Involved Parents Are the Real Heroes
MVParents is a national initiative from Search Institute to support parents with tools and information to be the “most valuable parents” at home and in their communities. It does so by encouraging parents to be more deeply and effectively involved in their children’s lives through building Developmental Assets.
What You’ll Find at MVParents.com
- Developmental Assets—A simple introduction to Developmental Assets for parents, with practical tips for how moms, dads, and others can be asset builders for children from birth through high school.
- Everyday Parenting Ideas—A free, weekly electronic newsletter with concrete, positive ideas for parents in all phases of parenting, from early childhood through adolescence.
- E-greetings—Thank-yous and affirmations for asset builders.
- Parenting Matters—Asset-based advice and downloadable tools and activities for addressing important parenting challenges and opportunities. Current topics include family communication, family volunteering, work-life balance, curfews, underage drinking, and finding community support.
MVParents Blog: Everyday Parenting Ideas
Visit the Everyday Parenting Ideas blog.
Search Institute Tools and Resources
- Benefits of an asset-building approach to parenting
- Raising Kids Who Read. Created by the Abundant Assets Alliance, this booklet reinforces the vital parent- or adult-child relationship, and supports children’s ability to read for fun and become lifelong learners. Also available in French.
- Other available books, videos, and other resources for parents and for organizations serving families
Engage Every Parent! Encouraging Families to Sign On, Show Up, and Make a Difference will guide you from your first contacts with parents to a full and rewarding working relationship with them—and answers your questions about all of the steps in between.
Helping Teens Handle Tough Experiences: Strategies to Foster Resilience Life is hard for teens, but it can become even more difficult when they experience serious challenges. Removing the adversity from a teen’s life may be out of our control, but we can help them deal with these experiences and build on their natural talents, goodness, and strength.
Parenting Preteens with a Purpose: Navigating the Middle Years This nurturing, research-based guide offers tips, checklists, and solutions to common parenting topics, including preteen friendships, clothes and hair preferences, after-school hours, crushes, and finding a work/home balance.
