The giant playroom of the Parenting Center buzzed with activity as children took advantage of playing with their peers and siblings as moms, aunts, babysitters and nannies looked on. Then pizza time arrived, complete with party hats. The first Wednesday pizza lunch is a tradition at the center, where birthdays for that month are celebrated by all.

This month, the birthday party was a little bigger, encompassing adults and visitors alike enjoying grown-up food in the back classroom for the center’s 20th birthday.

Parenting Center executive director Lori Cage helped cut the two cakes—a chocolate one for the 20th anniversary of Monster Mash and a white cake celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Parenting Center itself.

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Parenting Center volunteers are planning the 20th Monster mash celebration that will be held Saturday, Oct. 25 at Bogue Falaya Park in Covington. Chairman of the event, Eugenie Suggs, and volunteer chair Heather Simon greeted visitors, informing them of the event, and signing up volunteers for the event.

The center is located at 1505 N. Florida St. near Lyon Elementary School and provides information, classes and interaction for parents as well as socialization for children.

Classes are available on a variety of topics, including positive discipline, stress management, communication, child development and specific behavior concerns. The center also provides support groups for mothers of multiples, new baby support and breastfeeding.

Not only concerned with children, the center also provides classes on raising teens, step-families and even divorce.

The Parenting Center also conducts an outreach program against child abuse and classes in babysitting, in addition to offering a variety of resources and educational materials.

The center is open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Membership is $60 per year; free new baby membership; associate membership for parents of school age children at $40 and an alumni membership of $35. For more information on the St. Tammany Parish Hospital Parenting Center, including volunteer information, call 898-4435.