July is National Make a Difference for Children Month, and an opportunity to learn how to support kids and families in your community. At ReadyKids, kids are at the heart of what we do. We know that to take care of kids, we must also support those who care for them. One way to help support kids and their caregivers is to use the Strengthening Families framework, which includes five protective factors to promote healthy child development and reduce child abuse and neglect. We'll explore each of the five factors and how you can utilize them.
- Support Parental Resilience
All parents experience stress - whether it be from persistent poverty, relationship conflicts, or a difficult-to-soothe baby. How parents respond to the stressor is much more important than the stressor itself. Support parents by letting them know that they are doing a good job and acknowledging the stress they are facing. Check out the ReadyKids healing website for local community options to support your mental health and build resilience.
- Foster Social Connection
Offer emotional support and let them know you are there for them. Studies show that high levels of emotional, informational, and spiritual support are associated with better parenting. When caregivers feel supported, they are shown to be more responsive to their children's feelings, report higher parental satisfaction, and have lower levels of anger, anxiety, and depression.
- Offer Concrete Support
Families do better when they live in communities that help them succeed. This support can include partnering with parents to identify and access resources in the community, dropping off a kid-friendly meal, or helping out with household tasks.
- Encourage Learning about Childhood Development
Parents need accurate information about child development to create appropriate expectations for children and youth's behavior at every age. When talking with parents, encourage education and exploration of parenting issues. Point out the resources available to everyone, such as the National Parent Help Line, the ReadySteps resource page on the ReadyKids website, and the CDC's Developmental Milestones page.
- Promote Social and Emotional Development
Children who feel loved and like they belong, are children who have a healthy bond with their parent or caregiver. A healthy bond is often built by both children and adults expressing emotions in a healthy way. If you are a community group, faith community, or school - consider hosting a parenting discussion group. You can use this Need2Know Discussion Guide complete with facilitation tips from the Children's Trust Fund Alliance to discuss how to boost a children's social and emotional skills. Or, visit the STAR Kids Early Childhood Social and Emotional Resources page.
ReadyKids is proud to partner with our community to provide counseling, family support, and early learning opportunities to kids, families, and early childhood educators. If you would like to learn more, visit readykidscville.org.
You can also support children by supporting organizations supporting children and their families or perhaps taking on mentorship roles with children. Explore cvillevolunteer.org to find some great volunteer opportunities and connect with volunteer coordinators.
