Parents and children learn new skills at Catholic Charities PAT program

Hope Armijo learns eye-hand coordination at Parents As Teachers Group Connector class on Aug. 22.

Mary Cottingham, South Texas Catholic
 

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Abigail Alaniz says she has learned more about her own children, Zuri and Izel, by going through the Parents As Teachers (PAT) program offered by Catholic Charities Family Outreach. Alaniz joined several other parents and children to learn skills while playing at the PAT Group Connector on Aug. 22.  

Parent educators Jennifer Galvan and Valerie Montemayor arranged fun games and crafts for children up to five-years-old in Catholic Charities cafeteria and courtyard. 

“Group Connections are designed to offer opportunities for parents/caregivers and children to come together to participate in a variety of hands-on learning activities. Also, parents are given the opportunity to connect with other families,” said Angie Garcia, director of Community Wellness and Family Outreach and the PAT program.

Parent Educator Jennifer Galvan said that children are using their thinking skills by playing. “They’re having to put a picture together and they are working on their fine motor skills which are super important for preschool age children. They are interacting with their parents and working on social and emotional development as well,” she said. “Parents often say oh my gosh I never thought of doing that.” 

“I love this program. We really invest a lot of time and energy and most of all our heart to helping families,” Garcia said. Many of the families that utilize this service are dealing with some challenges in their lives. Some of the families have multiple children with developmental problems. 

"We can’t help but get connected when we’re helping them. We teach them to have a circle of support–so when you have these things that you really need to do and you can’t bring your child with you, then we help them problem solve. Who is in your circle of support? Who can take care of your children while you come and learn?” Garcia said.

"It is part of the job of a parent educator to work with families and connect them to resources, whether it’s connecting them back to the services we offer here at Catholic Charities or if it’s connecting them to another community resource," Garcia said. “They get a lot when they join Parents as Teachers."

Parent educators get a week of training and hundreds of hours of experience in home visiting and they get the full weight and support of Catholic Charities.

PAT members can have as frequent as one visit a week, meet biweekly or once a month and another week could be a home visit. Visits are tailored around the family needs and the parent gets to decide on what they want to focus the home visit on.

PAT provides home visits, screening for children’s hearing and vision, Group Connectors parent/child workshops and educators will help locate other resources in the community if a child has special needs.