Importance of Social Connections for Parents

By Dara Griffin Dara Griffin, the executive vice president for family and community engagement at Be Strong Families, discusses the benefits of the Parent Café model, which brings attendees together for structured conversations about the challenges and rewards of parenting. By encouraging meaningful and reflective dialogue among parents as a way of building strong families and communities, these conversations incorporate the protective factors and promote peer-to-peer learning. Griffin calls the protective factors – resilience, social connections, finding concrete support, knowledge of child development, and emotional competence – something all parents need, regardless of race, economic status, or social status. Originally published: May 6, 2016