For Parents

Welcome Parents!

Raising a family takes courage, patience, knowledge and love. Every family has a unique set of skills that they use to face challenges. Some skills may come naturally to a family, others may not. One family may struggle with communication, while another family struggles to get the material resources they need.

A strong family is able to support all of its members. For children, this may mean support for their education and self-esteem. Adults need strong families too. Members of a strong family feel confident and fulfilled.

No matter how strong your family is, there is always room for increased knowledge, understanding, and communication between members. Research has found 5 areas that are important in protecting families, especially children, and helping them overcome problems.

1. Nurturing and Attachment- The relationship that develops early in life between a child and their caregiver affects the child’s future relationships as well. A secure attachment will lead to well-adjusted adjusted relationships with other family members and peers.

2. Knowledge of Parenting and How Children Develop – Understanding how children grow and develop allows parents to support them more effectively. For example, a parent must have realistic expectations in order to discipline fairly.

3. Parental Resilience – Parents need to be able to respond to problems well. When they are calm, creative and confident there is a much better chance they will overcome challenges.

4. Social Connections – Everyone needs other people. In the case of families, we rely on our social connections to help us when we have a problem, support us emotionally, and provide advice and guidance.

5. Concrete Supports for Parents – Even the most skilled parent needs access to housing, food, medical care, clothing and transportation. Unfortunately, lack of resources can be a difficult barrier to overcome.

We hope that this website will give you a chance to connect with resources, get advice, and make your family even stronger. The sections of the site are based on the five factors listed above and provide more information about each topic as well as tip sheets and links to help you develop your family’s strength in each area.

Not sure where to start? Use this quick questionnaire to get some ideas.

Choose the best answer for each question:

1. I feel like I have a close bond with my family.

a. Always

b. Sometimes

c. Never

2. I communicate well with my family.

a. Always

b. Sometimes

c. Never

3. I think I am a good parent.

a. Always

b. Sometimes

c. Never

4. I know what my child should be able to do at different ages.

a. Always

b. Sometimes

c. Never

5. I deal with stress well.

a. Always

b. Sometimes

c. Never

6. I am good at solving problems in my life.

a. Always

b. Sometimes

c. Never

7. I have friends that I can talk to.

a. Always

b. Sometimes

c. Never

8. There are people to support me when things go wrong.

a. Always

b. Sometimes

c. Never

9. I have good access to food, housing, etc.

a. Always

b. Sometimes

c. Never

10. I feel safe.

a. Always

b. Sometimes

c. Never

If you answered “Sometimes” or “Never” on question:

#1 or #2 – Start by clicking on the Nurturing and Attachment tab.

#2 or #3 – Start by clicking on the Parenting and Child Development tab.

#4 or #5 – Start by clicking on the Parental Resilience tab.

#6 or #7 – Start by clicking on the Social Connections tab.

#8 or #9 – Start by clicking on the Concrete Supports tab.