Families Strengthened through Crisis Center Parenting Program

Rose is what you would call a "veteran parent". After raising two kids of her own, Rose became a parent to young children a second time when she adopted four kids between the ages of 6 and 11. Her family expanded again when Rose met Jesse, who has shared custody of his three children.

Needless to say, the house is always busy. At any given moment, there are at least 7-8 people in the home engaged in cooking, playing games, putting on concerts, and planning family outings. Even with Rose serving as a dedicated and loving mom, and being surrounded by caring older siblings; one of the children was often defiant and was having severe difficulties managing anger.

Rose turned to the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay for help, and learned about the Strengthening Families Program. The Strengthening Families Program (SFP) is designed for families with children ages 6-11. SFP offers parents and their children the tools, practice and support of a peer group to help create  

greater success and confidence during this crucial stage of parenting.

Rose and Jesse dedicated themselves to the program. They learned that children at this age struggle to adapt to new situations and environments; where they are suddenly expected to listen well, follow directions, and cooperate with others. As homework for a session on behavior charts, Rose chose to take all four to the Dollar Store, where they each picked out a number of items that they liked. She purchased the bounty and brought the items home. The children were then surprised when they didn't get them

right away. Rose said, smiling, "you will get them when you earn them," leaving the kiddos begging for opportunities to show good behavior.

She has taught the strategies she learned at the Strengthening Families Program to her children's teachers and daycare providers, offering real life examples for how well they work. After one session on "Stop, Think, and  

Make a Good Choice," her son's teacher commented that she noticed him actively thinking about changing his behavior, something he wouldn't have done before his participation in SFP.