The following story was shared directly from one of the mothers you support through HRI’s Children First program.

Stephanie is the 42-year old mother of 11-year-old Daniel. Her report is long, but the details are what make her story and the impact of your programs so important.

“THANK YOU for not just giving food, clean water, medical care and an education, but for also teaching parenting skills, child development, love, communication, understanding, and more.

I would have described myself as a happy mom who enjoyed caring for and being with my boy, Daniel. I felt like I was a good mom. As my son approached his 10th birthday, however, he started to become more defiant and disrespectful. He refused to listen, constantly disobeyed, talked back, refused to pick up, and ran wild. He began to have conflicts with other kids, even at school. I felt like he was constantly ‘pushing my buttons.’ I got firm, lectured, yelled, threatened and punished.

But it did not work. In fact, it backfired, and one day, he accused me of hating him. Hearing this broke my heart and I knew I needed to change something.

The first workshop on Child Development helped me instantly! I began to understand my son differently: his temperament, his needs, and that he is very sensitive. He had been interpreting my anger and disapproval of his behavior as my disliking him, which caused him tremendous hurt–making him lash out.

I have been working on our relationship since that first workshop and the others that followed. We are having lots of really positive “heart to heart moments” that I learned about from HRI.

In summary, the workshops provided me with key tools that help me to be a better, more understanding, more loving, empathetic, involved and communicative parent for my child. I continue to work at being a better mom, and I continue to attend HRI parenting training. When I feel like I need extra support, I can call the Children First Program Coordinator, and he helps me.

Today, I am grateful to HRI for helping me be the loving parent I want to be.”

Your partnership is critical to outcomes like Stephanie and Daniel’s. THANK YOU for giving to HRI; your gifts change lives forever!

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