Welcome to Parent2Parent
Welcome to Parent2Parent, a space where Downingtown area parents can find support, information, and guidance to empower their youth to make positive choices and strengthen their families. Our kids are under more and more pressure to succeed, so it is understandable that they may feel overwhelmed and stressed—as parents we can feel overwhelmed too! But you don’t know what you don’t know, right?
At CTC, our work is driven by data (namely the biannual Pennsylvania Youth Survey or PAYS--learn more about that here) but we also know that there is more to supporting youth and families than numbers alone. Being a parent is the most rewarding, and challenging, job out there. Our hope for this blog is to share real stories and experiences from fellow parents, along with resources, to support you in learning more about topics related to not only our Mission (focusing on mental health and substance use prevention) but also to build healthy coping skills and resiliency among our youth and families.
If ever there was a time that our resiliency and healthy coping abilities have been tested, it has been the past year during the pandemic. Since most of our work was in person, we at CTC knew that, to best meet the needs of our parents and families during this time, we would have to increase our online presence. It can be easy to find information online...but how do you know if it is reliable, factual information? An online search can be convenient--and overwhelming. In addition to the launching of our Parent2Parent Blog, we have created several online resource pages for parents including links and resources from our community partners and trusted organizations, a library of webinars, and links to professional help. We hope you find this helpful to gain new tools to talk to your kids and find support when you may need it most.
You can also find us on our social media platforms where we post all kinds of helpful information - from helpful parenting resources to upcoming events, from mindfulness activities for all ages to wellness tips - and so much more! Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
As for the stories--don't worry, we didn't forget!--you will find them in future posts here. This spring you will be hearing from a mom who noticed alcohol ads and influences were everywhere, and how she handled this realization as it related to her 2nd grader and preschooler; and later on a dad with a child in recovery from substance use disorder will share his story and advice on how to help parents "understand if their child’s experimentation with drugs and alcohol is “normal teenage behavior” or the beginnings of a struggle with addiction".
We'll see you next month on Parent2Parent and in the meantime we hope to hear from you on socials and that you have time to visit our site and resources. You can always send us a message here too. We're here to help!