Parent education works best when we learn from one another.

You might hear a buzz about Parent Cafés in the community, yet it’s not a new place to get an iced latte and a raspberry scone. The Parent Café is an initiative from The Parent Place to bring together parents to have conversations about things that matter to them: how to create trust, how to foster an environment of respect, best practices for discipline and how to build the ‘village’ necessary for raising a child. Simply put, it’s an opportunity to enjoy a meal together with parenting being the topic of discussion. Parent Cafés build community trust, help people realize they are not alone in their parenting joys or struggles, and help parents see new ways to make their family strong.

At every café there is a meal to be shared and enjoyed, there is one or two highly trained Parent Educators, a handful of Parent Leaders that have been instructed in group facilitation, a series of questions related to that evening’s theme (Building resilience, Making Social Connections, Child Development, Where to Find Support, etc.) and hopefully a dozen or more parents willing to take an hour and a half out of their week to talk about the business of parenting.

Parent Cafés are funded through a combination of grants and donations. A generous grant from the La Crosse Community Foundation covers the cost of meals, Parent Leader stipends, and door prizes. This investment has already yielded large returns.

We have piloted monthly Parent Cafés at Schuh-Mullen and the Huber Homes neighborhoods in partnership with the La Crosse Area Family Collaborative and with the La Crosse School District Community Impact Coordinator. We also work with other groups including Hope Restores and the La Crosse County Systems of Care to offer periodic sessions, and our hope is to have Parent Cafés popping up everywhere.

Of those surveyed participants, a whooping 93% stated that they’ve met at least one person at the Parent Café that they could share a joy or sorrow with if they saw them again at school pick-up or while they were in the grocery store. The surveys tell a tale of connection and community building:

“I’m not the only parent with struggles.”

“I learned my neighbors watch out for all the kids in our neighborhood. This makes me feel a lot safer.”

“I’m not alone.”

Perhaps you can join a Parent Café this year? So much more nourishing than an iced latte and a raspberry scone anyway.

Interested in learning more? Give us a call and ask to speak with a Parent Educator: 608-784-8125