Parenting during the pre-teen and teenage years can be both rewarding and challenging. As children grow more independent, parents often find themselves navigating new emotional, behavioral, and communication hurdles. Connect is designed to help families build stronger relationships by focusing on one of the most important foundations of healthy development: connection.

What Is the ANC Connect Parenting Program?

The Connect Parenting Program is an evidence-based, attachment-focused initiative developed to support parents and caregivers of adolescents. The program helps participants better understand their children's behaviors through the lens of attachment, emotional development, and relationships rather than simply focusing on discipline or behavior management.

Connect Parenting Groups consist of 10 weekly, 90-minute virtual sessions. The program encourages parents to reflect on family interactions, strengthen communication skills, and develop strategies that foster trust, security, and resilience in their children.

Why Connection Matters

Research consistently shows that strong parent-child relationships are linked to better emotional health, improved academic outcomes, and healthier social development. During adolescence, children often seek greater independence while still needing emotional support from trusted caregivers. This transition can create tension and misunderstandings within families.

The Connect Parenting Program recognizes that behavior is often a form of communication. By helping parents understand the emotions and needs behind a child's actions, the program empowers families to respond with empathy while maintaining healthy boundaries and expectations.

A Trauma-Informed Approach

One of the distinguishing features of the Connect Parenting Group is its trauma-informed, strength-based framework. The program recognizes that many children and families may have experienced adversity, stress, or trauma. Rather than focusing solely on problems, it highlights family strengths and supports parents in creating safe and supportive environments where children can thrive.

This approach is especially valuable for foster, kinship, and adoptive families supporting children who have faced significant life challenges.

Key Benefits for Parents and Caregivers

Participants in the program can expect to gain practical tools and insights that support healthier family dynamics. Benefits often include:

• Improved communication between parents and children.
• Greater confidence in managing challenging behaviors.
• Enhanced understanding of adolescent development and emotional needs.
• Stronger parent-child attachment and trust.
• Reduced parenting stress and increased hopefulness.

Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all approach, the program encourages caregivers to consider their child's unique personality, experiences, and developmental stage when responding to challenges.

What We’ve Seen So Far

ANC has completed three Connect sessions this fiscal year and plans three additional sessions for FY2027.  Each group had between 7 and 9 participants, including adoptive, foster, and kinship parents.  Here are just a few examples of the impact Connect has had.

A single foster and adoptive mother raising two children who have experienced trauma stated that the program helped her gain new insight into the root causes of her children's behavior. She reported developing healthier coping strategies for herself, including pausing to regulate her own emotions before responding. She also valued the peer support of connecting with other mothers facing similar struggles, as well as hearing perspectives from fathers in the group.

Other participants echoed similar growth. One caregiver noted that the program's "deeper dive" content helped her reflect on and adjust to her daughter's changing behaviors. At the same time, another shared that Connect allowed her to revisit familiar parenting concepts and view them "in a new way" as her daughter entered adolescence. Participants also highlighted the program's emphasis on empathy and reflection, noting that "Connect will make you think before you react," and that learning how attachment injuries manifest behaviorally gave them new tools for understanding their children.

Final Thoughts

The ANC Connect Parenting Program offers far more than parenting tips. It provides a powerful framework for understanding children, strengthening relationships, and fostering resilience within families. By focusing on connection, empathy, and healthy communication, parents can build the secure relationships that help children and teens navigate life's challenges with confidence.

For families seeking stronger bonds and more effective ways to support their children, Connect is a valuable investment in the future of the entire family.