Detroit Families: Helping Parents Help Themselves
By Sharlonda Buckman, CEO, Detroit Parent Network
Parenting is the hardest and most rewarding role a person can play. I know this is true for me. I have two children who are constantly challenging me in exciting (and scary) ways. As a parent, I know that having a relationship with each of my children is incredibly important. It takes intentionality and time.
At Detroit Parent Network (DPN), we work with families every day to build their personal development because we believe parents are better parents when they are able to strengthen themselves personally.
During spring break, I took a mommy/daughter trip to Washington DC via train as an intentional way to spend more time with my blossoming 5 year-old daughter who managed our snack time, movie time, truth and dare, and led regular trips through the wobbly train to sight see. Of course we frequented the snack car and the 3x3 ft. lavatory. As much as work and other issues popped up in my head, I fought to protect the priceless moments and memories we made that will last a lifetime.
In these moments, as parents, we can make our greatest contributions through conversations that shape the adults our children will become. Listening and learning from their boundless perspectives, we too, become better adults.
In the parent development workshops we offer at DPN, You'll see that sometimes it's about helping parents help their children as much as themselves:
- Helping children improve reading comprehension
- Reducing stress in your life and home
- Spending family time/dinner time
- Writing an effective resume
- Improving home finances and developing a savings plan
- Preparing children to apply for and attend college
- Developing effective parent-teacher relationships
Barbra Holt, a longtime DPN member and parent of four children, ages 15, 13, 11, and 10 regularly attends many of the workshops offered through our Parent Centers. She states "DPN takes away the excuses; you can't say you don't have a sitter because many of their events are family events and it's a family outing for me and my kids like movie night. We're also able to receive the resources we need to help with our families, for this I appreciate all that you do" she commented as she continued to talk about her latest enrollment in the upcoming Parent University series.
We salute Barbra for the great job she is doing in keeping her family strong.
*Content provided by our sponsor Michigan Education Savings Plan.
