Parenting Education a Necessity

Thank you for writing, Ms. Santana.  I hope you continue to get a good response.

Order a parenting tip for your car.  They're free.  Your car will become a parenting educator every time your drive it.

David Dooley posted:

Have you visited advancingparenting.org?

I have David.  I like to read a lot about possible supplemental materials or parenting education innovations.  We currently bring Nurturing Families Program to the schools in our county through the Healthy Start Program under the Lake County Office of Education.  We have a small grant through the county First 5 Commission.  We have courses at the schools for parents and their children.  Most of them are after hours providing a family meal and child care if needed.  All adult and children facilitators are trained.  We have had good response to our programs.  

There are some VERY successfully parent education programs out there, most of them put together by parents. A couple of people will be adding details about them here soon. 

You may be interested in looking at the child development or parenting curriculum Family Consumer Science teachers follow.

Your are correct that there will be a lot of push back. Mostly from those who don't understand the impact ACE is having on our nation. No one said advocacy was going to be easy!

I, too, used to think that schools should teach parenting.  I even tried it myself a few times.  Here are some reasons I don't think it will ever happen.

First, wholesale school-based parenting education for students is politically controversial.  Few politicians will align themselves with legislation that will jeopardize their reelection.

Second, the curriculum would be developed by the state and I don't have faith in states' ability to write curriculum that teaches parenting behaviors and practices generally recognized as supporting the healthy development of children.  Also, interest groups would come out of the woodwork and demand input.  The curriculum would end up being a worthless mish-mash.  Have you read any family life curriculum?  It's not encouraging.

Third, some parents will object, and their voices will be loud and strident.  Their objections will range from government intrusion into family life, to taking issue with the curriculum.  Also, will the parenting classes be mandatory for every student?  Will students/families be allowed to opt out?

Fourth, teachers will object.  Teachers are facing intense pressure to improve test scores and anything that takes time away from the core curriculum will be shelved.

My intention is not to discourage you, Rene, but to redirect your energy.  Believe me, I understand your reasons and passion.  Over the years I have thought long and hard about parenting education and the good that it could bring to children, families, and communities.  I concluded that passive/public parenting education was the answer.  Visit advancingparenting.org.  Parenting tips on windows in Kern County was just the least expensive way to get things rolling.  We have national plans.

Gail Kennedy posted:

Rene- Welcome to ACEs Connection Community!  I wanted to be sure that you know of a couple of groups that you may want to join. Parenting with ACEs is a group to dialog about what it means to be an ACEs-, trauma-informed, and resilience-building parent/caregiver? And to be a parent with ACEs? What do parent education, training, and support services look like through this lens and how can they reach the largest number of parents/caregivers? 

Also, ACEs in Education is a group to share ideas on mitigating the effects of adverse childhood experiences in the K-12 environment.  

Please consider joining both of these groups on ACEs Connection and join the dialog!

I hope that I am already a part of these groups. Just trying to navigate this site.

Christine Cissy White posted:

Dear Rene:

It's wonderful to have you here and over at Parenting with ACEs as well! Thank you for sharing your expertise and experiences and all the work you are doing.  I for one had no idea that only 10% of the 10% that do get some parenting education are male. 

I agree that working towards a model of ACE-informed parenting and trauma-informed parenting is good for everyone. Too often it is thought of as a response for those in crisis or danger or who have already lived with/through ACEs or are doing so in the present as children or adults and not just as sound parenting info. After all, it's not just that high ACEs is associated with so many problems, it that low ACEs are associated with better health. For me, that's the most hopeful and helpful and motivating part of learning about ACEs. And that is important information for all parents to be. Obviously, those who have the lived experience of low ACEs have a huge head start, lived experiences to call upon and probably more family resources to call upon which are safe and nurturing in adulthood. 

For me, the most hopeful, helpful and motivating message when it comes to ACEs as a parent. And that is important information for all parents to be. Obviously, those who have the lived experience of very few ACEs have a huge head start but that's not something I think the general public realizes.

I think it can help those who don't realize what an advantage they have had from good parenting to realize that their successes aren't always a result of their present efforts but also that all of us are informed and influenced by the past - good or bad.

The past doesn't just impact those who have been traumatized. Not having been traumatized as a child offers lots of advantages and benefits and helping people who are going to become parents realize that more is helpful as well. It can help us all prioritize parenting and also realize that not all of us come to adulthood or parenting with the same tools and experiences and some come to that role with symptoms to navigate as well.  

Do you think shifting the focus to ACEs science so that it becomes a part of health classes, which often aren't optional or elective, might be an effective strategy?  

Cissy

I think that ACEs science and health classes is strategy that should be explored. Health is a class that has been mandated for graduation in many states. The problems are:

1. The course is already packed with so many requirements that it is difficult for these teachers to incorporate more material.

2.  In a health class only one or two weeks would be dedicated to parenting. 

3. Many health teachers are gym teachers who have been called to teach health. The FACS teachers have an under graduate degree in FACS education. This includes much training on parenting, child development and family relations.

I think what makes more sense is that we get our universities, offering any degree in education, to include a course on ACEs. That way all future educators begin to understand the magnitude. Certainly, all FACS under graduate programs should include this type of training. 

Dear Rene:

It's wonderful to have you here and over at Parenting with ACEs as well! Thank you for sharing your expertise and experiences and all the work you are doing.  I for one had no idea that only 10% of the 10% that do get some parenting education are male. 

I agree that working towards a model of ACE-informed parenting and trauma-informed parenting is good for everyone. Too often it is thought of as a response for those in crisis or danger or who have already lived with/through ACEs or are doing so in the present as children or adults and not just as sound parenting info. After all, it's not just that high ACEs is associated with so many problems, it that low ACEs are associated with better health. For me, that's the most hopeful and helpful and motivating part of learning about ACEs. And that is important information for all parents to be. Obviously, those who have the lived experience of low ACEs have a huge head start, lived experiences to call upon and probably more family resources to call upon which are safe and nurturing in adulthood. 

For me, the most hopeful, helpful and motivating message when it comes to ACEs as a parent. And that is important information for all parents to be. Obviously, those who have the lived experience of very few ACEs have a huge head start but that's not something I think the general public realizes.

I think it can help those who don't realize what an advantage they have had from good parenting to realize that their successes aren't always a result of their present efforts but also that all of us are informed and influenced by the past - good or bad.

The past doesn't just impact those who have been traumatized. Not having been traumatized as a child offers lots of advantages and benefits and helping people who are going to become parents realize that more is helpful as well. It can help us all prioritize parenting and also realize that not all of us come to adulthood or parenting with the same tools and experiences and some come to that role with symptoms to navigate as well.  

Do you think shifting the focus to ACEs science so that it becomes a part of health classes, which often aren't optional or elective, might be an effective strategy?  

Cissy

Rene- Welcome to ACEs Connection Community!  I wanted to be sure that you know of a couple of groups that you may want to join. Parenting with ACEs is a group to dialog about what it means to be an ACEs-, trauma-informed, and resilience-building parent/caregiver? And to be a parent with ACEs? What do parent education, training, and support services look like through this lens and how can they reach the largest number of parents/caregivers? 

Also, ACEs in Education is a group to share ideas on mitigating the effects of adverse childhood experiences in the K-12 environment.  

Please consider joining both of these groups on ACEs Connection and join the dialog!

I agree 100%!  Parenting should be integrated into health classes.

Have you visited advancingparenting.org?