06/23/2026
20 Years of Nurturing: What I've Learned About Parents
One of the things I've learned over the past twenty years is that parents don't need to be perfect.
In fact, there is no such thing as a perfect parent.
Parents are human.
They carry stress, worry, self-doubt, and the weight of trying to provide the very best for their children. Many are working to give their children experiences they never had themselves.
What I've learned is that most parents love their children deeply.
Sometimes that love is easy to see.
Sometimes it gets buried beneath exhaustion, fear, hardship, or struggles that began long before they became parents.
Many of the parents I've met are doing something incredibly brave:
Trying to write a different story for their children than the one they experienced themselves.
They are learning new ways to respond.
New ways to connect.
New ways to heal.
And they keep showing up, even when it's hard.
I've watched parents choose recovery because they wanted a better future for their child.
I've watched parents overcome enormous obstacles because their children gave them a reason to keep going.
I've watched parents find strengths they didn't know they had.
After twenty years, one thing I know for certain is this:
Parents are often stronger and more resilient than they realize.
And when we support parents with compassion, encouragement, and practical help—not judgment—we create opportunities for entire families to thrive.
Because behind every parent is a human being doing the best they can with what they know, while hoping to give their child every reason to believe in a brighter tomorrow.
💙 Lisa O'Connor, Executive Director
What is one way a parent, caregiver, or mentor helped shape who you are today?
