PEPS @ Microsoft

 

"Friends, sharing, laughter, a few good tears, seeing the babies interact."

"Meeting other moms who were experiencing similar challenges made me feel better that I wasn't the only one feeling stressed, sad, inadequate, etc. at times."

Questions?

Call Mary Power, PEPS Program Director at (206) 547-8570 x 21 or email maryp@peps.org

PEPS is pleased to be offering workplace PEPS groups specifically for Microsoft employees. The next PEPS @ Microsoft Group begins September 14, 2012.  Register now or read on to find out more...

Who is PEPS @ Microsoft for?
What happens at PEPS Groups?
When and where will PEPS @ Microsoft be offered?
How do I register?
What does it cost to join?
Is PEPS @ Microsoft only for moms? Only for employees?
What is the difference between PEPS @ Microsoft and the PEPS Newborn Program? Which should I join?
What do parents say was the best thing about their PEPS experience?
What other programs does PEPS offer?

Who is PEPS @ Microsoft for?

For Microsoft employees with new babies, who are either preparing to return to work, or have just returned to work after their parental leave.

Babies are welcome at groups, although it's also OK to attend without your baby.

In 2011, our first year of offering PEPS @ Microsoft, over 35 families participated in four Groups.  All four Groups were led by Microsoft employees who had participated in PEPS themselves, and who volunteered their time to facilitate the PEPS @ Microsoft Groups.

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What happens at PEPS Groups?

Parents meet, share, and learn with a trained facilitator. Each meeting includes a chance to share your parenting highs and lows from the past week, and then discuss a parenting topic with your group. Guest speakers will be brought into the group to address some topics.

Discussion topics at PEPS Workplace groups focus on the transition back to work after adding a new baby to the family. Topics vary, but may include: Child Care Options; Breastfeeding, Bottle Feeding and Working; Infant Sleep Issues (and their impact on work functionality); Staying Connected to Baby; Making Daily Routines More Manageable; Negotiating Work / Life Balance and Changing Roles.

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When and where will PEPS @ Microsoft be offered?

Groups meet once a week, for 90 minutes per session. Each group will meet with their leader for 12 weeks, alternating meetings on campus during the work week with meetings off campus during the weekend or evenings. The group leader handles the logistics of choosing locations and setting up meetings. Group members are encouraged to continue meeting on their own for as many weeks, months, or years as they wish after the initial 12 weeks are over. Many PEPS groups stay together for years!

Dates for 2012 PEPS @ Microsoft Groups:
September 14 - December 1 (skip 11/23)
November 9 - February 1 (skip 11/23)

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How do I register?

“Please note: Due to the current epidemic of Pertussis (Whooping Cough) in Washington State, PEPS has implemented a policy requiring that all adults who attend PEPS Groups must be current on their Tdap booster. All babies must be current on the DTaP vaccine once they are old enough for the first dose. Families who do not comply with this policy cannot participate in PEPS at this time.   If you have any questions about this policy, please contact Mary Power, PEPS Program Director: maryp@peps.org.

Submit your registration and payment here.

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 We welcome families with babies who are one to six months old at the beginning of the group. Since the focus is on the transition back to work, the ideal timing would be to join a group which begins meeting a few weeks before you return to work; or a few weeks after you've returned to work.

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What does it cost to join?

$150 for the 12-week session. This includes all of the facilitation, scheduling and logistics, which will be handled by the group leader, as well as the PEPS curriculum and materials to be used during the group.

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Is PEPS @ Microsoft only for moms? Only for employees?

These workplace groups are specifically focused on issues related to returning to work, so are only for Microsoft employees and their families. Both moms and dads are welcome.

Spouses and partners who work somewhere other than Microsoft, or who are stay-at-home parents, may choose to attend with the employee, though they should understand that the focus of the group is on the employee's transition back to work. Spouses/partners may also consider joining a PEPS Newborn Group.

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What is the difference between PEPS @ Microsoft and the PEPS Newborn Program? Which should I join?

All PEPS Groups bring together a community of new parents for mutual support and shared information. All PEPS Groups follow the format of sharing joys and challenges, learning songs or games for babies, and discussing parenting topics.

PEPS @ Microsoft holds half of its meetings on-campus, and half in members' homes. This format has been chosen in order to provide support in those first few months of heading back to work after baby arrives. The group brings parents together who understand the common workplace culture and share the challenges inherent in the transition back to Microsoft. The focus is on balancing work and baby.

PEPS Newborn Groups are 12 weeks long, and meet in the homes of group members. They bring together parents who live in the same part of town, and focus on all aspects of parenting a newborn. Daytime groups are primarily composed of stay-at-home parents; typically moms. Members often make friends who they then meet with for coffee, daytime playdates, walks in the park, and so on. Evening groups are primarily composed of couples, though some parents attend on their own. Since the whole family attends an evening group, evening groups have a tendency to form longer-lasting bonds, and may continue to meet long after the first twelve weeks.

Some parents might choose to participate in PEPS @ Microsoft for workplace connections and support AND join a Newborn Group as well.

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What do parents say was the best thing about their PEPS experience?

• "Meeting other parents with similar lifestyles and challenges. Great to meet others juggling a Microsoft career and parenthood."
• "Seeing how different parents raise their children differently, and that the kids are all OK. Also, seeing what ideas you want to copy from other parents and which things you want to avoid."
• "My husband and I moved to Seattle from Denver just a couple of months before our son was born. So in addition to being first time parents, we were new in town without any kind of network support.  I heard great things about PEPS even before moving to Seattle, and I was thrilled to find out that there was a Microsoft specific PEPS group.  In fact, PEPS at Microsoft group was a life saver for our family. It was wonderful to be able to meet other new parents at Microsoft, talk about the ups and downs of having a new baby, share ideas and laughs, have baby experts share information on nutrition and brain and motor development, and meet other babies. Our baby had reflux and we got very valuable advice from other PEPS parents in the group on how to handle the feeding challenges. We bonded really well with the other couples and I believe and hope we will remain friends as our babies grow.  Being part of PEPS at Microsoft allowed us to stay positive even on the toughest days and created a friendly and supportive environment as we have been navigating the life work balance.”

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What other programs does PEPS offer?

Orientation, Baby Peppers (for parents and their 5-12 mos old babies), Second Time Around (for parents and their second newborn), Little Peppers (for parents and their toddler and newborn), and the Parent Talk Lecture series.

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More Questions?

Call Mary Power, PEPS Program Director at (206) 547-8570 x 21 or email maryp@peps.org

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