From the Director’s Desk, August 2018
This edition’s Staff Spotlight about Parent Educator Lead Susan Hodnefield mentions the importance of self-care. In times of stress—especially when raising a family–it helps to have tools and strategies to get back on track. You know the philosophy—put on your own oxygen mask first, then help others around you.
For insights on managing stress and keeping your family strong, I encourage you to check out the Five for Families (www.fiveforfamilies.org) public awareness campaign. Launched in July, this statewide campaign includes interviews with Wisconsin parents highlighting five essential strengths that can help parents connect with their kids and feel less stressed and more confident.
The five strengths are:
- Helping Kids Understand Feelings
- Parenting as Children Grow
- Connecting with Others
- Building Inner Strength
- Knowing How to Find Help
The site, sponsored by the Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board, also addresses the importance of building family-friendly communities. The Five for Families approach outlines five strategies to build to build stronger communities:
- Help families build inner strength
- Encourage families to connect with others
- Support families so they know how to find help
- Help families parent as their children grow
- Support families as they help kids understand feelings
As I witness the work of our parent educators and our partners throughout Pierce, Polk and St. Croix counties I admire their ability to see positive aspects in any situation, see the strengths of caregivers they work with, and be inspired by the progress they see.
Together we can create strong, family friendly communities that foster a sense of belonging and connection.
We are excited to have new Parent Educator Lori Ollig attend Parents as Teachers certification training this month. I would like to extend our appreciation to Lori Bedessem for her service to Family Resource Center this summer.
Enjoy the beauty of autumn and the energy it brings.
AGNES RING
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR