Friends, Connections, and Support

It’s safe to say that, with three older children, Colleen and Ronnie were comfortable with parenting by the time Trent came long. When Trent’s speech and overall development didn’t progress on schedule, his parents turned to CDR.

Trent was diagnosed with a speech delay and was enrolled in CDR’s Parents as Teachers program and Developmental Playgroup so that staff members and his parents could work together to help him. While Trent made new friends and learned new skills, his mom took part in CDR’s Parent Group, making friends of her own, networking, and troubleshooting with other parents.

“I loved Parent Group,” says Colleen. “We all had such a great connection, and we always had good topics to discuss. It was interesting to learn that no matter what your circumstances are, the issues and struggles others are experiencing are often the same, and having someone to talk to makes a difference.”

While playing with his friends and working with CDR staff in playgroup, Trent quickly built his vocabulary. Colleen also began to realize that family habits had contributed to some of Trent’s speech delays.

“He was the youngest, and we all anticipated his needs,” says Colleen. “He didn’t need to talk at home, because his siblings or I were talking for him. But when he was with the other children in Playgroup, he learned a lot, including learning to speak up for himself. He made progress quickly, and we were amazed.”

The benefits didn’t stop there. “I know if Trent had not participated in playgroup, he would have had a harder time transitioning to kindergarten,” Colleen says. She added that her experiences in Parent Group helped her develop her own parenting skills—and key friendships.

“Having that camaraderie with other parents is so important,” she says. “Being there for each other is critical, especially since we live in such a transient area. I know I really needed support from someone who understands what I’m going through.” That support followed the family even after Trent transitioned to public school. In fact, Colleen came back to CDR when her daughter, Abigail, was born to participate in the breastfeeding group and CDR’s Parents as Teachers Program.

“PAT and Parent Group were such great experiences for us,” says Colleen. “I still get together with the friends I made in Parent Group, and we all know we can reach out to each other whenever we
need it.”