in transit or were not fresh to my standards. Blue Apron customer service always immediately corrected the situation by refunding our money and sending us complimentary boxes to make up for the inconvenience.

While I greatly enjoyed the Blue Apron service, I found that the cooking and prep time for the meals regularly ran an hour. Once I became pregnant with our second child and found myself floundering with all-day nausea and fatigue, we discontinued the service.

Gobble is another meal delivery service advertising meals that use fresh ingredients, pre-prepped so that they can be made in 10 minutes with only one pan. After the birth of our second son, we decided to give Gobble a try. We opted for vegetarian dinners twice per week, and utilized the service for about 5 months. There were times when it was extremely useful to open up the refrigerator to find a healthy meal sitting there, ready to be cooked and eaten, without much thought. Gobble also has some tasty soups that one can opt to purchase in addition to the meals; I regularly ordered those so that I could have a hot lunch for myself with a zap of the microwave.

Despite their advertising, Gobble meals took me about 25 minutes to prepare: far less time consuming than Blue Apron. Unfortunately there were some down sides to the service. I found Gobble boxes were not as well packaged, so the ingredients spoiled quickly and were more apt to be ruined in transit. Customer service was spotty and sometimes non-existent. And since some parts of the meals are pre-cooked, we didn’t receive complete recipes and couldn’t replicate items on our own (and were never quite sure of the complete list of ingredients of each meal). After receiving one too many boxes below our standard of freshness, we cancelled our subscription. I still miss those soups though!

Imperfect Produce is a produce delivery service that sells fruits and vegetables that don’t fit grocery stores’ cosmetic standards — crooked carrots, spotted or lumpy fruit, etc. – at significantly discounted prices. I was happy to find that they provide the option to customize your box so you don’t receive items you don’t want. There are weekly, bi-weekly and monthly subscription options. We ordered a medium sized mixed organic box (fruits and vegetables). The box we received was a mixed bag, in every sense. The summer squash, red bell peppers and green beans were excellent, better quality than what was available at the market. The oranges and apples were good, during a month where good fruit is difficult to find. However, the lemons we received were soft and a few had mold, and the kale was heavily infested with aphids, which was a deal-breaker for me. Yet at $25, the value of the organic produce we received couldn’t be beat by either grocery store or farmers’ market shopping, even accounting for the bad produce. Our takeaway: this is a cost saving way of keeping a refrigerator stocked with produce, so long as one is flexible about the type of produce and the need to pick through and discard some bad apples.

Whole Foods Delivery (via Instacart) offers a one month free trial period of grocery delivery. Worried that I would receive poorly chosen produce or groceries that were about to expire, I had been hesitant to try what is arguably the most straight forward service designed to help with meal preparation. After having a back injury that kept me off my feet for a week, my husband insisted that I sign up and helped by filling up a virtual cart with our staples. I customized the cart for the week and submitted our order.

The next morning I received text messages as our shopper Ken selected our groceries. When an item I had ordered wasn’t in stock, I was able to view and approve the replacement he had made before he executed the purchase. Delivery was prompt and was accompanied by a virtual receipt so that I could review my purchases to confirm everything was in order. Happily I discovered that the strawberries and avocados were carefully chosen and the meat and dairy items were fresh and not about to expire. What’s more, even after including a tip for Ken, I discovered that the cost of my groceries was a bit less than usual due to the fact that since I wasn’t wandering around the store with my children, I hadn’t made the usual impulse buys that plague my weekly shopping. My trial run for grocery delivery was a success.

I still consider returning to Blue Apron or one of their organic competitors, Green Chef or Sun Basket. I really enjoyed my experience of learning new ways to cook healthy, delicious food, and I appreciated having the ingredients for those meals on hand. However, I will likely wait until my littles are a bit older, as it’s a time commitment that I just can’t accommodate right now. In the meantime we will be signing on for a year of Whole Foods grocery delivery via Instacart ($150 annual fee for unlimited delivery, so long as the delivery is not too small (i.e. just milk and bread).

Hopefully our experiences are of help to those of you considering the same sort of services. Best of luck on your culinary and meal planning journey!

Volunteering for Personal Development

Sat, 02 Jul 2016 03:30:53 GMT

Most people don’t like to volunteer and statistics show that volunteerism is low everywhere. While it is hard to get people to volunteer but as a club we still spend a lot of time and energy to promote it. Why do we still promote volunteerism when it clearly doesn’t sell? Why is FUN Mothers Club still the only parenting club in the Tri-City to keep pushing volunteering and in person social interactions instead of just being like one of many other groups on Facebook?

Mothers often lose themselves in parenting. Being a mother can be all-consuming, demanding all around the clock, and draining. Upon becoming pregnant, many moms are more focused on preparing for the new baby that she seldom considers how to this transition impacts our personal growth. Sometimes we lose our identity in the pursuit of being a good mother and forget to be kind and take care of ourselves as a whole person.
There are many things moms can do to make ourselves happier, like making new friends, exercise, eat well, sleep well, and make time for ourselves. So how is volunteering important? Volunteering is a lot like exercise – it is good for you and an important ingredient to a healthy and happy life. Just like regular exercise, we hear the usual reasons that people don’t volunteer – they don’t have the time. The truth is, if you truly understand and realize the benefits, you would prioritize it and make the time!

 Volunteering helps you to make new friends and grow your social network.
One of the best ways to make new friends and strengthen existing relationships is to commit to a shared activity together. Volunteering is a great way to meet people who affirm you and inspire you as well. Also, by participating in your community, it helps you to feel you belong in the community and to stay informed of what is going on.

Volunteering helps you to develop new skills or further develop skills you already have.
Just because a volunteer position is unpaid does not mean that it is basic. Volunteering can help to build your resume. Many large corporate organization has a department dedicated to philanthropic work, and volunteer experience demonstrates interest in community and good citizenship. However, among the most valuable assets a volunteer bring is an open mind, a willingness to do what is needed, and a positive attitude. The only thing worse than not volunteering is being a resentful volunteer.

Volunteering provides a great example of empowerment for your children.
Children watch everything you do. By giving back to the community, you show them firsthand how to look beyond themselves and understand the role they can play in their community. Kids can learn how volunteering makes a difference and how good it feels to help others and enact change. It’s also a valuable way for you to get to know organizations in the community and find resources and activities for your children and family.

Helping others kindles happiness, as many scientific studies have demonstrated.
Volunteering has been proven to keep you from being socially isolated, build self-esteem, help you to focus on something other than your day-to-day, distracts your mind from negative thoughts, alleviate stress, and helps to combat depression. Volunteering has even been proven to improve cardiovascular health. Acting on your values and doing good for your community helps you to be happier and more confident. While social anxiety can often be a deterrent to volunteering, volunteering is actually a great way to help develop prosocial skills and build mental health.
What we do with our free time is a critical part of our personal development and growth, and when we don’t invest in ourselves, everything around us eventually suffers. Ask yourself: Do I want to:
…do something I’m good at
…make it better around where I live
…meet people who are different from me
…try something new
…do something with my spare time
…see a different way of life and new places
…have a go at the type of work I might want to do as a full-time job
…do more with my interests and hobbies

Parents Nights Out

Wed, 06 Jan 2016 04:24:18 GMT

Do you enjoy going on dates with your significant other but have small children to contend with? With some planning, you and your spouse can have 3-4 hours to spend with each other over uninterrupted dinner, a movie, or just some hang out time. Here are some local businesses in the Fremont, Union City, and Newark area that offer “Parents Nights Out” on some nights where you can drop off your child, pay a fee, let them have some party food and supervised fun while you and your honey have some alone time for a few hours.

Fremont

Bay Aerials 
Saturdays, usually once a month. Please check their website for dates and times. Members & Non-members welcome. Arts and Crafts, Pizza for dinner, fun in the gym all night! Trampoline, games, obstacles, races, bounce house and more!
Price: $30 for 1st Child, $25 for Sibling

Top Flight Gymnastics
Flight Night: Gymnastics, Games, and much more… Usually Saturdays @ 5:00 pm– 9:00 pm. Please check their events calendar. 4 hour of Gymnastics, fun games, bounce house and PIZZA! Non members welcome!
Pre Registered: 1st child $30 Siblings $15 At the door: 1st child $40 Siblings $15

Union City
Pacific West Gymnastics
When: http://pacificwestgymnastics.com/events-calendar/kids-night-out/
Pricing: $25 for the first child, $20 for each additional sibling
Enter promo code 5OFFSIBLING at checkout to receive the $20 sibling rate

Pump It Up Union City
First AND Third Friday of every month from 6:30pm – 9:30pm
There will be bouncing, games, and other fun filled activities. All this and a craft to take home.
$25.00 admission first child, $20 for sibling Pizza, drinks and snack are included.
For Parents’ Night Out the child must be at least 4ys of age to participate. Space is limited. Reservations required. Check our web site for additional required information. No Groupons or free passes accepted during this Special Event. You don’t need a party to play anytime at Pump It Up.

In case you feel like venturing out on date night in other parts of the Bay Area:
Alameda
Bladium http://bladiumalameda.com/youth-kids/bladium-kids

Color Me Mine http://www.alameda.colormemine.com/Kids.tpl?m=k Kids who are age 5 and up.arents should drop off their kids between 5:45 and 6:15, and then pick them up at 9:00 pm.

Ruby’s Tumbling. This gymnastics center in Alameda offers night care for three hours on select dates. Check on website for dates: http://www.rubystumbling.com/classes.html

Berkeley
Habitots Parents’ Night Out
Drop off your kids, 2-7 yrs, for play and fun while parents enjoy a movie or dinner out. $39 per child, $29 for siblings. Pizza for dinner included. Space limited. To reserve habitotreservations@lmi.net or call our Reservations Desk at 510-647-1111 x14.

Jewish Community Center East Bay
The JCC East Bay offers Parents’ Night Out one Saturday a month in Berkeley and Oakland from 5:30-10:00pm. Parents can drop their kids off at the JCC for an evening of their own, which the kids make dinner together, play games, and watch a movie.Please view the calendar for a list of dates for both Berkeley and Oakland branches. Register online. Cost: JCC East Bay Members: $35/+$15 each sibling; Non Members$45/+$25 each sibling For more information, please contact Sudha Darling at 510-848-0237 x128 or sudhad@jcceastbay.org.

Emeryville
Head Over heels Gymnastics
PNO happens on Friday nights from 6:00 pm – 10:30 pm and is for children ages 4* and up. http://hohathleticarts.com/special/pno

Oakland
Oakland Zoo
Age Requirements: Children ages 4 – 10 years old, must be potty trained.
Program Time: 5:30pm – 10:00pm (evenings) 10:00am – 2:30pm (daytime)
Availability: Fridays (evening only) Saturdays (evenings and daytime) and Sundays (daytime only). Program Fee: $45.00 per child and $30.00 for each additional sibling. Ratio and Capacity: 1 to 5 adult to child ratio.
To make a reservation, download the Parent’s Day/Night Out Request Form, complete and fax it to (510) 729-7324 or email it to the Education Programs Associate.

San Francisco
Acro Fun Night!
Fun playtime for kids ages 6-12!
When: every second Saturday of every month. Time: 6:30-10:00pm
Drop your kids at AcroSports for the evening and enjoy a Parents’ Night Out. Between the hours of 6:30-10:00pm, two AcroSports coaches* keep your kids active and entertained with organized games, Zipline, Bungee rides and a yummy pizza dinner!
Cost: $35 per child, all inclusive. (Maximum 25 kids)

Destination Art
Movie Nights
   •   2nd and 4th Fridays of each month
   •   6.30 – 9pm
   •   $15 for the first child and $25 for a family of siblings
Destination Art hosts Movie nights twice a month, typically the second and fourth Friday of each month. Children can be dropped off for an evening of arts, crafts, fun and games and a big screen feature film. We project a family friendly movie age appropriate for the youngest child attending. We also have a ‘big kid’ movie showing in a separate room. All children are welcome, so parents take advantage and enjoy a date night knowing your children are having fun.

Peekaboo Factory
Children will have fun with art projects, story time and more while parents get a night out on the town. Ages: 3-10, must be potty trained Dinner and snacks included in price Price: $35 first child, $25 sibling For more details: http://peekaboofactory.com/products/date-night-drop-off

Planet Granite Climb N Dine
http://www.planetgranite.com/programs/kids/climbndine.php 2nd and 4th Friday nights, 6:00pm – 8:30pm Ages 6-13 years. $40/child includes climbing, harness rental, helmet and a kid’s style dinner. Reservations required, under attended classes will be cancelled – parties will be notified of a cancelled Climb N Dine by 5pm Thursday.

Tree Frog Treks
http://www.treefrogtreks.com/kidsplaynight/
EVERY Saturday is Kids Play Night at Tree Frog Treks! Go out for an adults-only night on the town while your kids enjoy an evening of enriching childcare. Drop off & pick up your child anytime between the hours of 5:30 PM – 9:00 PM here at our event pad, Frog Hall. At Kids Play Night, your child will:
   •   Meet lizards, frogs, snakes & tortoises like Tiki the Bearded Dragon & Stickum the White’s Tree Frog!
   •   Do fun, creative, hands-on science & art projects from clay critters to puppets!
   •   Munch on pizza and healthy snacks!
   •   Watch a fun movie!
$35 for the first child / $25 for each additional sibling
Open to children age 4 and up.
Register ahead to secure your child’s spot, but if your child would like to come at the last minute, we do allow drop-ins to fill any open spaces on our roster.

San Jose
The Little Gym Parents Survival Night
https://www.thelittlegym.com/SanJoseSouthCA/Pages/parents-night.aspx

Captivate Kids Club
http://captivatekidsclub.com/parents-night-out/

If you have any updates and corrections to this page please email info@funmothersclub.org. Thank you!

Gyms with Child Care in Fremont, Union City, and Newark

Mon, 29 Jun 2015 03:09:00 GMT

The best time to join the gym is during the summer, up until the end of the December holidays. During the summer, gyms have to compete with outside sports and warm weather. The busiest time for gym membership directors is January, when there can be a 40% jump in enrollment due to New Year’s resolutions. For moms, the summer season presents its own challenges since school is out for the kids. There are many gyms offering child care so moms can have a few hours of “taking care of me” time and maybe even squeeze in a relaxing shower.

Here are some gyms that offer child care in the Fremont, Union City, and Newark area, in alphabetical order. Please do add your rating if you are a local mom that uses the child care at the gym and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below:

24 Hour Fitness
There are several 24 Hour Fitness in the Fremont-Union City, Newark area. The company recently bought Bally’s, which means that there are more locations to choose from than any other gym. Being a large company, you can also purchase memberships at stores like Costco at a good discount. 24 Hour Fitness has aThere are 3 different levels of gyms 24 Hour Fitness offers in this area:

SUPER-SPORT – At 24 Hour Fitness Super-Sport clubs you will find large child care areas with lots of games to entertain the kids, along with amenities whirlpools, and saunas. In addition, most locations also offer towel service, basketball and swimming and some locations feature racquetball.

SPORT – 24 Hour Fitness Sport clubs is a step up from Active club usually find a little extra like a steam room

ACTIVE/EXPRESS/FIT LITE – This level gym has a small child care area along with the most limited child care hours and offers the most basic classes and equipment compared to other 24 Hour Fitness locations.

Website: http://www.24hourfitness.com 

Locations & Tel: Several locations all throughout FUN area

Fremont Super Sport
4500 Auto Mall Parkway Fremont, CA 94538
(510) 226-6900

Newark Super Sport
2086 Newpark Mall Rd,
Newark, CA 94560
(510) 494-9348

Paseo Padre Active
39300 Paseo Padre Pkwy
Fremont, CA 94538
(510) 795-6666

Fremont Sport
35630 Fremont Boulevard
Fremont, CA 94536
(510) 608-6230

Gym Hours: 24 Hours for Super Sport locations, some are not 24 Hours. Please see location website for more details.

Child Care Cost: $35/ month first child, $30/ month subsequent child; or $6 per visit per child (2 hours)
Child Care Hours: Hours differ between location and if it is Sport, Active, or Super Sport. Please see location website for more details.
Max Hours Per Day: 2 Minimum Age: 6 months
Ratio: 10:1, 2 year olds and younger count as 2
Change Diapers: No

City Sports Club
Website: http://www.citysportsfitness.com
Locations & Tel: 39153 Farwell Drive Fremont, CA 94538
(510) 789-0161
Gym Hours: Mon – Thu: 5:00am – Midnight
Fri: 5:00am – 10:00pm
Sat – Sun: 8:00am – 8:00pm
Child Care Cost: $10/month
Child Care Hours: Mon – Fri : 8:00am – Noon; 4:00pm – 8:00pm
Sat 8:00am – Noon
Max Hours Per Day: 2
Minimum Age: 3 months
Ratio: 10:01
Change Diapers: No

ClubSport Fremont
More like a spa than a gym, members can also book massage on site. The amenities at ClubSport goes above and beyond the average gym, as it also includes year around heated outdoor adult and kid pools, basketball court, indoor tennis court, racket ball courts, hot yoga, and pilates studio with reformer machines. The Kids World has classes and activities for kids (e.g. fitness, kids yoga) that are free for members as well as ones for additional fee (such as swimming, taekwon do, and basketball). There are two areas for kids: kids age 6 and older goes upstairs where there are more stimulating games, and the little kids are on the first floor. Babies are separated from the main kids room and there is a separate eating area for kids (parents provide snacks).
Website: http://www.clubsports.com/fremont/
Locations & Tel: 46650 Landing Parkway Fremont, CA 94538 (510) 226-8500
Gym Hours: Mon – Fri: 5:00 am-11:00 pm Sat: 7:00 am-11:00 pm Sun: 7:00 am-11:00 pm
Child Care Cost: Family Membership $250 per month includes 2 kids, with $15 for an additional kid per month
Individual plus child $180 a month If child is not on membership then it is $5 per hour
Child Care Hours: Monday-Friday: 8 am-9 pm Saturday-Sunday: 8:30 am-4:30 pm
Max Hours Per Day: 3
Minimum Age: 6 weeks (at 6 weeks, 1.25 hours of childcare per day is included; at 3 months and up 3 hours per day of child care is available)
Ratio: 10:1; 4:1 for babies
Change Diapers: Yes

Union City Sports Center
Union City Sports Center is city-subsidized and has a community center feel to it. It does not have the amenities of a big fancy gym, but if you’re just there to get a great workout and no spa treatment, then this is the place. No pool, but members can use Dan Oden Swim Complex at no charge. They have a seasonal rotation of childcare staff, most of them work through leisure services and are great with kids.The family membership (2 adults plus unlimited kids) is only $625 annually and ALL childcare services are free with this option.
Website: http://www.unioncity.org/
Locations & Tel: 31224 Union City Blvd. Union City, CA 94587 (510) 675-5808
Gym Hours: Monday- Friday: 5:30 am- 9:00 pm Saturday: 7:00 am- 3:00 pm Sunday: 7:00 am- 3:00 pm
Child Care Cost: $3.50/child dropoff or $50/20-session pass OR $100/unlimited yearly pass
Child Care Hours: MWF 8:15am-11am, 5pm-7:30pm; Tues/Thur 8am-10:30am, 5pm-7:30pm
Max Hours Per Day: 2
Minimum Age: 6 month
Ratio: N/A
Change Diapers: No

Kids Birthday Party Directory

Fri, 19 Jun 2015 03:22:59 GMT

A new addition to the FUN Mothers Club website is the Kids Birthday Party Directory, which currently lists over 35 places, vendors, cakemakers, and entertainers in the Fremont – Union City – Newark area to help make planning your child’s birthday easier.

If you know of a business that is not listed in our directory and would like to nominate it for inclusion, please email info@funmothersclub.org.

Where to Get Your Carseat Checked in Fremont-Union City-Newark

Tue, 09 Dec 2014 04:05:47 GMT

As an expectant mom of my third child, I recently had the occasion to once again look into getting a new infant car seat. My children are 5 years old and 3 years old, and I needed a refresher! New safety requirements have changed and there are also many new models and options available for carseats! Not wanting to buy a new car, I looked long and hard at how I would fit 3 carseats into my Honda Pilot. Then, once I determined that I could fit them into my car, I looked up certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians using Safekids.org’s CPST database to help make sure I installed them correctly.

I thought that I would share the information for our local techs here to share with everyone. This is super important if you are expecting a new little one, but it is also good to get a refreshers if has been a while – I was very glad to learn something new for my toddlers also during my time with our local CPST!

CPST in the Fremont, Union City, and Newark area:
Kristen Escamilla
Fremont Police Department
2000 Stevenson Bl.
Fremont, CA 94537
510-790-6691
kescamilla@fremont.gov

Brigid Dinneen
Union City Police Department
34009 Alvarado-Niles Road
Union City, CA 94587
510-675-5291
brigidd@ci.union-city.ca.us

Denise Alfaro
Washington Hospital
3569 Beacon Ave.
Fremont, CA 94538
510-818-5040

Paul Randall
Orbit Baby
8678 Thornton Ave.
Newark, CA 94560
510-332-1909
prandall@ergobaby.com

Here is a useful article for you to read before your appointment: What should you, as a caregiver, expect from a Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST)?

Other Good Resources:

Car Seats For The Littles
Safekids.org
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Review: Blue Apron

Tue, 02 Dec 2014 04:01:30 GMT

Tested and Reviewer: Selvia Widodo, FUNMC In-A-Pinch Coordinator

There are a lot of subscription box offers these days, from beauty products, snacks, clothes, kid’s crafts, teenager’s crafts, pet food, and many others. I came across Blue Apron on Groupon with 30% discount that time. I had to get it and gave it a try.

Blue Apron is a nationwide delivery service (for most states) that sends you a box of pre-portioned meal ingredients, with recipes. I was curious whether this was a truly helpful innovation in grocery shopping and meal prep for moms, or simply the worst of both worlds — expensive take-out food and you still had to cook yourself.

The box contained all the ingredients needed to cook three meals, each for 2 servings, complete with recipes and step-by-step photos. Blue Apron also offers plans for 4 servings, as well as a choice between the meat and seafood or vegetarian meal plans. My box came neatly packaged in a cardboard box lined with a cooler bag and ice packs to keep the all the contents fresh for a few hours. Each recipe was well explained and every single ingredient except for olive oil, salt, and pepper was included. A little bottle of soy sauce? Check. One tablespoon of chili powder in a tiny bag? Check.

The first meal I cook was Pan-Roasted Hake and Romesco Sauce. Although it took me longer than I anticipated, the dish came out very nice, I could say it is gourmet food on a weekday. The most important thing was my husband was so impressed with the dish. For this recipes and cooking tips, visit: blueapron.com/recipes/452

The second meal I cook and I think was the best taste for my palate was Chicken Katsu with Miso Roasted Japanese Eggplant & Savoy Cabbage. I still had to do longer prep but it was really worth it. My husband and kids loved this dish. I feel this version of Chicken Katsu is healthier and very delicious. For this recipes and cooking tips, visit: blueapron.com/recipes/451

The last meal I cooked from this box is Southern-Style Burgers with Green Tomatoes Chow Chow & Roasted Old Bay Potatoes. It is a burger with updated Southern Style complete with all the fixings. It was really hearty and taste fresh gourmet food. I could not believe that I made that myself. I learn a few tricks to make the fixings. For this recipes and cooking tips, visit: Blueapron.com/recipes/450

Blue Apron automatically enrolls customers in a weekly delivery plan with the option of skipping as many deliveries as desired at no charge. While I thought I would want to just try the service once and cancel, I’ve kept with it, skipping any weeks with unappealing dishes or when it doesn’t fit my schedule. I often skip the week, but I know it’s available when I’m in a pinch or a menu looks particularly delicious. Also, the recipes are free to anyone browsing Blue Apron’s website and aren’t restricted to paying customers.

Overall, Blue Apron impressed me with its organized packaging, clear recipes, and menus. While I won’t be using it in a weekly basis, I enjoy checking out what’s on the menu, browsing the recipes, and occasionally ordering.

If you want to try Blue Apron, here is a promo code link: https://bluepromocode.com/blueapron/coupon/first-2-meals-free-5033/

Tested and Reviewer: Selvia Widodo

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this review are the personal views of the reviewer and this particular product review was not sponsored or paid for in any way by the manufacturer or an agent working on their behalf.

Kids Summer Fun Packs from Whole Foods Fremont

Thu, 19 Jun 2014 02:59:51 GMT

Whole Foods Market Fremont is celebrating the start of summer vacation for kids with this fun offer through their Kids Club program. Kids Club is a program in our store that is a fun and interactive club for kids. They offer a monthly Kids Club class (this month’s is Kids Yoga) and kids also receive a complimentary snack with each store visit. There is no age limit for this program and/or this offer.

Joining Kids Club is simple. Stop by Customer Service and ask to be part of Kids Club, with the option of sharing an email address to receive monthly emails about upcoming classes.

Mother’s Day Event at Whole Foods Fremont — Saturday, May 10th

Sat, 10 May 2014 02:58:42 GMT

Whole Foods Market Fremont loves local moms and they are hosting an event — just for us. Tomorrow, May 10th from 10 am to 1 pm, Whole Foods will be celebrating a mostly Handmade Mother’s Day!

Whole Foods Market Fremont will be celebrating moms with the following activities:

First 100 moms who stop in during the event receive a FREE reusable bag with samples

Free Zumba class at 10 a.m. with Club Sport. (Registration required and available here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/zumba-class-at-whole-foods-market-fremont-tickets-11485458315)

A tea cup terrarium DIY gift for mom (while supplies last. It’s a drop in activity. Come early if you’d like to participate in this activity as supplies as limited.)

Food demos in all departments (YUM!)

Live music from 11 to 1 p.m. (WOO HOO!)

See you there, and tell your friends!

All About Asthma — Breathe California

Fri, 04 Apr 2014 02:57:30 GMT

Passing this info along to any parents with kids with asthma…

There will be a free “All about asthma” workshop on April 29, 2014 at

2171 Junipero Serra Blvd. Ste. 200

Time-6:30pm to 8:30pm.

We encourage you as a childcare provider to attend. This workshop will teach you new skills and information needed to provide a safe, healthy and supportive child care environment for children with asthma. Also those that attend can sign up to receive professional growth units. Did you know that California law SB 1663 mandates that childcare providers administer nebulized and other inhaled medications for children under their care that require it. This workshop helps child care providers meet those requirement.

Please RSVP that you will attend the workshop by:

Emailing allaboutasthma@ggbreathe.com or Registering on Eventbrite.com

or calling Breathe California 650-994-1903 x 304 or 4C’s 650-517-1430.

Celebrate Habitot’s “Sweet 16th” Birthday – April 19th

Thu, 03 Apr 2014 02:56:29 GMT

Habitot is celebrating its Sweet 16th birthday with a dance party! Your dancing shoes will get a work out with tunes from DJ Chungtech and DJ Smokestack from 10-11am and a specially curated “Sweet Sixteen” mix afterwards.

Wear your fancy dress for a costume contest with prizes for winners, such as Best Parent-Child Sweet Sixteen, Best Throwback Prom Dress, Best Menswear, and more!

Don’t miss the photographer taking “prom-style” photos in front of an Under the Sea backdrop. Punch and birthday cake will be served at 12:30pm.

FREE ADMISSION DAY

Habitot Children’s Museum
2065 Kittredge Street
Berkeley, CA 94704

You’re invited: Little Passports event at BADM on April 26

Wed, 02 Apr 2014 02:54:14 GMT

You’re invited! San Francisco-based kids’ educational subscription company Little Passports is holding its 5th Birthday Celebration on April 26th, at the Bay Area Discovery Museum!

Bring your entire family to this exciting free event, where kids (recommended for ages 5+) can go around the world and participate in hands-on crafts, science experiments and educational activities. There will also be a“globetrotting” photo booth.

Where:            Bay Area Discovery Museum, Discovery Theater
557 McReynolds Rd, Sausalito, CA

When:              Saturday, April 26, 2014

Time:               10am – 12pm
Snacks will be provided

Fremont Hub Easter Event — Saturday, April 5th

Wed, 19 Mar 2014 02:51:52 GMT

Start celebrating Easter early with the Easter Bunny at the Fremont Hub!

The Hub is hosting a great event for kids and families, including face painting, balloon artists, prizes, and a chance to take photos with the Easter Bunny! The event is entirely FREE, so bring your families and join the fun!

Saturday, April 5th
12 to 3

If your child(ren)’s school is participating in the Cash for Class program, be sure to download and bring this flier for a chance to earn points for their school(s).

Pump It Up – Relay for Life Fundraiser – Tuesday 2.25.14

Mon, 24 Feb 2014 03:50:22 GMT

Pump It Up – Relay for Life Fundraiser

Let’s have fun and raise money for a great cause at the same time! Bring friends and family for an evening of play. No flyer required; just remember to bring socks.

February 25, 2014, 5:30-7:30pm

2995 Whipple Rd.

Union City, CA 94587

Cost: $10/child, adults are free. 50% of the pre-tax admissions will be donated to the American Cancer Society.

Food: Available for purchase upon arrival. $3 for 2 slices of pizza and a drink; cost does not go toward the fundraiser.

Opportunities to Give Back This Holiday Season

Mon, 02 Dec 2013 03:48:18 GMT

FUN is trying to give back as much as we can this holiday season — we have a number of drives going this holiday season. We’re listing them all in one place so you can keep track easily — we hope that if it’s within your means, you can help make another family’s holiday season brighter.

Holiday Caroling at the Masonic Home

When: Sun Dec 8, 2013, 3:30-4:30 pm PST
Where: Masonic Home for Seniors
34400 Mission Boulevard, Union City, CA 94587

RSVP: http://www.bigtent.com/home/calendar/event/81683609

Sleep Train’s Toy Drive for Foster Kids

Who: F.U.N. Mother’s Club
When: Fri Nov 15 – Sat Dec 14, 2013 PST
Where: Sleep Train
39166 Fremont Hub #206, Fremont, CA

Link: http://www.bigtent.com/home/calendar/event/81975597

HELP Philippine Victims

You can donate to these two organizations:
www.care.org/Typhoon-Haiyan
www.worldvision.org/filipino

What: Let’s HELP Philippine Victims!!!
When: Sat Nov 16 – Mon Dec 16, 2013 PST

Link: http://www.bigtent.com/home/calendar/event/82018598

Sock Drive

In the spirit of the holidays, we will continue our sock collection drive for Abode. Abode is a local charity that provides housing and services to homeless people in our community. We would appreciate any NEW socks you can donate.

Bring socks to the Holiday Party with Santa

Link: http://www.bigtent.com/home/calendar/event/81683877

Sleep Train’s Toy Drive for Foster Kids

When: Fri Nov 15 – Sat Dec 14, 2013 PST
Where: Sleep Train
39166 Fremont Hub #206, Fremont, CA

Link: http://www.bigtent.com/home/calendar/event/81975597

Save the Date! Nutcracker Ballet Puppet Show sponsored by Kimbookai/AAUW

Thu, 21 Nov 2013 03:45:52 GMT

On Saturday, December 21st you’ll have two chances to witness the magical puppetry of Randal Metz and the Puppet Company performing “The Nutcracker,” a time-honored and always delightful holiday extravaganza.

The Nutcracker” is about a child’s enchanting, misty and magical dream world and is a must-see for the family during the holidays. The Puppet Company takes you to the land of the Sugar Plum Fairy and introduces you to a host of unforgettable characters, both scary and serene. The music is based on the Tchaikovsky ballet and the show features over 40 puppets!

Just a reminder: free tickets are available 15 minutes before each performance at the Children’s Information Desk at the Fremont Main Library.

Fremont Main Library, Fukaya Room,
2400 Stevenson Boulevard Saturday,
Saturday, December 21, 2013
Two Shows: 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

Kimbookai
American Association of University Women
The Puppet Company

Kickoff Board Meeting

Fri, 15 Nov 2013 03:42:27 GMT

Last night we had the first F.U.N. Board Meeting for the 2013-2014 term, and what a night it was! So many talented and smart women working together to make F.U.N. a great place for parents in the community. Everyone is very enthusiastic and has great ideas — it’s going to be a good year!

Local mom and baker Teresa of Sweetening q.b. donated a gift certificate for one of her cakes at our May Pampering event, and I was lucky enough to win it. I thought I would give back to the club and had a cake made for our Board kick off meeting. The cake was as delicious and it was pretty! If you are looking to have a custom cake made for an upcoming birthday or event, please look up Sweetening q.b.

Sweetening q.b. Website
Sweetening q.b Facebook
Sweetening q.b. Yelp

Holiday Soiree at Whole Foods Market Fremont

Mon, 11 Nov 2013 03:40:16 GMT

Kick start the holiday season with Whole Foods!

Enjoy an evening of holiday entrees, appetizers and dessert samplings throughout the store on our first-ever Holiday Soiree. Beer or wine tastings will be taking place, too. Featured vendor samplings include Pitman Farms meats and Diestel Farms turkey, crab cakes, our favorite holiday sides, seasonal produce, house made pies, a Top Ten wine tasting and a Firestone Walker beer tasting. Live music and great food!

Everyone that attends is entered into a holiday raffle and the first 100 people that arrive will receive a reusable bag with fun samples. Bonus: Order a holiday meal or turkey at the event and receive a coupon for a free fresh-baked apple, pumpkin or brown butter walnut pie (valid for first 50 orders).

$5 entry, or $10 with wine or beer sampling. Purchase tickets on EventBrite at http://bit.ly/Hvg3kr or purchase at the door.

A portion of proceeds will be donated to local non-profit, Safe Alternatives for Violent Environments or SAVE.

Friday, November 15th

8:30 – 10:30 P.M.

$5 entry or $10 with wine or beer tasting.

Baby's First Christmas with Toys R Us

Thu, 07 Nov 2013 13:33:42 GMT

As part of these Baby’s First Christmas events, you and your little one are invited to visit your local Babies“R”Us store, where you can meet other parents in your community with babies of a similar age, participate in holiday festivities and more! Receive a “Baby’s First Christmas” sticker for your baby’s onesie, plus enjoy giveaways, prizes and a complimentary $10 Babies“R”Us Gift Card**!

If you’re unable to attend the event dedicated to your baby’s birthday month, we welcome you to join us on another event date that works best for you and your family!

Saturday, November 9: Babies born in January, February and March, and their parents

Saturday, November 16: Babies born in April, May and June, and their parents

Saturday, November 23: Babies born in July, August and September, and their parents

Saturday, December 7: Babies born in October, November and December, and their parents

Tell them F.U.N. sent you and look out for our cards there!

**Quantities limited. Distributed to participants only. Limit one promotional gift card per household.

Out With The Old In With The New

Sat, 02 Nov 2013 02:05:59 GMT

…Board that is! It’s the 1st of November and that means a fresh start for the F.U.N. Mothers’ Club. Many thanks to Anne and Ranjani, and the rest of the 2012-2013 Board for doing an amazing job!

And now, we present the new F.U.N. Mothers’ Club Board for the 2013-2014 term…(drumroll, please…)

President – Connie Hodgeman

Vice President & Club Promotion – Gabriella Khorasanee

Secretary – Insert your name here!

Treasurer – Rupeet Malhotra

Database & Newsletter Layout – Ranjani Raghavan

Moderator & Volunteer Coordinator – Linda Tsang-Kong

Resource Guide – Tannia Bretzke

Website & Social Media- Irene Shen Stanley

Social Media – Insert your name here!

Newsletter Editor – Saraswathy Lakshmivaraham

Advertising – Uma Menon

Kids’ Outings & Playgroups – Jie Zhang

Moms’ Night Out – Karen Ling & Karen Chan

Family Events – Tejal Swar & Shilpa Vishwanathan

Coffee Socials – Jonni Zukauskas

May Pampering – Kitty Aquino-Esparrago

Preschool Faire & Playgroups- Urmila Padmanabhan

Relay for Life – Deannalani Realinia

Maternity Closet – Lisa Isailovic

IAP Coordinator – Selvia Widodo

Community Outreach – Anne Hernandez

Advisory Council – Elizabeth Crandall-Whittom, Lisi M and Laura Koski

How Do You Say, "Thank You?"

Tue, 29 Oct 2013 11:36:13 GMT

By Saraswathy Lakshmivaraham

Parents spend a lot of time reminding their children to say please and thank you. “What do you say?” is one of those refrains we never thought we’d hear ourselves say…and yet, we say it all the time.

But what about the flip side? How often do we remind ourselves to express gratitude? Anyone lucky enough to have a much-adored preschooler running around the house has lots to be thankful for. Of course, said preschooler often tires a person out so much that it becomes difficult to remember exactly what it is we’re thankful for. But it’s worth remembering. After all, everyone says that gratitude and happiness are closely linked, and surely we want to model both.

So how can we give ourselves a little gratitude reminder, now and then?

Some suggest keeping a gratitude journal. That is, writing down two or three things every day for which you’re thankful. Some might find this forced, others might really benefit. Doesn’t hurt to give it a try….

I like the idea of expanding on “thanks” and making a point of telling people, including our kids, very specifically what it is that they’ve done that we appreciate. It gives them added pleasure, and us too.

Talking about beauty, comfort and other delights is a form of thankfulness. Sometimes speaking aloud an inner observation, such as, “I love the way the light comes through the windows in the afternoon,” is enough to remind us of how lucky we are to be in the world.

When all else fails, look into your child’s eyes for a full, unwavering minute. Gratitude doesn’t begin to cover it but will have to do for now. Hey, lucky stars out there: Thanks!

Free Nutrition Classes at Fremont Main Library

Sun, 27 Oct 2013 10:37:37 GMT

A series of six, free nutrition classes will be held at Fremont Main Library beginning on Sunday, November 10 through December 15. The classes will meet weekly from 1:30 to 3 p.m., in the Fukaya Room A.

The classes topics are (with incentive provided in parenthesis):

1. Get Moving!! (Water Bottle)

2. Plan, Shop, $ave (Shopping List)

3. Vary Your Veggies…Focus on Fruits (Vegetable Brush)

4. Make Half Your Grains Whole (Measuring Cup)

5. Build Strong Bones (Exercise Band)

6. Go Lean with Protein (Thermometer)

7. Make a Change (Measuring Spoon)

8..Celebrate! Eat Smart and Be Active (Recipe Book)

The class is conducted by the University of California Cooperative Extension. Registration starts on Sunday, November 3. Register online on www.aclibrary.org.