The weather was perfect! On March 22-23rd–the one weekend in recent weeks that was sunny and warm–the Parent Partner Program went camping with members of our Parent Leadership Team and their families in the Presidio. For many of the families, this was their first time camping, their first time in the Presidio and for some of the children it was even one of their first opportunities to explore and experience nature. One eight-year-old, who spent much of the time during the evening standing near the campfire, admitted that it was the first time he had seen an open flame not on television!
As fulfilling as it was to be a part of this seminal experience for so many of the families that we worked with, another result of the camping trip was the deepening of relationships between staff and the families and the families with each other. As we all stood around in a circle on Sunday morning, just before leaving camp, several of the parents commented that the experience of camping, cooking, hiking and participating in activities together over the weekend helped them feel more connected with the other parents and more likely to rely on each other for support in the future.
With the success of this camping trip now under our belts, we are now exploring other opportunities for future group outdoors activities for our Parent Leadership Team to participate in next year. Stay tuned for more information about these opportunities and how you might be able to help future activities possible for our families.
– Eric Cuentos, Director, Parent Partner Program