In today’s Internet-consumed society, many families are looking for ways to reconnect with each other. An MU Extension program, “Building Strong Families,” has been helping families create tighter bonds for the past 12 years in many of Missouri’s counties. Now, Lucy Schrader, Extension associate state specialist in the College of Human Environmental Sciences and program coordinator for “Building Strong Families,” says the program is expanding beyond Missouri’s borders into many states.
“The program is designed to help families find and build on their strengths,” Schrader says. “It helps build family relationships and increase positive communication.
There are 13 different sessions that families can choose to attend. They include examining childhood self-esteem, learning positive discipline and understanding how money matters. Schrader says the program finds ways to include all the members of a family.