Wow! What a time we had this past Saturday at our first MAMAVERSITY Parents Pow-Wow. If you missed it, here are some highlights.

MAMAVERSITY OVERVIEW: MAMAVERSITY LEAD COACHES, Tracy Dennis and Yolanda Cameron
  • The three pillars of our coaching model: Character, Creative Thinking, and Creativity. Good CHARACTER leads to mature THINKING skills that help CREATIVITY to flow in the best way
  • Set a CODE OF CONDUCT in your home. It’s a standard your teen can use to self-evaluate and hold themselves accountable. Rules and boundaries must not only be set, they must be enforced to be taken seriously.
  • Try to RELATE more than INTERROGATE: Instead of “I don’t know why you like playing that old silly video game so much!” Try “This looks kind of interesting. How do you do that?”
  • Be willing to come out of your own comfort zone and try things that your son/daughter enjoys.
  • We need to return to a “Village” mentality where we not only care for our own children, but we also reach out and get involved in the lives of other children in our communities. The fear we overcome now will eliminate the fear we may have later when those children grow up without proper guidance.
  • Seek out opportunities to show care and offer your wisdom and experience to younger, less experienced parents. Don't talk about them. Reach out to them.
BEHIND THE CLASSROOM DOOR: Mrs. Rennette Brown Lucien, HS Teacher
  • COMMUNICATION IS KEY! 1)From parent to teacher/administrator 2)From parent to scholar 3)From scholar to teacher 4)From teacher to scholar 5)From teacher to parent.
  • Use the available technology to manage your scholar’s progress AND to communicate with your child's teachers.
  • Visit and volunteer at your teen's school as often as you can.
  • Get in your teen’s business! Be alert and aware of your teen's online activities, social activities, academic responsibilities, and relationships.
  • READING remains the skill that is most lacking among African-American and Latino students. Find out what interests them and use a variety of means to engage them in not only reading and researching, but tell them stories. They may be older, but they still learn from them.
  • COLLABORATIVE LEARNING: Create a learning lifestyle by being open about what you still need to learn, even as an adult. Look for ways that you and your child can learn together (i.e., a cooking or music class). Give your teen opportunities to teach YOU something that they have mastered.
PARENT SELF-CARE: Ms. Andrea Works, M.A. (Licensed Professional Counselor)
  • Take stock of your own life balance. Are you taking on too much? Is your schedule to hectic? Do you find it hard to relax? Are you too stressed? Do you have unhealthy eating habits? Remember, your child learns more from what you DO than what you SAY.
  • Texas is one of the lowest rated states in the U.S. when it comes to mental healthcare and mental health awareness.
  • Mental illness should be taken just as seriously as physical health, with the same concern and compassion.
  • Help to take the stigma away from seeking the help of a mental health professional by learning the scope of mental healthcare (it's more than you think) and spreading awareness to your family and friends.
  • Don’t allow cultural misconceptions like, “If you need to see a counselor, you must be crazy,” or “Just pray more. Everything will be alright,” stop you from seeking help for you or for your teen if you feel you need it.
  • There are free and low-cost counseling options available in our city. Check with your local hospital or get a referral from your neighborhood clinic or medical doctor.
  • There is more to counseling and psychiatric care than just lying on a couch or being medicated for every little thing. Arm yourself with the right information.
  • Everyone needs a safe environment to deconstruct the troubling areas of life in an objective manner.
  • There is nothing wrong with seeking help if you’re not able to sleep, you feel nervous and anxious most of the time, you have trouble managing your emotions, etc.
  • You need a comprehensive support group (Your Village) to not only help you, but listen to you, give you honest, constructive feedback, and to hold you accountable and keep you on track.
Got questions about the highlights? Leave a comment on our blog page.

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