Resources and encouragement for families and professionals
COVID-19, coronavirus, flattening the curve, handwashing, 6 feet apart, and masks, cancellations and postponements, Zoom, PowerSchool, Canvas, and Schoology, CARES Act, grocery pickup times, missed celebrations and milestones, heroic and overworked healthcare workers and other essential workers, and the tragic loss of loved ones. The words unprecedented and new normal are commonplace. Our world is different.
Our children feel the differences too: Missed playdates, schoolwork challenges, no grandparent hugs, close quarters with siblings, busy parents navigating work and income concerns, parents' cleaning projects, schedules that are different, missed dances and graduations, and fears of that sickness going around.
Fortunately, most children are feeling the protection and comforting of being with you, with the ones they love most, along with family dinner, game time, movie night, clear roads for learning to drive, and opportunities for compassion and service.
And for many parents, it is API and local group leaders who are providing support and encouragement to them. Local group leaders report they have experienced a nearly 40% increase in support these days and are using resources like Zoom, Facebook, Messenger, and phone conversations with individuals and groups. They are offering resources, encouragement, and referrals related to schooling, working from home, and anxiety. While most leaders feel balanced, they do not feel they can take on more.
If you're a parenting group leader, we want to hear from you. If you haven't already taken the leader survey, please do. We want to support you and give you the tools you need to serve your community.
If you're a parent, we would like to hear from you too.
How are you doing? Let us know by completing this
1 minute parent survey
so we can provide support that fits best.
In many places in the world, Mother's Day is coming soon so we send extra special wishes to our mothers, mothers in law, and grandmothers. As mothers we care, we respond, we know the tremendous amount of work we do every day to love and support our children. We know what's involved, what it takes. While we are telling the mothers we are most close to happy mother’s day, join us in reaching out and telling a mom friend or two how much we appreciate all she does as a mother.
Sending compassion, virtual hugs, and wishes for good health,
Attachment Parenting International
API Links you to...
Leader surveys one and two, a parent survey, COVID-19 resources for families from Catherine Weiss, BabyBabyOhBaby, Praeclarus Press, as well as on the APtly Said blog on helping our children cope with Kate Green, highlights from leaders, new professionals, a medicine story, and much more! Read Editor's Picks below, and be sure to click through to read all the parenting news and research.
