National Parent Leadership Month
Celebrating the Stories that Strengthen and Connect Us
This February, we celebrate 20 years of National Parent Leadership Month! In recognition of National Parent Leadership Month, Children’s Trust Fund Alliance honors the unique stories and the invaluable role parents play in celebrating the stories that strengthen and connect us!
As we express our gratitude, we acknowledge that each parent’s journey is a vital puzzle piece in the grand mosaic of community and family life. Your leadership is not only a source of inspiration but is also a connector that bridges gaps and fosters unity. Your story is a testament to the power of Protective Factors, and your leadership echoes the spirit of National Parent Leadership Month.
Thank you for being the vital puzzle piece that connects us all! To honor a parent in your community, download our fillable certificate today!
Proclaiming February as National Parent Leadership Month
Celebrate 20 years of National Parent Leadership Month in your state, county, local community or organization by requesting a proclamation be created!
Please customize the tools below to meet your needs and share your story!
Community Connections Spotlight: Alabama
Alabama’s Children’s Trust Fund works with their Parent Advisory Council (AL PAC) each year to get proclamations. The PAC sees this as an opportunity to recognize all of the great parents in each district.
It’s never too late for recognition. Explore the available proclamation and certificate resources on this page for more information!
Resources
Here are some suggested hashtags to use on Social Media when you are talking about National Parent Leadership Month!
#NationalParentLeadershipMonth #CTFAllianceCelebrates #STORY
#Strengthen #Connect #Partner #ProtectiveFactors
Protective Factors:
S. T. O. R. Y.
Seek | Teach | Offer | Recognize | Yield
Seek Social Connections
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Seek Self Care so You are Charged Up for Social Connection TimeCheck your battery. Explore this resource to know when you might need a recharge. |
Seek Motivation to Maximize Social ConnectionsAction can help create motivation. Explore this month’s calendar on action for happiness for additional creative ideas to boost your motivation every month of the year. |
Seek Working Opportunities for Social Connections in Work, Home, and FunWork can be fun! Set a date with a colleague who knows a topic or skill you would love to know more about. Its a win-win! You are working while strengthening your social connections. |
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Seek Stories to Celebrate Black History Month while Building Social ConnectionsThere are so many times to celebrate black authors from Black History Month to Juneteenth and throughout the year! These staff favorites make for excellent reads all year long. Explore books you and your child can read in honor of Black History Month. |
Seek Partnerships with Parents and Tap into Networks and ConnectionsUse the Alliance National Parent Partnership Council’s PARENTS acrostic to guide meaningful conversations about the value of true partnerships with parents. Join us in the month of February while we explore the tool and break down how useful the tool is for conversation cafes, table talk and other kinds of discussions in parent groups, group of practitioners and professionals, and especially when practitioners and parents are meeting together. |
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Teach Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development
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Teach Knowledge and Development Through Shared Learning Moments.Mindfulness: A Journey Together |
Teach Child Development by Exploring How Mistakes Enhance LearningLearning happens even with mistakes. Take some time to explore the power of re-framing mistakes as learning opportunities. Let’s make even the messiest days a little lighter knowing we can see the positive. |
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Teach Parents How Important Their Role is as Their Child’s First TeacherThe Wisconsin Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Board (Prevention Board) is celebrating parents this month with an exciting social media campaign. Explore these great resources and share them with their networks. |
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Teach This Protective Factor Through Story SharingExplore learning and growing together as you reflect on the different stages of parenting and child development with “Ada Twist, Scientist” by Andrea Beaty. |
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Teaching Means Providing Opportunities for Sharing Knowledge and Asking Questions.The “P” in “PARENTS” is for “Provide. Provide options that will accommodate work and family schedules. What are the most convenient times and places to meet? Whatever your role, prepare a plan A, B, and C! Partners are patient with the process because the results are worth it. |
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The “A” in “PARENTS” is for “ASK”. When you know what parents need, it is easier to know how you can help them. You never know until you ask if parents want to work with you as a team. |
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Offer Concrete Supports in Times of Need
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Offer Concrete Supports for Education by Exploring Take Your Family to School WeekNational PTA’s “Take Your Family to School Week”, celebrated Feb. 11–17, 2024, is designed to provide families with an opportunity to get more involved in their child’s education and strengthen their partnerships with teachers and administrators. The timing of the week honors the day PTA was founded, Feb. 17, 1897. During National Parent Leadership Month take the opportunity to see what connections can be made to meet the concrete needs of families and schools through the National PTA. PTA is the oldest and largest child advocacy association in America. PTA is comprised of millions of parents, teachers, grandparents, caregivers, foster parents and other caring adults who share a commitment to improving the education, health and safety of all children. PTA strives to ensure it speaks with one voice for every child. Today, the issues that affect our children extend beyond their individual schools. PTAs provide parents with the forum and tools to collectively influence the decisions that affect children not only at their schools, but also throughout their districts, within their states, and across the nation. Many of the benefits our children receive today, such as universal kindergarten, the National School Lunch Program, and a juvenile justice system, were accomplished as a result of the PTA mission. Explore if the PTA is a right fit for you and your family. |
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Offer Concrete Supports by Asking For HelpAsking for help is a sign of strength. Lets all be strong and look to one another. Look at your week and see where you might explore this more by asking someone for help. |
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Offers of Help From Prevention and Early Intervention Can Make a DifferenceThe Texas Department of Family and Protective Resources Prevention and Early Intervention Division are celebrating all the contributions of parents across their state. They have many great resources you can explore and share. |
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Offer Concrete Support with Community Valentines“Encourage” Each other by delivering a VALENTINE! |
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Offer Concrete Support by Discussing HelpExplore the value of helping and receiving help with “The Rainbow Fish” by Marcus Pfister |
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Offering Concrete Support by Building Relationships with Encouragement Along the WayThe “R” in “PARENTS” is for “RELATIONSHIPS”. To be a true partner, you must build authentic relationships and have great rapport. |
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The “E” in “PARENTS” is for “ENCOURAGEMENT”. Encourage parents by recognizing individual strengths! |
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Offer to Support a Neighbor, Friend, Coworker or Family MemberTake some time to huddle with your family and think about your community. Do you have a neighbor, friend, coworker or family member who could use some help? Take time to offer some of your time or talents. Then share the story. |
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Recognize Resilience
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Recognizing Resilience Sometimes Means Realizing You Need to TalkBuilding Resilience in Childhood |
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Recognize that EVERYONE is a Valuable Connecting Piece to ResilienceWhen we all work together, child neglect is preventable. On this World Social Justice Day learn more about the relationships between neglect and poverty, substance use disorder, mental illness, interpersonal violence, and histories of trauma. Explore how it is more than a family matter; it’s a community responsibility to prevent. |
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Recognize Resilence with Unsung HeroesStrengthening Families Washington, a division of the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families has created a coloring book, in English and Spanish, to assist families in having small yet significant conversations about what it means to be an Unsung Hero, and how to build the protective factor building in their communities. |
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Recognize Resilience by Embracing DiversityEmbracing Diversity with Our Children |
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Recognize Resilience with Each Piece of “The Patchwork Quilt”African American quilts are significant artistic pieces of both the past and present history for black Americans. They tell stories of slavery and segregation, giving viewers valuable history lessons while also representing beacons of hope. They are symbols of culture, community, and freedom. Listen to what the book “The Patchwork Quilt” means to Alliance Parent Partnership member, Shelina Flarisee. |
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Recognizing Resilience Requires Time and Space for NurturingThe “N” in “PARENTS” is for “NURTURE”. Nurture parents and nourish their strengths. Listen to their thoughts. Acknowledge and validate their ideas. Implement parents’ recommendations and ideas whenever possible. |
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“T” is for Trust. Use the Alliance National Parent Partnership Council’s PARENTS acrostic to guide meaningful conversations about the value of true partnerships with parents. The “T” in “PARENTS” is for “TRUST”. |
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Recognize that Resilience Deserves CelebrationCelebrating 20 years of each piece of work, heart and dedication parents have contributed to support thriving families and communities! As National Parent Leadership Month celebrates it’s 20th Anniversary, take time this weekend to recognize your family’s resilience and moments you have grown. Have a mini celebration with an impromptu dance party, team chant, special dessert or fun game. |
Yield Social and Emotional Competence of Children
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Yield Social & Emotional Competence Through Storytelling🧠✨ Embrace the Power of Storytelling and Transform Your Brain! 🌟 |
Yield Social & Emotional Learning Through CollaborationCollaborative Learning in Action |
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Yield Emotional Competence by Playing Social GamesChurmell Mitchell, a single father, Alabama Parent Advisory Council and Alliance National Parent Partnership member has developed a game for children and families to explore and share their emotions. Embark on an Emotional Odyssey: Get Ready for ‘Emotions You Know’ – A Game Like No Other! Prepare for groundbreaking gaming experience as you dive into a world fueled by feelings, where every choice molds your journey. Get Ready for a whole new way to place – your emotions, your adventure! |
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Learning Emotions Through Play |
Yield Social & Emotional Journeys Through Books and ProcessStorytime: A Gateway to Emotional Learning |
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Taking time to process your emotions and think about past life events can be powerful. Explore the book club resources for the book What Happened to You by Bruce Perry and Oprah Winfrey. |
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Yield Social & Emotional Resources wirth Sucessful PartnershipsThe “S” in “PARENTS” is for “SUCCEED”. A partnership will succeed when both partners are committed to learning from each other and listening to each others’ ideas. |