Celebrating Parent Wisdom and Leadership in our Communities

Parents are unsung heroes in our communities. By raising their children, they shape the future far beyond the walls of their homes. As we move into February, National Parent Leadership Month, we invite you to join us in recognizing and celebrating all the ways that parents contribute to the wellbeing of our communities.  

Parents play a key role in building communities, weaving connections through their involvement in school activities, community groups, and so much more. FamilyWise Family Support Partner, Sheila, offered ways that she has built supportive connections as a parent: “Babysitting, showing up at a basketball game, I’ve invited friends, we’ll show up at birthday parties, the whole nine.”  

Parent-to-parent connections are particularly important today, when many parents report feeling stressed and isolated.  Whether a parent is struggling with their child’s behavior, trying to find the right childcare, or looking for resources to support their family’s basic needs, connecting with a parent who has gone through the same experience can make all the difference. As a Family Support Partner, Sheila plays that vital role, using her lived experiences to help families overcome challenges and navigate family service systems. 

In communities across the state, free peer-to-peer support groups are available through FamilyWise’s Circle of Parents program. In regular group sessions, parents come together to share parenting challenges, resources, and successes. In this model, “The facilitator of the group is an equal member to the group,” explains Lana, a group facilitator. “The only difference is their training to keep sessions positive and beneficial to all. They’re not just this worker coming in to lead a group without lived experience. They are another parent who has gone through the same struggles. That is the biggest thing.”  

The wisdom that parents possess is also valuable for family serving organizations and systems to hear. Through the Parents as Leaders program, Familywise provides training and networking opportunities for parents that want to use their voice and their story to advocate for policies and practices that better support families. As one parent shared, “Parents will tell you what the barriers are in the systems and needs that are still not being met. We are the ones the programs serve, so they need to support us and meet our needs.” Participants have shared their perspectives at conferences, at the legislature, in state and local task forces and workgroups, and many more settings. Applications for our next Parents as Leaders cohort are open through January 31 – click here to learn more.  

This month, in honor of Parent Leadership Month, reflect on the parents that contribute to communities that you’re part of and thank them for their time and energy!