Overseers Board Meeting December 7, 2010 1 Parents: Partners in Enhancing Resiliency A Free Web-based Parent Guidance Tool Paula K. Rauch M.D. www.stayingstrong.or g Home Base Program, Dir. Family
Dec 23, 2015
Overseers Board MeetingDecember 7, 2010
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Parents: Partners in Enhancing ResiliencyA Free Web-based Parent Guidance Tool
Paula K. Rauch M.D.
www.stayingstrong.org
Home Base Program, Dir. Family ProgramMassachusetts General Hospital
Resiliency Models
• Recognize the protective factors
• Amplify and expand factors that can be changed
• Provide practical information to caregivers
• Improve the experience for every child
• The responsibility for resilience resides in the family and community, not in the child
Triad of Protective Factors
• Positive temperament (sociable, flexible, related)
• Family warmth and primary caregiver attunement
• Social support surrounding the child and family– Microanalysis of stress affected vs stress resilient children (Kilmer et al, 2001)
StayingStrong.org
• Video based parent guidance tool• Builds on parenting skills• Over 2 hours of short videos• Video content
– Visitor’s Guide– 3 Parenting principles videos– 4 child development videos– 8 military family stories
• Narration• Animation• Specific parent guidance feedback
Parent Coach
• Staying Strong is designed to be watched alone or with a partner, friend or counselor
• Caring connection increases learning capacity, especially when emotions are high
• Ex. Bucket of ice story
Parent Guidance
• Two heads are better than one
• Two heads plus two hearts are much better than two heads alone
• Guidance (education) in the context of a relationship is much more effective
• Ultimately caring action is essential
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Every child has a backpack to carry
Mood
Anxiety
LearningChallenges
Attention
Friends
Family
Physical Health
AdjustmentWorries
Parents Can Lightening the Load
• Parents know their children
• Parents love their children
• Parents are trusted by their children
• Parents travel with their children
PACT Principles
• Parents are the experts on their own children
• Parents want and need the tools to parent at challenging times
• Children want their parents to be the guides
• Practical guidance is essential
Confusion is the enemy of coping
Parent Coaching
• Rangers on the developmental trail– Teachers– Coaches– Extended family– Counselors– YOU
“First responders” are trained to notice when a child is slipping or falling on the climb
Special Strengths
• Self reliance
• Strong family values
• Computer/internet access
• Caring communities of support
• Wish to serve others
Landing Page
• Brief welcome video
• Link to “thank you’s”
• Click ID box (parent, student, professional)
• New user or return visitor
• Will ask for email (voluntary)– #1 reason is to help us get feedback– Also can opt to get the Home Base Program
newsletter
.StayingStrong.org
• Parent directed learning
• Starts with the Visitor’s Guide
• Choose from: – 3 Parenting Principles Videos– 4 Stage of Development Videos– 8 Family Stories with Guidance– Home Base Community Center
Watch or visit in any order
Parenting Principles
• The Developmental Climb Video (PACT)
• Explains that each child is climbing with individual challenges plus the regular challenges at that age (backpack)
• Targets the role of loving parents in supporting a child’s resilience
• Touches on the importance of finding ways to relax and de-stress
Parenting Principles
• Talking with Your Child or Teen (video)
• Explains why communicating is key to enhancing resiliency
• Listening>Talking
• Being mindful of words and “music”
• Skill based
Parenting Principles
• Facing Challenges Together (video)
• Challenge: Difficult situation without a quick fix– Faced with the support of connected caring others– Builds important life skills – Results in greater self confidence and courage
• Traumas: Difficult situation without a quick fix– Surprise or out of control feeling– Faced feeling alone, isolated and helpless– Results in greater fear and insecurity
Underscores the risks of unidentified small “t” traumas
Stages
• Preschool
• Elementary
• Middle School
• High School
• Each video has a parent worksheet– Reviews key points– “Stop and Reflect”: Asks parents to identify
behaviors and ideas for new approaches
8 Military Family Stories
• 10 minute videos
• Narrator describes the family
• Animation of a parent talking about their child with viewer seeing mostly the child
• Feedback targeted to the parent’s concern– Addresses child’s temperament– Offers targeted parenting strategies– Suggests ways to connect with the school
8 Military Families: Diverse
• Deployment status
• Family constellation
• Ethnicity
• Branch of service
• Different temperaments
• Different challenges
Preschool Families
• Shy Allie – Only child– Mother is back from deployment– Allie has increased separation anxiety
• Active Doug– New baby brother– Father back from deployment– Doug is more aggressive at preschool
Elementary Families
• Prickly Heidi– Youngest of three
– Father will be deploying soon
– Mother is worried about parenting her temperamentally challenging child solo
• Sensitive Matt– Younger brother (father has a teenage son)– Father will be deploying soon– Mother is worried about his anxiety
Middle School Families
• Reserved Bettina– Only child, parents divorced
– Her father is deployed
– Her mother is worried that she doesn’t talk and that she won’t know if there are problems
• Carefree Pete– Second of four children– His father is deployed – His mother is worried about his lower grades
High School Families• Social Whitney
– Younger sister, older brother married– Her father has returned with PTS– Her mother is worried about father and
daughter not re-connecting
• Alienated Terry– Younger brother, mother and step father– His older brother has recently deployed– His mother is worried about how isolated and
misunderstood he feels at school
When to Worry
• Each family story highlights some warning signs to encourage professional help
• Parents are always encouraged to trust their own judgment and NOT to worry alone
• This website does not offer medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and should never replace professional assessment and care
Home Base Community Center
• Video connected activities and worksheets• Family Activities• Parenting information• School connected materials• Other resources and more
• Monthly Family Feature
• Community Conversation Forum
Evaluation is Important
• Who is entering and why
• Immediate feedback on each video– 4 star rating: unhelpful<****> very helpful– Would you recommend this to a friend
• End of visit feedback: Overall experience
• Email in 1-3 months: Lessons used/useful
Doing our best, until our best gets better
Some Special Challenges
• Community dispersion of the National Guard and Reserves
• Siblings of service members
• Limited access to resources in some locations
• Broader definition of family than the health insurance definition
10 worriers: 1 warrior
Applied Resiliency Support
• Parent Guidance Model
• Easily Adapted to Guiding Teachers, Coaches, etc. (Adults with continued connections with the child)
• Partnership (Lived Experience + Professional Experience)
• Access to targeted support (ex. analgesic use)
Support the Parents
• Address mental health issues
• Identify the “Go-To” support people– Emotional Support– School related concerns– Financial guidance– Health concerns– Child care support
Staying Strong 4 Educators
• Staying Strong: How Schools Build Resiliency in Military Families
• 25 minute documentary following 2 families during the father’s deployment and return and their attuned elementary school community
Head + Heart + Hand
• Quality information
• Enhanced by caring relationship
• Practical recommendations – Free
– Accessible
– Engaging
www.StayingStrong.org
Thank you
• Chat forum
• www.homebaseprogram.org