“Family is the first school for young children, and parents are powerful models.”
- Alice Sterling Hong, Ph.D., Author and Professor Emerita of Child Development at Syracuse University
Regardless of the family makeup, the parent plays a vital role in his or her children’s lives. In 1994, U.S. President Bill Clinton signed into law the Parents’ Day resolution for the purpose of “recognizing, uplifting and supporting the role of parents in the rearing of children.” Since then, communities nationwide have created programming to honor parents throughout the year.
Parents’ Week
In conjunction with the recent Proclamation of Parents’ Week by City of Toledo Mayor Paula Hicks-Hudson, the Lourdes University Parent Institute in Sylvania announced its “Thank A Parent” campaign. Throughout the month of September, retired Lucas County Juvenile Court Judge Andy Devine and the Parent Institute extended their gratitude and blessings to all parents in various editorials, interviews, parish bulletins, and advertisements.
“The City of Toledo Parents’ Week Proclamation was instituted ‘to commend and encourage the work of parents.’ We were pleased to join the city in honoring these important individuals,” says Michelle Rose, MSW, MUP, Parent Institute coordinator.
The Parent Institute
Established in 2014, the Lourdes University Parent Institute is the brainchild of Judge Andy Devine. The goals of the Parent Institute are to promote, advocate, and increase awareness about the value and importance of parents in society. To that end, the institute strives to engage in education, research, and outreach to inform policy-makers and promote practices for parents, students, and professionals that empower and support parents in their primary responsibility.
Lourdes University has taken the initiative one step further – incorporating this concept into the curriculum. “For students majoring in education and social work, it is important that they are mindful of the role a parent plays in a child’s life. As we prepare these future service providers, we are reinvesting in parents,” says Terry Keller, ABD, MSW/MBA, LMSW, interim dean of the College of Education and Human Services.
Next on the Parent Institute’s agenda is to work with professors on incorporating similar concepts in the criminal justice and nursing courses. Ms. Rose says the institute is also creating professional development curriculum for service providers who currently work with families. “We hope to implement these initiatives within the next year,” she adds.
To learn more about the Lourdes University Parent Institute, visit www.lourdes.edu/parentinstitute.
First Published October 4, 2016, 4:00 a.m.