Many challenges face families today. Most families struggle from time-to-time with issues like:
- Job stress
- Employment insecurity
- Financial concerns
- Finding quality child care
- Child behavior problems
- Blended family conflicts
Parents often come from different backgrounds, have different parenting and communication styles, and may even have different visions of what a successful family should look like. Add all of that together and it is no surprise that many marriages don't make it.
The experts agree that a two-parent married couple living in a loving, safe and stable home environment provides the best opportunity for positive youth development. With a divorce rate of 72 percent and cohabitating on the rise, fewer of Jacksonville's children are growing up in the traditional two-parent married household.
As a result, in addition to the normal day-to-day issues, single parents may also be challenged by child support issues, different-rules-at-different-houses behavior issues, and maintaining a positive relationship with the child's other parent even when they don't like the new person in that parent's life.
The good news is that families don't have to face these challenges alone. Recognizing that many social issues impacting our community stem from the deterioration of the family unit, we have created the Jacksonville Network for Strengthening Families which provides training, services and support to help families stay on target for success. We are here to support families as they negotiate the many challenges presented by today's world. All families in our community deserve:
- Healthy, harmonious marriage and family relationships
- Financial self-sufficiency
- Effective parenting and child-rearing skills
- Involvement of non-custodial parents in children's lives
- Protection from domestic violence, child abuse and neglect
- Personal stability and well-being
- Family and marriage renewal and enjoyment
The Jacksonville Network for Strengthening Families is ready to help you learn new and life-changing habits at our family workshops and to help you connect with needed community resources and ongoing support.