Program Goals

The goal of the Parent Empowerment Program is to help parents build better relationships with their children. We know from research that strong relationships between parents and their children are the most important “protective factor” against child drug use, pregnancy and crime.  For these reasons, as well as for improved quality of life, helping parents build better relationships with their children is the primary objective of the Parent Empowerment Program.

Strong and rewarding relationships are defined by a balance of giving and receiving between individuals.  With the exception of babies and their parents, relationships in which one individual takes, without giving back, are often shallow and unrewarding for both parties.  Some people stay in these unrewarding relationships because they are unsure how to end them or in the case of parents and children, how to change them. 

Ideally, the best relationships are defined by a “healthy balance” of both giving and receiving.  Finding this “healthy balance” of giving and receiving is an ongoing process and will vary from parent to parent.  To help guide the process, The Parent Empowerment Program identifies “respectful” and “responsible” behaviors as the two most important factors in helping parents improve their relationships with their children.  A child shows respect to their parent by following home rules and asking permission for privileges.  Parents show respect to their children by practicing good reflective listening and helping their children develop problem solving skills.   A child shows responsible behavior to a parent by attending work, school, completing chores, helping with meals, following through on homework, and managing their time and money.  Parents show responsible behavior to their children by being good role models and by putting the greater good of the family before their own individual desires. 

The Parent Empowerment Program helps parents build better relationships with their children by first addressing how parents demonstrate respect and responsible behavior toward their children and second by teaching parents how to gain respect and responsible behavior from their children.