May 7, 2010
Becoming more effective parents
Strengthening families: Building family strengths
Families and staff who participated in the “Strengthening Families Program — Ages Six to Nine” at the Guadalupe Center in Huntingburg include, front row, Edgar Herrera, Osvaldo Go-doy, José Calderón, Anthony Menjivar , Christian Calderón, Adamaris Calderón, Lorena López, second row, María Ramirez, Sr. Karen Durliat, Joanna Calderón, Melissa Dubón, Tatiana Herrera, Uriel González, Alexsandra Gonázlez, third row, Nery Herrera, Edith Dubón, William Dubón, Reina Dubón, fourth row, Jaime Garay, Ubaldo González, José A. Dubón, María Godoy, Maria F. Calderón, Irma Menjivar, Evelyn Rivas, Kande Batz, Juana López, María Navarro, Karen Dubón and Ubaldo de Jesús González. Click for a larger version.
Six families have completed a 10-week “Strengthening Families Program — Ages Six to Nine” in Spanish at the Guadalupe Center in Huntingburg.
“This free program helps youth and their families to build on family strengths, while learning new skills,” said Benedictine Sister Karen Durliat, diocesan director of the Spanish-speaking ministry.
She said the emphasis of the program was “learning to communicate as a family. Parents learned the importance of spending time with their children, together, not just in the same room. They learned ways to reward their children for good behavior with social rewards, like praise and doing activities with their children.
“Children learned the importance of listening, saying ‘no’ to stay out of trouble, steps to problem solving, and dealing with feelings.
“The families were encouraged to set aside time for family meetings and activities.”
Each session also offered time for fun interactive activities for the families.
“An added advantage for the Hispanic community is that the program provides time for parents to talk to other parents whose children understand the language and culture of the United States better than they (the parents) do,” Sister Karen said. “They help each other to find ways to be more effective parents.”
Six families graduated from the program: Maria F. Calderón and her children José and Christian; Edith and José Dubón and their daughter Melissa; María and Alejandro Godoy and their son Osvaldo; Juana López and Ubaldo González and their daughter Alexsandra; María Irma Menjivar and her son Anthony Nery; and José Herrera and their children Edgar and Nury Tatiana.
Facilitators for this program were Reina Dubón, Sister Karen, Jaime Garay, Lorena López, and María Ramírez. Mirna Dubón coordinated the food. The program is sponsored by Youth First, Inc. and the Welborn Baptist Foundation.