“Parents helping parents, helping children” is the tagline for Tennessee’s free Regional Intervention Program, currently being rebranded as Parenting That Works. I know I’m not the only parent who has felt overwhelmed, so I spoke with the program’s Director of Infant and Early Childhood Initiatives, Melissa Binkley, to learn more.
How did this program get started?
“The Regional Intervention Program and Parenting That Works is native to Tennessee! The program started in 1969 at Vanderbilt’s Peabody College, and has been growing ever since. Parenting That Works has been replicated locally, nationally, and internationally. I started with the department in 2015, first as the training coordinator and now as director, and I’ve learned so much about children and families from the people who pass through our doors. I wish I could have begun my career here!”
What kind of services does the program offer parents?
“RIP and Parenting That Works is a positive parenting program that supports children ages two through five and their families who are dealing with challenging behaviors — both big and small. Parenting That Works is FREE! There’s no diagnosis or income requirement. Families participate together over the course of 4-6 months, and their commitment leads to positive results. Parents who complete the program express more confidence in their own parenting skills, lower parenting stress, and improved social skills and behavior from their children. We see parents as the experts on their own children, and here they will have a chance to learn and practice strategies alongside other parents and children, while receiving support from staff members who completed the program themselves.”
What advice would you give to new Nashville parents?
“Parenting is HARD WORK! And you don’t have to go it alone — or scroll social media’s endless supply of ‘parenting hacks.’ At RIP, and within the Parenting that Works program, you will find a community excited to support you and your child! As one parent shared, ‘Learning from and being supported by other families in similar situations has been both normalizing and encouraging beyond words.’"
Check out RIP’s 3rd Annual Spring Festival on May 9 from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. They’ll have family fun including touch-a-trucks, a puppet show, face painting, community resources, and program tours and information.
