Volume 10 ●  Summer  2007

   www.hubfamilies.org

From the Executive Director, Greg Burdwood

Parent Education… Because We ALL Need a

Little Help Now and Then

An appealing aspect of the McConnell Community Center is that it is available to all members of the community, regardless of economic, educational, or cultural background. There really aren’t very many places like that anymore in our compartmentalized society. 

 

 Such inclusiveness echoes a guiding principle of the HUB Family Resource Center which says that we will strive to serve all families because everyone has a need for information, support, and connection.  The HUB exists because parents from all walks of life seek information and advice to help them understand and respond to their children’s needs.

 

 Historically, such knowledge and skills were passed down generation by generation. That pattern still exists in some cultures, but in many others the wisdom of the preceding generation is either not available or it is considered insufficient. The ease of passing on the accumulated child-rearing wisdom has also decreased as families move farther away from their communities of origin. Some parents also want ways of raising their children that are different from those used by their parents. They may disagree with some of their parents’ practices or feel that such practices cannot entirely prepare their children for the future they will face as adults. Parents are also bombarded with contradictory and confusing messages from books, talk shows, and the Internet.  For all these reasons, parents are often looking for reliable information, skills, and supports to help them guide their children.

 

Enter Your Friendly Family Resource Center!

 

Through parenting education, the HUB Family Resource Center can meet parents’ need for information and skill-building opportunities. We can also assist parents with sorting and choosing from the array of information they encounter. To do this well we must provide the information and build the skills desired by parents but also build a solid knowledge base of human development and an understanding of the parenting role. We must be sensitive to the traditions, learning styles, and mores of the family while providing parents with the knowledge and skills to teach their children what they will need to live in our society.

 

Exploring the Needs and Preferences of Parents

 

At the HUB, input from parents is essential to program effectiveness… what basic information are they are looking for? Do they want to know how to prepare their young children for school? Or do they need information on parenting adolescents, communicating with their children, or methods of discipline? How much time can parents commit to parenting education? Parents working outside of the home are often reluctant to extend their separation from their families.

 

 Parents reject programs that conflict with beliefs that are embedded in their philosophy or culture. We strive to provide parenting

education that is consistent with families’ belief systems while helping families adapt to achieve the results they want. For example, parents may use physical punishment because they believe their children need discipline in order to succeed. These parents will accept other methods only if they see that they work more effectively to instill discipline or that there are important reasons for using other methods.

 

Parents, We Want to Hear From You!

 

What kind of information are parents looking for? Tell us what will be helpful to you as a parent by going to www.hubfamilies.org and filling out our brief survey. Your participation is anonymous and will help us plan our fall programming. Hard copies of the survey are available at any of our offices. 

 

We appreciate your support of the HUB, and we strive to provide the families in Strafford County and the Seacoast the kinds of parenting information and programming that is relevant to you. Have a wonderful summer and we look forward to seeing you at the HUB!