Sharing ideas is a painless source of growth and development. The following information is a condensed version of Keeping Your Family Strong, a tip sheet from the Child Welfare Information Gateway, combined with tribally sourced information. *We recommend participating in these activities only after the COVID-19 pandemic has passed and it is safe for you and your children. Please practice recommended social-distancing guidelines.
Nurturing and Attachment: Show how much families can love each other.
- Make time every day to connect with your children with a hug, a smile and/or a song.
- Take interest in what each family member is doing – ask questions and answer questions.
Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development: Parenting is part natural and part learned.
- Subscribe to a magazine, website, or online newsletter about child development.
- Take an online parenting class.
- Sit and observe what your child can and cannot do and discuss concerns with the family doctor, the child’s teacher and/or friends.
- Attend tribally sponsored seminars and training.*
- Participate in educational teachings offered at tribal events.*
Parental Resilience: It takes courage to endure stress and to bounce back from challenges.
- Make time for quiet time: take a bath, write, meditate, practice your medicines.
- Exercise: walk, do yoga, lift weights and/or dance.
- Surround yourself with people who support you and make you feel good about yourself.
Social Connections: Friends, relatives, and neighbors can help out and provide emotional support.
- Set aside a regular time each week for your children to video chat with friends and relatives.
- Participate in neighborhood activities, picnics, or block parties.*
- Join an online support group of parents with children of similar ages.
- Attend ceremonial dance gatherings or Talking Circles.*
- Identify relatives your child trusts, and utilize their support in your children’s lives.
Concrete Supports for Parents: Know where to find help if and when needed.
- Make a list of people or places to call for support.
- Dial 2-1-1 to find out about organizations that support families in your area.
- Identify extended family members you can lean on and who can lean on you.
- Consult with tribal elders.
Social and Emotional Competence of Children: Let children know they are loved, make them feel like they belong, and are able to get along with others.
- Provide regular routines, especially for young children and inform caretakers about routine mealtimes, naps, and bedtime.
- Model healthy relationships for them and nurture healthy relationships in their life.
- Let them help with picking their regalia and when they dance, praise them for practicing traditional values.
Resource: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families, Children’s Bureau. (2019). Child Maltreatment 2018.
