Raising children is both a joy and a challenge. We understand this because as parents, we're living it. One of us is a mother of four children ages 4-17, who are the very reason I lose it and keep it together at the same time. The other one of us is a father to one young child and two teenagers, who are such a joy to watch grow up, even when the responsibility of raising them can feel daunting.
Parenting can be isolating, we may feel judged, and like we can't ask for help. These issues are what brought us to work on the Be There for ME public awareness campaign, which aims to ensure that every parent and caregiver hears that they aren't alone, that everyone needs help sometimes, and that there are places to start to find support. Be There for ME centers around a website connecting people to existing resources - and it's also much more than that. It's a message of support and hope that every parent needs to hear, and it's a call to action for community members to step up to support families.
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Melissa Harding is a resident of Jackson. Frank Higiro is a resident of Gorham. Both are parents.
Be There for ME came together in response to parents and caregivers and community partners identifying that the stigma and fear of asking for help was a huge barrier to families getting support when they needed it. We joined a diverse group of other parents and caregivers from across Maine to provide guidance and partnership to the Maine Child Welfare Action Network and the Maine Department of Health and Human Services in the development of Be There for ME.
This was such a hopeful and affirming process. We got to share our experiences and hopes for our lives. We felt heard. And we felt like true partners in creating something that would make a positive impact. During these conversations with parents, we shared and heard common themes: We want to feel that we're not alone in our challenges as a parent or caregiver - and as a person. We want to feel supported - not judged - in our community. We want the campaign to speak directly to us, using the words we use to talk about our lives. We said another directory of resources wasn't helpful, and what would be is having the fewest hoops to jump through to find support, and someone to help navigate the options. These insights became the foundation of Be There for ME.
It's hard to quantify the impact of hearing one of these messages of support for a parent or caregiver in building hope during a hard time or to measure the potential of a connection and offer of support made by a community member. Be There for ME is an opportunity for parents and caregivers, state partners and community members to reimagine what it means to support families. It's a chance to meet families where they're at, and to make the challenging work of raising the next generation a little bit easier, and a lot more shared.
Be There for ME also reflects the understanding that the needs and experiences of every family are unique. Families who come to Maine from other parts of the world have often experienced significant hardship and face unique cultural and language challenges in making a home here. We are each in a relationship with BIPOC communities in a variety of ways, and we know that understanding and responding to the differences among families is critical. We encourage community members working with specific populations to consider how they can adapt Be There for ME for the families they support.
Being a parent or caregiver is complicated. It's important that every parent or caregiver hears these messages of support - that it's hard for everyone, that they're not alone, that it's OK to ask for help, and that support is out there. We challenge everyone to identify ways to support the important work parents and caregivers are doing to care for themselves and their children. If you're not sure where to start, BeThereforME.org has tips and simple action steps you can take. We hope you will join us as we build a Maine where we can be there for each other.
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