By Leesa Nelson, Parent Engagement Coordinator at Children’s Trust of South Carolina
In the month of February, people spend a lot of focus, time and energy on the word love. Love has a lot of forms and meanings. For me, one of the forms of love that I often think makes an impact is through celebration. So today, I want to spend some time celebrating parents and caregivers during National Parent Leadership Month.
National Parent Leadership Month was originally started in 1969 through Parents Anonymous® to recognize the vital role that parents and caregivers have in their families and communities. In 2004, this important celebration became a nationally celebrated month every February.
At Children’s Trust of South Carolina, we have been blessed to partner with twelve incredible parents and caregivers across our state through our statewide Parent Advisory Council (PAC). These 12 members have brought insight, wisdom, and courage to our organization and, ultimately, to our state as a whole.
Through my role as the parent engagement coordinator, they have made the parent engagement initiative exciting and special every day I get to work with them. We could not have begun this inaugural PAC year with a better group of people.
During this first year of the SC PAC, members have surpassed my wildest dreams with their dedication and ideas. They consistently show up and make their voices known. And as a team, we have many accomplishments to relish in.
This first year, they created a mission, vision and values to direct this group and the future years of the SC PAC. They have guided the offerings of the Parent Leadership Academy, attended these trainings, and went out into their own communities and spread the knowledge. They have offered real and wise perspectives for the SC PAC’s Topic of The Month Blog on scParents.org each month. And starting this month, they have brought innovative ideas that will result in Child Abuse Prevention Month materials that will encourage parents and caregivers throughout the entire state of South Carolina.
To simply state that I am proud of this group of knowledgeable people would be an understatement because they deserve so much more praise.
As we close February and National Parent Leadership Month, I want to encourage everyone to take time to celebrate a parent or caregiver in your life. We all know at least one.
Celebrate the impact they have had on your life, the life of your child(ren), and on your community. Find that parent/caregiver and give them a hug or a word of encouragement. If you feel generous, take them to coffee or tea and tell them how much they mean to you. Let them know that they are doing amazing at the hardest job on the planet and to keep going.
From the deepest part of my heart, I want to tell Alice Matthews, Anthony Ford, Camille McCrorey, Ciera Young, Emily Parrish, Iona Jenkins, Katie Fox, Ruth James, Shawn Jackson, Shelina Flarisee, Takia Daniels, and Tamell Green, I appreciate you, I am proud of you, and I am celebrating you all this and every National Parent Leadership Month.
And to ALL parents, thank you for being awesome for your children and families, for partnering with each other, and for building villages of support.
