Parents/Guardians

 Parenting children, especially adolescents may be the hardest job on the planet. There are so many negative influences that impact our children’s lives. Many times as a parent/guardian you are confronted with demands to meet your own needs and the needs of your families. At times it can feel overwhelming. That’s understandable.

You may be wondering, “if it takes a whole village to raise a child”, then who are the people in my village and where is the village?

If you are seeing this, then you are already in a village that exists on the Internet, somewhere in cyberspace. You are connected with us and we’re here to help. We can help guide you to resources and answer questions about helping your children come of age through rites of passage.

Rites of passage are a unifying story for renewing community and can provide the necessary and essential elements that foster a sense of connection and support for youth coming of age well. As a parent/guardian, you are one of the most important influences in your child’s life. You can help bring the story of rites of passage to others in your local neighborhood, your children’s school and your community.

Here are some steps to help you start the conversation:

• Think back on your own coming of age experiences. Were there any significant events, any “tornados” that made an impact and marked your transition, moving from childhood to adulthood? What made it significant? Who was there?

• Talk to other people about their transition to adulthood and explore the concept of rites of passage.

• A fine resource for parents/guardians and a partner with us at the Center is Jen Mendez of PERMIE KIDs. She hosts a worldwide network of parents and educators who learn together in mutual support about nourishing life, caring for ourselves, others, and the earth to reignite children’s natural curiosity, thirst for learning and in conjunction with us supports a process for helping children come of age – transition to healthy, happy, productive adulthood.

Visit our Learn More section for additional resources and support.