This article originally appeared in the Fall 2006 edition of "Aging Issues," a quarterly publication of the NH Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Elderly and Adult Services, and the State Committee on Aging.

If you're a young parent feeling overwhelmed by your new responsibilities, it helps if you can turn to someone who's a little older and wiser. Someone who's raised children of their own, and knows what it's like to soothe a crying baby, amuse a toddler or encourage an older child. A Foster Grandparent, for instance.

The Foster Grandparent Program is a national initiative that is part of the USA Freedom Corps and the National Corporation for Community Service. Foster Grandparents are trained volunteers aged 60 and older who give their time and talents to mentor children in schools, child care centers, and other community programs. In New Hampshire, the two sponsors of this program are Crotched Mountain Community Care and The Friends Program.

For the last eleven years, Crotched Mountain Foster Grandparents Mildred Burbank and Dorothy Helie have volunteered for Parent/Baby Adventure, a program of the Visiting Nurses Association of Greater Manchester and the Elliot Hospital health system. These loving senior volunteers provide TLC, wisdom and years of experience, offering advocacy and guidance to young parents and their children.

Located at 1000 Auburn St. in Manchester, the Parent/Baby Adventure Program teaches parenting skills and offers other kinds of help to approximately 600 young parents and children. Many of them are isolated and/or have little support.

Individual counseling and group support are offered, as well as classes on subjects ranging from bathing a baby to cooking and nutrition, exercise, child development, first aid, exercise, and managing stress. General Education Development (GED) courses are also available on site.

Helie and Burbank are vital cogs that help keep the wheels of this important program turning. "Grammie Dot", as Dorothy Helie is known, has been involved in the Parent/Baby Adventure Program since 1994. "I like meeting new parents or parents-to-be, talking and listening to them, offering any ideas that might support them," she says. "When the new babies arrive, I am first in line to offer special love and attention or some advice on how to calm a crying baby, or how to hold or cuddle another. I love caring for the little ones when the young parents are in workshops or GED classes, watching them interact with one another. No matter what age they are, they brighten my day!"

Millie Burbank, known as "Grammie Millie", has spent her entire Foster Grandparent career with the young parents and their children. "I had to retire from work because of health and was bored at home." In 1995, Burbank became a volunteer and met her "Parent-Baby Family".

"Though I have 8 grandchildren and 11 great-children of my own, I love being with the Parent-Baby Family--watching them grow up, guiding them and playing with them. I help the young adults as they learn how to parent."

The daily routine offers numerous opportunities for sharing between the Foster Grandparents, parents and children. For instance, staff provide transportation to and from the center for parents and children who would otherwise have no way to get there. Helie and Burbank often ride along. "When five generations are riding in the van, the conversation can certainly be lively," quipped Burbank. The two Foster Grandparents may offer helpful suggestions on topics such as the importance of using safety belts and car seats, and how to dress a child appropriately for the weather.

Another opportunity arises when everyone gathers for lunch. "We share family-style meals around a large table and discuss health and nutrition," said Burbank. "If they [the parents] have problems, we will talk with them and help with possible solutions. It is a safe environment where they feel they can trust us.

"When the parents are studying for their GED or taking tests, we entertain the children with games and toys," Burbank continued. "During school vacations, the school age children join us too, a family unit."

Some of the parents are immigrants, struggling to cope with a new land and a strange language, and there too, the Foster Grandparents can help. "Grammie Dot recently helped a young mother from Sudan learn to read and write English, who was then able to read to or teach her children in English", said Karen Lesmerises, Director of the Parent/Baby Adventure Program.

Lesmerises also says that Helie and Burbank are excellent role models for the young parents who participate in the Parent/Baby Adventure Program, helping them to gain skills and confidence. "It's also a wonderful experience for the children, many of whom have no contact with grandparents," she said.

Parents who have "graduated" from the program often come back to visit and share news of their childrens' progress with staff, and of course, with their two favorite Foster Grandparents!

Millie Burbank and Dorothy Helie will soon be honored at the annual Crotched Mountain Foster Grandparent Program recognition event. We celebrate their accomplishments as mentors, and thank them for volunteering their time to make a positive impact on the lives of young people.

Sherry Wheeler is Program Director of the Crotched Mountain Foster Grandparent Program.

For more information on how you might become a Foster Grandparent, please visit www.CrotchedMountain.org or call (603) 668-1990 or 1-800-774-3477.