We’re offering a lifeline for overwhelmed parents with young kids, and it’s all done by text
Texting is a vital way we connect with people, and in these uncertain times, that’s true more than ever. Many of us are now staying at home and trying to juggle caring for children and managing the stress of this unfolding pandemic. For some in our community—perhaps you or someone you know—this global crisis is piling onto an already overwhelming life situation. If that’s the case, we have a new parenting lifeline to offer, and it’s ideal for this moment in time because it’s all done by text.
Maybe you’re a brand new mom trying to figure out this parenting thing with no one to guide you. Or maybe your current financial situation makes it feel impossible to give your children what they need. Or maybe your family is new here and you don’t know how to navigate local resources. Or maybe none of those scenarios describe you, but you’re still overwhelmed with the job of parenting young kids. The fact is—every parent needs help sometimes. As a single mom of two, I know I do!
There’s something incredibly reassuring and valuable about being able to reach out to another mom who can directly relate to how you’re feeling and the challenges you’re facing. It’s even more valuable when that mom is equipped with information on local resources and child development milestones compiled from recognized, evidence-based sources. Our new Nurture® TN program provides exactly that, and it turns out, we launched it at just the right time.
Nurture® TN is built around moms helping other moms. We connect moms who need support with experienced moms who have gone through our volunteer training program. Nurture® TN is based on a program out of Western Pennsylvania called Nurture PA. Their mission is to create meaningful relationships between volunteer mentors and parents to promote infant mental health and early literacy. We launched Nurture® TN with the same primary goal, but now that our in-person supports for parents are temporarily on hold to reduce the spread of COVID-19, we’re using the text message platform to offer support to any parent of young children who needs it right now.
How the program works is simple. Moms can signup to receive support or participate as a volunteer mentor right here on our website. Moms use their mobile phones to text their mentors with questions or concerns. The mom mentors can answer from their computer or laptop, which allows them to send relevant information as needed, and it’s all mobile-friendly.
Mentors can provide information on a wide range of topics, including things like postpartum depression and child nutrition. They can connect moms with referrals for medical, mental health, or developmental delay issues. But perhaps equally important, mentor moms can be leaned on for emotional support, which we all need a little more of right now.
Raising healthy, happy children is never easy. We’re in this together, always, but especially right now. We hope you’ll take advantage of this free, confidential resource if you need it, or share it with someone who does. Or if you want to give support to another mom right now, we encourage you to volunteer with Nurture®TN.