December

Parent Education for All

Being a parent is one of life’s most important roles. Parents are guides who nurture young lives so that children can grow into healthy and caring adults making positive contributions to our world.

Parenting requires a diversity of skills including knowing when and how to properly change a diaper and to act as translators on what needs are communicated in infant vocalization patterns or frequency. Also deemed necessary knowledge is how to respond when your child is upset, how to encourage independence while keeping our children safe, how to understand age-appropriate child development milestones and skills, how to practice positive discipline techniques, how to promote positive interactions between other children and adults, and how to keep that special fabric lovey clean and in good repair so that it lasts a lifetime.

Parents daily, juggle parenting responsibilities in addition to life requirements like employment, caring for aging parents, and caring for themselves. They complete tasks mostly outside of a formalized check list process, addressing needs as they arise. When parenting is done correctly it is deemed mission accomplished, mostly received with little ovation. When parenting is uninformed, it can be met with societal shaming and potential intervention of systems resulting in a child being removed from their household for abuse or neglect.

To understand that parents can benefit from additional skills and knowledge towards improving parenting interactions is to embrace the practice of Parent Education.

Parent Education affords support towards increasing emotional bond with our children, to better understand their social, emotional development and to empower children with skills so that they can thrive. Parent Education resources can be found via conversations with other parents, health care providers, or in family resource centers.

The Minnesota Department of Education implements Early Childhood Family Education centers which provide parenting education for all families with a focus on children age birth to kindergarten entry. Activities include Play and Learn groups, Affinity groups (for individuals with a common identifier) and more. These spaces and associative interaction can also provide lasting social connections for children and families.

We know that the lasting benefits of Parenting Education minimally includes an increase in Parent Empowerment and improvements in Child Behavior, Parent and Child Well-being, an increase in Social Connections and that this education does not end when a child enters kindergarten. This education is a lifetime gift and commitment. We understand that when parents are supported in practice with education that they and their children win. We here at the Sauer Family Foundation believe that Parent Education is for ALL parents.

– Sheri