The second annual NIH Parenting Festival will be held on Wednesday, May 26 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Bldg. 50 first floor conference area. Whether you are expecting a child, have children or have care responsibilities for a child, you will be welcome to explore the wealth of information and resources available at NIH.

Representatives from such services as the Work/Life Center, the NIH Lactation Program, the Office of Science Education, the NIH Federal Credit Union, and the Employee Assistance Program will be on hand, as will benefits specialists and NIH child care board members. A representative from FSAFEDS will be available to talk about dependent care and health care flexible spending account programs.

You can also find out about NIH research going on in different areas of child health, with representatives from several institutes. Talk to other NIH parents who have experience with adoption, including special needs, international and foster care adoption. Visit with the NIH-sponsored child care centers for hands-on experiential learning about child development and education. And bring your most knotty parenting issues to discuss with parenting experts.

Also planned are raffles and giveaways, and exhibitors distributing fact sheets, brochures and information that you can share with family members and coworkers. The festival is sponsored by the child care board, the Work/Life Center and the ORS Division of Employee Services.

Special shuttles labeled "NIH Parenting Festival" will run from Executive Blvd. (with stops at the Neuroscience Center and EPS/EPN), Democracy (single stop), and Rockledge I/II (single stop). They will depart from the satellite campuses on the half hour starting at 10:30 a.m., and from Bldg. 50 for a return trip hourly on the hour. For more information about the festival and shuttle schedules, call the Work/Life Center at (301) 435-1619, email wlc@od.nih.gov, or visit http://wlc.od.nih.gov.