Children First 2005 Conference Summary

Families

Assets for Youth

▪ Empower parents by providing education opportunities on how to communicate with their children as well as child, especially parent with teenagers.

▪ Create a family column in the newspaper.

▪ Have a celebratory parent gathering focusing on what is being done well to foster proactive parent involvement.

▪ Families can provide feedback to educators, service providers, community groups, etc. about current programs and what is or is not working.

▪ Get families involved in community collaboration.

Child Welfare

▪ Parents Helping Parents!! Parents should partner and work together so that those that have been successful in certain areas can act as a resource for those that might be struggling.

▪ Create parent support groups centered around neighborhoods.  These groups could be a means of helping parents find access to emergency babysitting, occasional after school care, etc.

▪ Adults that were abused as children should seek services and support in order to break the cycle for future generations.

▪ Parent Mentors. Parents can offer education and support for one another.

▪ Participate in parenting classes and seek advice and support when in need.

Early Childhood Development

▪ Advocate!!  Collaborate and work together on topics such as inclusion of special needs children, subsidized child care and health and dental care.

▪ Keep educated.  Attend parenting classes and keep up on issues that are affecting early childhood development.

▪ VOTE!!!!

▪ Volunteer at your child care center.

▪ Stay involved in your child's development by keeping in contact with day care providers, educators etc.

Physical Health

▪ Turn off the television!  Limit the time that the television or computer are on and replace that time with physical activity.  And do not allow televisions in kid's rooms.

▪ Cook and prepare meals together including grocery shopping and allow kids to make choices regarding healthy foods that they like.

▪ Try new things. Experiment with new healthy snack and make them together. 

▪ Avoid having juice and soda in the house.  Try replacing these things with water or milk. If you do have juice make sure that it is 100% juice.

▪ Family members/parents that practice healthy eating habits could put effort into sharing the knowledge needed to do so with other parents.  Create a collaborative of parents helping parent.

Mental Health

▪ Advocate by expressing your needs clearly to elected officials by writing/lobbying your state, local, and federal legislators.

▪ Parents collaborate, form support groups as a method of expressing concerns and challenges as well a means to educate each other and raise awareness.

▪ Keep lines of communication with teachers and community groups open.  Keep others informed.

▪ Work on stigma reduction and peer education programs to help families better understand disabilities and recovery.

▪ Stay educated and keep learning.  Education brings the empowerment needed for self advocacy.

School Success

▪ Be involved in children's education.  Ask them questions about school help them with homework and keep the lines of communication with educators open.

▪ Volunteer.  Get in the school system and be supportive.

▪ Family meals!!  Attempt to have dinner together as a family.  This can be quality time to share and learn about what is going on in a child's life.

▪ Read with children.

▪ Create a safe, supportive and healthy home environment.