This fall, Colorado Connected is here to help you strengthen connections and grow your village.
It’s that time of the year again. Back to early mornings rushing to get to school on time, piling the car full of kids for after-school activities, and stressing about what on earth to make for dinner. The new routines and busy schedules that back-to-school season brings can be stressful, to say the least.
Any parent or caregiver might find themselves feeling overwhelmed and alone during this transition period.
If one thing’s for sure, no one should be left to feel that way, especially when there is a community full of parents around them having the same experiences.
Here at Illuminate Colorado, if there’s one thing we’ve learned about parents and stress, it’s that a strong network of support makes all the difference. Through our work with Colorado Connected, we have been focusing on how to provide parents with the tools they need to build critical social connections. When communities are connected and protected from social isolation, we can ensure that caregivers have the support network they need to raise safe, healthy, and happy children.
This year, as the back-to-school whirlwind inevitably enters the picture, let’s try something new. Let’s make an effort to build connections within our communities–growing our ‘village’ of people we can lean on and who can lean on us. Maybe that’s asking another parent in the school drop-off line how they’re really doing, offering to drive a neighbor’s kids home from school one day so they can have a break, or cooking an extra lasagna for a friend who you know needs one less thing on their mind that day.
There are lots of ways to build connections within your community, that’s what Colorado Connected is all about. They have an extensive collection of resources all centered around how anyone–parents and villagers alike–can begin their connection journey and help strengthen their community. Whether or not you have children heading back to school this fall, we are encouraging everyone to take some small steps towards connection that will make a big difference in their community. Join us!
Let’s take a look at some resources Colorado Connected has to offer!
Tools for Parents
Find fun graphics to share on social media that let other caregivers know you’re in their village! Here’s a sneak peak:
Tips for Parents on How to Talk About Connection Building
Not sure what to say? Colorado Connected has lots of great content to get the gears turning! For example…
“Parenting is hard, but you are not alone!”
“We are all better together.”
Tools and Tips for Villagers
Making friends can be tough as an adult. Sometimes we feel overwhelmed with adulting, and whether a parent or friend of a parent, it can feel like work to nurture our network. Colorado Connected has tips on how to connect for everyone, whether you’re a parent, a grandparent, a teacher, a friend, or a neighbor. For example…
Rethink the neighborhood watch. We are evolving the neighborhood watch so that it’s more than being vigilant about crime reporting: we want to watch out for our neighbors and make sure they are okay. We want to build communities where it is normal to check in on each other, lend a hand, and be concerned about how people are doing.
All of us–parents and villagers alike–have a role to play in building strong, connected communities.
We hope you’ll join us and Colorado Connected this school year by reaching out to the people around you, making connections, and offering support. Find all the tips, tools, and resources you need by visiting COConnected.org.
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