Family center to open in Houston Hall

While most undergraduate students only have to worry about classes, some graduate and professional students have the added responsibility of caring for their child. With the opening of the new Family Resource Center in Houston Hall, these students will have new parenting tools at their disposal.

The FRC, which will open on Jan. 13, includes space for children to spend time with their parents or caregiver. Information and resources — such as a lactation room — will also be available.

Funding for the new initiative will come from the Office of the Provost.

According to Graduate and Professional Student Association Vice-Chairwoman for Student Life Emily Joy Rothchild, the FRC will be able to “support” an estimated 400 to 500 student families. Due to space issues, however, only 10 families’ children will use the facility at any a time.

Rothchild emphasized that this initiative is very timely for the winter.

“A lot of networking for parents happens on the playground,” she said, explaining that the cold weather, which discourages parents from going to outdoor playgrounds, may also hinder their networking.

“If they have this center, it’s a good way to reestablish the connection [to other student parents],” she said.

In a GAPSA survey taken in fall 2006, 382 students reported having at least 1 child to care for, and 121 students are considering having children before finishing their degree.

According to Rothchild, families use a range of services to cope with balancing schoolwork and parenting — some take their children to a private daycare, hire nannies or, if both parents are students, take shifts in caring for their children between class.

While Rothchild believes that the FRC will be useful, she emphasized that it is not a daycare. Furthermore, students cannot use it as their primary childcare option.

In addition to the FRC, there are other resources available to student parents. Support groups exist for parents on campus, including New Parents at Penn and Working Parents Association at Penn, both housed in the Penn Women’s Center. GAPSA also organizes brunches for student parents on Saturdays and maintains a parenting resource web site.

According to Salome Ricklin-Lichtsteiner, a member of New Parents at Penn, the FRC will be very useful for Penn’s parents. Ricklin-Lichtsteiner, who worked as a post-doctoral student but now is a “stay-at-home-mom,” said she would appreciate not having to return to her off-campus West Phildelphia residence in order to change the baby’s diapers or to pump milk.

Ricklin-Lichtensteiner mentioned that the FRC will be “somewhere I can meet with friends,” or even babysit friends’ children for short periods.

Long-term plans for the FRC include opening other childcare centers — possibly in collaboration with Penn Park.

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.