Martha O'Bryan Center Launches Tied Together,
a comprehensive Parenting Education Program.
Nine-week pilot program begins March 29
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 Tied Together gives parents the skills and modeling they need to raise healthy families. It is designed to be a multi-age, long-term program that will follow families throughout their children's formative years. The program will increase parents’ confidence in their ability to be their children’s best teachers, raise parental understanding of how children develop, equip parents with non-violent and positive ways to discipline, teach parents how to make informed decisions regarding family planning, and increase the awareness of financial planning and independence.
Parents will develop healthy, warm, and loving interdependence with their children. Tied Together will begin March 29, 2008 and run for nine weeks. The pilot will serve 25 families from the James A. Cayce Homes, Nashville’s most underserved neighborhood and our prime area of service. We expect to expand the program in 2008-9 to include 3 classes of 40 families, or 120 families total. There will be incentives for participation and family workers will contact each family each week, as a means to transform the curriculum and build relationships. There will be no cost to families.
Community Impact
Although we serve individuals from throughout Nashville, the primary community impacted and our primary area of service is the James A. Cayce Homes of east Nashville. 87% of the households are headed by a single parent, 57% of the residents are children under the age of 18 and the average annual income is below $5,000, well below the poverty line. Community need and impetus for this program are also reflected in the fact that staff and administrators here at MOBC have regularly been approached by clients and residents to address the alarming amount of in appropriate parenting witnessed on a regular basis.
Collaborative Partners
This program will rely on, involve, and benefit a number of neighborhood and city-wide partners, such as Cayce Family Health Center (United Neighborhood Health), Monroe Carell Children's Hospital Pediatrics, Nurses for Newborns, Planned Parenthood for Middle Tennessee, Tennessee Voices for Children, Nashville Public Libraries, and Our Kids, to name a few. Connecting families with local health professionals is an invaluable learning opportunity for pupil and facilitator/teacher.
| Tied Together Program Basics: |
| A nine week course for parents or caregivers of children 0-3 years old using Dr. Brazelton's Touchpoint parenting (predictable periods in a child's development). |
| Classes meet on Saturday mornings starting March 29th; are free; and include meals, incentives, and childcare. Pilot group of 20 families. |
| Staff Teams: Admin Team, Outreach Team, Childcare Team, and Instruction Team. |
| Outreach Team uses "every block, every door" technique; making weekly home visits and follow up visits. Childcare Team provides care to children of participants. |
| Parenting groups are divided based on children's ages. |
| Weekly discussions concentrate on pre-natal care and preparation, brain development, child development, medical needs and concerns (asthma, immunizations), child safety, and discipline (non-physical ways to discipline children!) |
| Program Highlights: Signing parents up for library cards, showers for expectant parents, big graduation celebration, pre & post testing. |
Programs developed for Alumni graduates:
Father's group, "Read to Me," Family outings. |
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Proven Leadership:
Sharon Browne was the director of Martha O'Bryan's Three Star Early Learning Center for 10+ years prior to becoming the director of Tied Together. Sharon has been in the child care field for more than 35 years and brings invaluable knowledge and skills to this challenging, impactful and rewarding new role. |
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For more information, contact Sharon Browne at 254-1791 or email s.browne@marthaobryan.org. |
