Parenting
The Center offers an internationally recognized program of services to support those in the community who are raising children, including biological and adoptive parents, step-parents, guardians, grandparents, extended family, foster parents, and others responsible for children's care.
Coordinated by Rae Simpson, PhD, program director for parenting education and research, the Center provides many resources for families, including:
Consultations
Schedule a confidential consultation to talk over such parenting issues as discipline, separation and divorce, adolescence, multicultural concerns, schooling, giftedness, special needs, and more. Consultations are by appointment, free of charge, and open to members of the MIT community only. Call 617.253.1592, or email us.
Referrals
The Center sponsors a Work-Life Resources 24/7 call center at 877-847-4523 that is available 24/7 to provide information on a wide range of Institute-based and community programs and services, including schools, enrichment programs, mental health services, and more. For additional information about specific MIT resources, contact the Center at 617.253.1592, or email us to see how we can help you find what you need. Open to members of the MIT community only.
Presentations
Rae Simpson is available to give presentations and informal workshops on topics related to parenting—including raising teens, parenting young adults, and other issues.
Lending library
The Center's library includes a wide range of books on parenting issues, such as adolescence, balancing work and family, child development, discipline, separation and divorce, schooling and education, special needs, and expectant and new parenthood. The collection is continually updated, and members of the MIT community are welcome to suggest new titles. Open to members of the MIT community only.
Teens and young adults
Learn about Raising Teens: A Synthesis of Research and a Foundation for Action, a report funded by the MacArthur Foundation and published by the Harvard School of Public Health. Also explore the MIT Young Adult Development Project website, which outlines research into the critical period of maturation that occurs between ages 18 and 25.
Additional resources
- Adoptive Families @ MIT—A group of more than 140 MIT families; events, listserv, resources, Big Sibling program
- Faculty Family Life—Information about local neighborhoods, schools, summer camps, family networking, and parenting issues especially for MIT faculty
- Community Wellness at MIT Medical—Classes and groups on childbirth, nursing, and new parenting, as well as books, videos, CDs, and pamphlets on such topics as nutrition, sexual health, parenting, aging, and mental health
- MIT FamilyNet—A community of MIT couples, parents, and caregivers who share tips and information online; BabyNet networking and babysitting exchange; family-friendly events calendar
- Spouses & Partners @ MIT—Special events, interest groups, networking, and family resources
- Gradmoms@mit.edu—A group for full-time graduate students and postdocs who are mothers; a monthly lunch is held in the Margaret Cheney Room (3-310), with dates announced via the listserv; to subscribe, email gradmoms@mit.edu
