Editor’s Note: In this series, Mind in the Making facilitators share their experiences guiding workshops for parents, educators, caregivers and healthcare professionals throughout the Suncoast. In May, The Patterson Foundation funded training for 31 people through the Mind in the Making Facilitator Institute, which breaks down executive functions into seven essential life skills that help children achieve their goals.
What an amazing journey the past two months have been for Team Fire! It was exactly that, FIRE, which was ignited in the minds and hearts of local parents that took part in the Mind in the Making workshop in Manatee County. Sharing information with educators and other professionals involved in education and child development is quite different from sharing child development and fundamental life skills with parents.
Our group of parents had children of all ages, so being able to provide strategies for each age range was noted as being especially important: each stage of a child’s life brings with it many different challenges. Each stage shares the need for parents to have awareness, be involved, and take on challenges, ultimately improving their lives and the lives of their children.
My favorite parts of the workshop had to be when we gathered at the end to look back on the many accomplishments and new knowledge the parents took away with them; listening to how the Mind in the Making fundamental skills had affected each individual personally; and how the dynamic of their families has already changed over such a short period of time.
Being able to share such valuable information with those that have a direct impact on the lives of children is such a monumental step in the long-term growth and success of our children — our future generations!
In a fast-paced world where we seem to have our faces looking down at screens so often, engaging and connecting with parents face to face and looking in their eyes allows me to see the light and have hope for a brighter future. It’s worth every effort to reach out to the community and educate others on how we can better ourselves, our families, and our world!
