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SALT LAKE CITY — You can't have a strong state without strong families. That was the message from Utah's First Lady Jeanette Herbert at a news conference for the Uplift Utah Families program.
Mrs. Herbert said that research indicates parents are the number one reason that children stay away from drugs, alcohol and anti-social behaviors. Her program focuses on enhancing parental skills to help give children every opportunity to go on to become good citizens.
Utah's first family is supporting their mother and grandmother with her new initiative. Gov. Gary Herbert said Utah families need help and Mrs. Herbert brings skills and understanding.
"She's a past owner of a day care center where she used to have 90 children a day that would come into her care. She probably has a greater appreciation for the variety of different circumstances the children are raised in," he said.
- Strengthen parent-child relationships
- Provide tools and resources that improve parenting skills
- Help children make safe and healthy choices
The first lady announced a conference in May and a new website, which she hopes will bring together the state's parenting programs.
"By parents giving children the skills to succeed, we can turn the tide of juvenile problems that we see as a growing threat to our society today," she said.
Elisha Snow is raising three young boys. She and her husband talk with them often about what is going on in their lives. Even with the oldest just in kindergarten, they have already faced bullying, and surprises online. The key, she says, is to be there.
"I kind of freaked out a little. ‘OK, no more computer. We're turning it off,'" she said. "Obviously that's not the answer. There are plenty of great games out there that they can play. So just teaching them, monitoring, things like that (are important)."
She has used parenting magazines, websites, shares ideas with friends but welcomes more, like the First Lady's new program, to help her.
"I want them to know that no matter where they go in life, no matter what they're doing, if they start school, if they deal with friends and maybe people who aren't nice to them, they can always come here and have a safe place to be with parents that love them and siblings that love them," she said.
Snow says she feels she could benefit from the First Lady's website. Any support that might help a young mother to understand she is doing a good job is helpful, she says.
Mrs. Herbert will host a leadership summit this Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon at the Governor's Mansion. Participating community leaders will represent ethnic, religious, educational and non-profit organizations. She hopes they will take ideas back to their groups to increase awareness on prevention of drug and alcohol abuse and pornography.
