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Our Programs

Parents—more than any other factor—have the power to shape their children’s futures. But many parents today are stressed and isolated, making it hard to navigate parenting challenges.

And all children are different. They don’t come with a manual. While we live in the age of information, many parents struggle to find parenting guidance and support they can trust.

It’s even more difficult for parents to apply that information to manage their child’s unique behavior within their family’s unique circumstances.

Through our transformational programs, parents build:

Knowledge of child development
Parenting skills and strategies
Relationships with other parents who are facing similar challenges
Connections to vital resources in the community

The Power of Parenting Program

The Power of Parenting is Families First’s most comprehensive program ever—offering interactive, skills-based parenting education and support over twelve weeks.

Geared to parents of children from birth to age eight, and facilitated by our expert and talented Parenting Educators, the program offers:

  • Seven interactive parenting workshops to help parents build knowledge and skills
  • Three discussion-based Parent Café sessions, where parents can take the lead and share their experiences with each other
  • Parent leadership and professional development opportunities
  • The Families First mobile app, where parents can find information and engage in discussions about each week’s topics
  • Connections to community resources, including:
    • Experiential course credits at Urban College of Boston
    • Jumpstart literacy programming for children at select program sites
    • Program graduation attire from Dress for Success
    • College and career guidance from Duet
    • Family memberships to local museums
  • A graduation where parents can celebrate their accomplishments with their family and community

Parents explore topics like:

  • Children’s temperaments
  • Growth and change in the early years
  • Building self-esteem and resilience
  • Building language skills
  • Positive discipline and setting limits in a loving way
  • Play as learning
  • Media and brain development

Power of Parenting is offered in many neighborhoods throughout Greater Boston, in partnership with organizations who share Families First’s mission of strengthening families.

Parents who complete the program feel more informed, confident, and supported. For one mother, the impact was clear:

“The group learned so much from each other. Sharing our stories helped us realize that we are not alone in this journey. After this experience, I am more confident as a parent and an individual.”

Become a Families First partner
Parents: Find a program near you
Jumpstart LogoHigher Ground Boston Logo

Parenting in Public Program

The Parenting in Public program is a vital resource for families living in shelters or transitional housing. Through this program, Families First works with parents to build a positive family environment while they endure the pressures of housing insecurity.

Families First’s Parenting Educators guide parents through our original, 7-session Parenting Essentials in a Challenging Environment (PEACE) workshop series.

Parents build on their skills in areas including:

  • Keeping frustration out of the communication process
  • Using positive discipline
  • Improving self-esteem to increase resilience
  • Using the power of play to fortify parent-child relationships
  • Managing extreme stress
  • Building social connections by sharing personal experiences

In addition to the PEACE series, Families First also offers shorter workshop series that dive more deeply into the topics of positive discipline and the impact of violence on families.

Celeste speaks to the value of this program, after participating as a first-time mom living in a Boston-area shelter:

“It’s like brushing your teeth, taking a shower… every day I use something out of what Families First taught me… It’s the best thing that ever happened to me and my family.”

Become a Families First partner

You can join a Families First program right in your neighborhood!

Please check back soon for a list of programs that are currently running and open to the public.

If you have general questions, please contact Maham Zia at (617) 868-7687 x27 or mzia@families-first.org.

Power of Parenting

The Power of Parenting Program

The Power of Parenting is Families First’s most comprehensive program ever—offering interactive, skills-based parenting education and support over twelve weeks.

Geared to parents of children from birth to age eight, and facilitated by our expert and talented Parenting Educators, the program offers:

  • Seven interactive parenting workshops to help parents build knowledge and skills
  • Three discussion-based Parent Café sessions, where parents can take the lead and share their experiences with each other
  • Parent leadership and professional development opportunities
  • The Families First mobile app, where parents can find information and engage in discussions about each week’s topics
  • Connections to community resources, including:
    • Experiential course credits at Urban College of Boston
    • Jumpstart literacy programming for children at select program sites
    • Program graduation attire from Dress for Success
    • College and career guidance from Duet
    • Family memberships to local museums
  • A graduation where parents can celebrate their accomplishments with their family and community

Parents explore topics like:

  • Children’s temperaments
  • Growth and change in the early years
  • Building self-esteem and resilience
  • Building language skills
  • Positive discipline and setting limits in a loving way
  • Play as learning
  • Media and brain development

Power of Parenting is offered in many neighborhoods throughout Greater Boston, in partnership with organizations who share Families First’s mission of strengthening families.

Parents who complete the program feel more informed, confident, and supported. For one mother, the impact was clear:

“The group learned so much from each other. Sharing our stories helped us realize that we are not alone in this journey. After this experience, I am more confident as a parent and an individual.”

Become a Families First partner
Parents: Find a program near you
Jumpstart LogoHigher Ground Boston Logo
Parenting in Public

Parenting in Public Program

The Parenting in Public program is a vital resource for families living in shelters or transitional housing. Through this program, Families First works with parents to build a positive family environment while they endure the pressures of housing insecurity.

Families First’s Parenting Educators guide parents through our original, 7-session Parenting Essentials in a Challenging Environment (PEACE) workshop series.

Parents build on their skills in areas including:

  • Keeping frustration out of the communication process
  • Using positive discipline
  • Improving self-esteem to increase resilience
  • Using the power of play to fortify parent-child relationships
  • Managing extreme stress
  • Building social connections by sharing personal experiences

In addition to the PEACE series, Families First also offers shorter workshop series that dive more deeply into the topics of positive discipline and the impact of violence on families.

Celeste speaks to the value of this program, after participating as a first-time mom living in a Boston-area shelter:

“It’s like brushing your teeth, taking a shower… every day I use something out of what Families First taught me… It’s the best thing that ever happened to me and my family.”

Become a Families First partner
Find a Program

You can join a Families First program right in your neighborhood!

Please check back soon for a list of programs that are currently running and open to the public.

If you have general questions, please contact Maham Zia at (617) 868-7687 x27 or mzia@families-first.org.

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