Circle of Parents: Empowering Parents and Strengthening Families for 35 Years
February is Parent Leadership Month, a time when we recognize the powerful role parents play in our communities. Over the past few months, we’ve seen parents stepping up to provide mutual aid to other Minnesota families. Peer-to-peer parent support is vital to family wellbeing, and not just in times of crisis. Parents face tremendous stress, and having a place to turn to share challenges, to get new ideas, and to learn about family resources can equip parents with skills and confidence to change their lives.
Circle of Parents, a peer-led mutual self-help support group program, is a perfect example of how peer support can nurture parents as leaders and strengthen family relationships.
Jennifer began attending Circle of Parents meetings a year ago. She and her partner, Xavier, have five children between the ages of 2 and 13. Jennifer described their home life as chaotic, with the kids behaving in an unruly and defiant manner. A major concern was their difficulty getting the kids in their beds and settled down at night. She was also worried about the group of friends her older children were involved with.
As Jennifer shared her feelings with the other parents in the group, she found support and encouragement. She learned that many parents were coping with similar challenges, and she began to understand the importance of providing her kids with a safe, secure, and consistent home environment. She set up a structure of family expectations and consequences with the input and agreement of her children. Jennifer also discovered the impact of being a role model for her own kids and worked diligently on improving herself and the relationships in her life.
As she set these changes in motion, Jennifer saw her relationships with her kids improve and their unruly behavior decline. Now bedtime is a time of connection and sharing between Jennifer and her kids. The kids understand her expectations and their part in creating a happy and harmonious family. Jennifer continues attending Circle of Parents support group meetings every week to navigate the day-to-day struggles of being a parent.
Circle of Parents can empower parents beyond their role as a parent. After joining the parenting group, Jennifer started a new career and has taken steps to strengthen her marriage. She has momentum in her life and understands that her growth as a healthy person and parent is an ongoing process. She is a fundamental asset to the group and willingly shares her experience and new repertoire of parenting skills with the other Circle of Parents members.
Parents from all walks of life across Minnesota attend Circle of Parents groups. Wherever they are in their parenting journey, they show up to be vulnerable, supportive, and creative together, and that is what makes the program so impactful. In a recent survey of Circle of Parents participants, attendees echoed the benefits that Jennifer experienced, saying:
- “It is the place I can go and not feel judged or criticized.”
- “This group has been very necessary for my mental health.”
- “I have made real friends in this group. I have support from them, someone to call when needed.”
- “I realize I am not alone. Everyone has issues, we all need support.”