Parenting is the toughest job there is, and sometimes parents need guidance when it comes to talking to their kids about difficult topics – especially when their kids reach the age of adolescence. Often times, parents just want to know that they are not alone in their efforts to raise happy and successful children. It can help for parents to hear how other parents are dealing with certain issues so that they may find new ways to address these topics with their own kids.
So, to help in this endeavor, Darlington’s Middle School Counseling Department and Middle School Tiger Pride parent organization have come together to offer a new Parent Education Program using the Connect with Kids video series. This is the first time a program like this has been offered at the Middle School, and we are excited because it not only educates parents on a variety of issues, but brings them together to discuss these topics. It also provides a variety of tools parents can use to open up the lines of communication with their children.
You will discover if you read the Connect with Kids Web site (www.connectwithkids.com) that Connect with Kids has done their research on a number of different topics affecting kids today, such as diversity, bullying, competition and pressure, drug prevention, body image, etc. In these videos, Connect with Kids shares the research they have gathered as well as the teenager’s perspective on the issue, which many times can be helpful for parents to hear. The videos are very informative and captivating, and I believe parents will walk away feeling enlightened and inspired to talk with their kids about these challenging topics.
According to Connect with Kids, “Research confirms – and kids themselves demonstrate – that parent involvement is the key to student success, which includes improved academics, better classroom behavior, and parents who feel a greater sense of ownership in what’s happening at school.” If this isn’t a reason to attend at least one of these video series, I don’t know what is.
Below are dates that these parent meetings are offered. All Middle School parents should consider attending at least one of these video series because they may never know what gifts they may be able to offer other parents and what helpful tips they may take away from this experience.
