​This week, we celebrated a huge milestone - our Family Resource Center Graduation. 

This is a celebration for our Nurturing Parenting Program participants. They have completed 16 weeks of classes and visit coaching to teach nurturing behaviors, promote healthy physical and emotional development and teach appropriate role and developmental expectations. 

The News Star - The organizers of the Platform for Children, along with local organizations hosted an event at the Children's Coalition for Northeast Louisiana in Monroe on Tuesday.

Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services Secretary Marketa Garner Walters said children don't slip through invisible cracks in the system. They slip through the spaces where society isn't holding hands tightly enough to support them.

Last year, a record 912 children were adopted out of foster care. As the audience applauded, she said if the state were doing the job right, the number of adoptions would go down, not up.

About two-thirds of the children who enter foster care in Louisiana are reunited with their families. The ultimate goal, Walters said, is to ensure families get the support they need early in the process to succeed.

There will always be abuse and neglect, she said, but the goal is to keep families from reaching the process.

Today is a big day for our Family Resource Center - parents from Cohort 17 completed our Nurturing Parenting Program and have graduated. 

This comprehensive 16-week program is designed for families with children ages 0-5 referred for parenting education by social services agencies and members of the community.

​The Family Resource Center graduated the first cohort in Ruston for the Nurturing Parenting Program, a comprehensive 16-week program designed for families with children ages 0-5 referred for parenting education by social services agencies and members of the community. 

The Family Resource Center for Northeast Louisiana serves Northeast Louisiana (Region 9) and Jackson and Bienville parishes. Although our primary purpose is to provide parent education, visit coaching and a safe environment for families and children receiving services through DCFS’ Child Protective Services, our ultimate goal is to provide free comprehensive parenting education, resources, and information for all parents in Northeast Louisiana.

The second cohort in Ruston will begin mid-August. For more information, please call our office at 318-323-8775 or visit our Family Resource Center page. 

Here's what 3 experts had to say about self-care for parents:

Dr. April J. Lisbon - Author & K-12 School Psychologist
My name is Dr. April J. Lisbon and I am an autism coach strategist and empowerment speaker. Specifically, I help professional working autism mothers learn how to command their time, reduce their stress levels, and improve their finances. I am also an international award winning author and a certified K-12 school psychologist.
After reviewing Maria’s video, I truly agree that it is mandatory that we establish and set clear boundaries when discussing self-care issues. All too often we are so consumed with other people’s issues and our jobs that we forget to do something as simple as breathing.
Having said this, I would say that one of the challenges that most people often experience is giving themselves permission to be ‘selfish’ about their time. What do I mean? For most people, especially those with children, we often feel about taking time out for ourselves in fear that we might miss out on key moments in our children’s lives (e.g. first steps) or potentially forget to complete a task that more than likely can wait until tomorrow.
We have to get out of this microwave mindset that everything has to be done at warped speed. No, it does not. I promise you that the work will get done and the children will be fine. The person who won’t be fine is you. Why? Because you are too emotionally and mentally drained to give yourself the gift of YOU. You deserve that shower. You deserve that ice cream cone without the children. You deserve to take time out to enjoy your breath and connect with nature. The reality is that both you and I have earned the right to create and implement a self-care plan for ourselves.

Dr. John DeGarmo - Director at The Foster Care Institute
I am Dr. John DeGarmo, a TEDx speaker, the founder and director of The Foster Care Institute, and I conduct seminars and consult across the world on parenting, foster care, child sex trafficking, adoption, and child welfare related issues. I am also the author of several books, including the new book The Foster Care Survival Guide, and Helping Foster Children in School. Finally, I am the parent of 6 children, including adopting three adopted from foster care, and have been a foster parent to over 60 children.
I watched the video, and agree. It IS necessary to care for oneself as a parent, and it is okay to sometimes say "no". Yet, so many parents today do not recognize this, and the whole family suffers, as a result.
Without a doubt, parenting is hard work! It may just be the hardest work you ever do. You will often find yourself exhausted, both mentally and physically, and feel drained at times. The job will require you to work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with no time off. You will probably feel overworked and underappreciated. Many times, our children will our patience, and leave us with headaches, frustrations, disappointments, and even heartbreaks at times.
I know of some people that become so engrossed in being a parent and taking care of children that their own personal identity disappears over time. Don't neglect who you are and what makes you special. After all, your spouse fell in love with you for who you are! When parenting becomes too stressful, you and your family will all feel the effects. Thus, one of the most important reminders for you, as a parent, is the fact that you need to take care of yourself, physically, mentally, and emotionally.
If you neglect yourself, your family will suffer as a result. Finding time for you will not be easy, but it is very essential. Make time to do something you enjoy, and that you find relaxing. Spend time with some friends, perhaps over lunch or dinner. Do not neglect your own personal health; make sure you get plenty of exercise regularly and eat healthy. If you take time for yourself, you will help to ensure your well being, as you care for others in your own home.

​Damon Nailer - Parent Educator & Consultant
I currently serve as a certified practitioner for the following programs: Positive Parenting Program (Triple P), Nurturing Parenting Program (NPP), and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE's). 

I agree with what Maria stated. I would add that self-care encompasses all four components of our being- the mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical sides of us. Here are a few suggestions of how we can meet the needs of our total self: 

1. Adequate Rest- We have to get adequate rest so our minds, bodies, and spirits can repair and rejuvenate. Inadequate rest increases the potential of us having problems in the following areas: focus/attention, immune system health, energy, emotions, and strength. Having to address these issues would really make parenting tough and very stressful. 

2. Meditation/Prayer - We need to spend time alone with our own thoughts in order to ponder on inspirational words/phrases, positive experiences, and our dreams/ambitions.
Additionally, for those of us who believe in prayer, this is something we should do on a consistent basis to assist us in decompressing, elevating our minds, and empowering our spirits. These practices will enable us to have the proper attitudes and display appropriate behavior towards our children. 

3. Exercise- As humans, we were created to move. Exercise has proven to be extremely beneficial to our entire being. It helps with concentration/mental clarity, weight loss, flexibility, strength, overall immune system functionality, sleep, emotional stability, endurance, etc. The healthier we are as individuals, the better parents we will be. 

4. Nurturing Self-Here is one of my quotes that I love to utilize-"You can only reproduce what is already produced in you". In essence, your input determines your output. To be compassionate, caring, and kind parents, we have to treat ourselves in this manner first so that we can then reciprocate it to our children.

Congratulations to Damon Nailer, Family Resource Center Parent Educator, for his recent award. He was named Best of the ArkLaMiss Best Motivational Speaker 2nd Place. Damon works with families in our Family Resource Center and leads our Nurturing Fatherhood Program. Congratulations Damon! 

Parenthood isn't easy, but teen parenthood comes with a unique set of issues. Antoinette Hoard, Early Head Start director at the Children's Coalition for Northeast Louisiana, says that teen parents can go on to live productive lives after giving birth and the Children's Coalition is a community resource that can help.

On the impact of teen pregnancy on early childhood development and the effects that teen pregnancy could have on the growth and development of babies
With babies born to teens we are looking at some developmental delays that could possibly be there and some medical risks that can happen. There are a lot of risk factors that can happen in teens that may not happen in a person who is older. 

On the things that society/community can do to prevent some of those delays
To encourage the teen to get the medical attention she needs, and also to encourage the teen that she can continue her life. She can continue to be a better person in society. She can still get her education. She can do all the things she wanted to do even though she’s pregnant. We just have to encourage them, help network, and connect them to the services that they need. 

On successful teen parenting through dedication and  community resources
One teen that we had got pregnant her senior year in high school. During her senior year, she gave up and got connected to our programs through her counselor at her school. She ended up graduating with a 3.0 and she decided to go to ULM. Now, she’s in the Nursing Program at ULM. We’re excited that she was connected to our program and she was able to get her child in our Early Head Start Program and continue her education. 

On resources that are available to teen moms in order to develop practical skills in parenting
We need practice as adults, too, but we have lots of things going on at the Children’s Coalition with them. Of course, we have our Early Head Start program where she can bring her child to her program and we will provide care for them. We have a home-based program where we can come out to her home and work with her. We also have our Jus4Me Program that goes out to area high schools and works with teens to connect them to all the services that they need. There are also other places that she can go such as: Nurse-Family Partnership, AETNA, and other programs in the community that can meet their needs. The Children’s Coalition also provides parenting programs. 
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Time to Talk is produced with the Children's Coalition for Northeast Louisiana and BayouLife Magazine.

On what the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study (ACEs) is
The Adverse Childhood Experiences Study (ACEs) is a research study by the American health maintenance organization Kaiser Permanente and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is a hypothesis and a study that helps us understand how early childhood experiences can affect our health later on in life. 

On how ACEs can inspire action in Northeast Louisiana
The study helps us to understand how we can heal our communities through information. It will also help [parents] decide in parenting practices. Parents will learn how to understand early childhood development from birth to age five.

On how adverse childhood experiences are passed down generationally
In the State of Louisiana, we have a high child abuse and neglect rate, but there are also families that are mandated to come in for services. The ACEs study resonates throughout their lives through early childhood experiences. These parenting practices have also been passed down from generation-to-generation. 

For example, if a mother has been exposed to domestic violence, the environment that she and her children are in would receive an ACE score of 1. More than likely, her children will go on to experience abuse or experience domestic violence just by exposure. 

On risk factors for abuse
In my opinion, some of the biggest risk factors are poverty, drug abuse, homelessness, and depression. Most importantly, statistically, we have more neglect than physical abuse. Neglect is the biggest issue because if [a parent] is on drugs, depressed, or homeless they’re not in a position to parent properly. 
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On resources are available to parents and new parents
New parents can benefit from learning early childhood development and knowing about the environment that your children are raised in. Knowing what children are exposed to early impacts them greatly going forward. If a child is exposed to a traumatic event, I have to think about how it impacted the brain and the environment the child is in. Resources that we have in the community are parent education. It is the greatest resource that I’ve found. We have readily, great evidence-based information for our communities to use and access. 

Parenting can be a challenge.  Finding what works depends on several factors.  This weekend, the Children's Coalition of Northeast Louisiana hosts the "What Works" conference at the Monroe Civic Center.

"It's really important that all children have caring adults in their lives," said Coalition Executive Director Lynn Clark.  "We've reached out to educators, nurses, social workers, and others to create a nurturing environment in their professional lives for children."
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The conference begins Thursday night with a Dad's dinner event. On Friday, conference sessions are held with the theme: Parent Is A Verb.  Clark says, "being a parent is not just a label, but is an action."  A special presentation this year is from Share Pregnancy & Infant Loss Support.  Topics including the grief process and the rights of parents are discussed in this session.