Who do you turn to when you need parenting advice?

The best place to turn, of course, is to the people who know you and your situation best, family, friends, church members etc. But sometimes that just isn’t possible. We live in a time when there are a seemingly unlimited number of books, magazines and websites about parenting but that can be a challenge to sort through because of the overwhelming number of choices and expert opinions.

At Coloradodads.com we have found that the Families First Support Line has increasingly become a place that dads can go to connect with the help they need. Hotlines are not just for dire emergencies. More and more communities are offering Help Lines for everyday parenting issues. Studies conducted on the national parenting hotline in Great Britain reveals that a large and growing number of parents are benefiting from such a service.

What kind of question is appropriate for a helpline? The short answer is anything. The UK study found that most calls were for behavior management (everyday issues of guidance & discipline), 2) issues related to school bullying, and 3) alcohol and drug abuse concerns. The Families First Support Line is staffed by trained professionals and volunteers who are eager to listen to your issue and help problem solve your situation. If they can’t address the issue at hand effectively they have a list of resources and referral numbers that will most likely meet your particular need. They also have detailed information on fatherhood programs across the state that provide education, mentoring and support when you need more than a listening ear or problem solving over the phone.

The key is for all of us is to recognize that asking for support is not a sign of failing as a dad, but rather a sign of strength, demonstrating that we want to do the best for our children.

Families First Family Support Line 303 695-7996 (metro Denver, 10 - 10 daily) Messages left during off hours are returned within 24 hours.
1 877-695-7996 (statewide, toll-free) Consejos para Familias – 1 866-527-3264