Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness

Resourceful. Resilient. Ready.

Parents need to be resourceful. Children need to be resilient. The THRIVE program can help your family get ready.

THRIVE: Your Resource for Positive Parenting

The Clearinghouse for Military Family Readiness at Penn State in partnership with the Department of Defense’s Office of Military Community and Family Policy is implementing the THRIVE Initiative to empower parents as they nurture their children from the prenatal period until their children reach 18 years of age. The Initiative includes a series of face-to-face and online parenting programs and a range of online resources and interactive learning modules. Each THRIVE program guides parents in learning and using parenting and health promotion skills that are based on science. By supporting parents as they learn and practice effective strategies for raising healthy children, THRIVE fosters Resourceful Parents, Resilient Children, and Ready Families!

The initiative consists of four age-specific skill-building segments: Take Root!, Sprout!, Grow!, and Branch Out!.

For parents of children 0 to 3 years

Having a baby is exciting, but parenting an infant can be confusing and stressful. The Take Root! parenting program, which is currently being developed in three parts (i.e., Take Root! 0 to 6 months, Take Root! 6 to 12 months, and Take Root! 1 to 3 years), will serve to support parents from pregnancy through the first three years of their child’s life. Each program emphasizes positive parenting, stress management, and health promotion skills that can be used to help parents raise a happy and healthy baby. Parents are able to participate in all programs online, which means they can access the program’s information whenever it is most convenient for them.

Program overview:

Take Root! 0 to 3 years: Offered online, coming 2017

Learn More

Take Root! Parent Resources
Other THRIVE Programs

For parents of children 3 to 5 years

Calling all parents of preschoolers! Sprout! is the THRIVE program area that specifically targets the unique context of parenting children between the ages of 3 and 5. As parents know, this developmental period comes with many parenting joys and challenges. Sprout! is designed to support parents as they foster their preschool child’s development and resiliency. Sprout! is presently under development; once available, a series of face-to-face sessions will be offered on days and during times of the week that best fit into families’ busy schedules.

Program overview:

Sprout! 3 to 5 years: Offered as a face-to-face program, under development

Learn More

Sprout! Parent Resources
Other THRIVE Programs

For parents of children 5 to 10 years

Raising a young child is rewarding, but it also comes with challenges. As children grow and become more independent, they are exposed to external influences, like peers and media entertainment. The good news is that parents can remain a primary guiding force in helping their child mature into a responsible, caring, healthy, and competent adult. The Grow! parenting program is designed to help parents of 5 to 10 year olds learn positive parenting techniques, stress management strategies, and health promotion skills that can be used to help children be happy and healthy. Currently, the program is offered in an in-person, group-based format with five sessions.

Program overview:

Grow! 5 to 10 years: Offered as a face-to-face program, currently available
Grow! 5 to 10 years: Offered online, coming 2017

Learn More

Grow! Research
Grow! Parent Resources
Other THRIVE Programs

For parents of children 10 to 18 years

Do you have a middle school-aged or high school-aged child at home? If so, then the Branch Out! parenting program may be for you! During adolescence, youth need their parents more than ever. With so many changes and transitions happening during adolescence, this phase of life is a time of excitement and anxiety―for youth and their parents. Branch Out! is designed to support mothers and fathers in their parenting roles as they, in turn, nurture their child as he or she transitions from childhood to adulthood. As with the other programs encompassed within the THRIVE initiative, this program will focus on positive parenting practices, stress management strategies, and health promotion skills. Branch Out! is scheduled for development in 2017. Further information will be available on this website soon, as the program curriculum takes shape.

Program overview:

Branch Out! 10 to 14 years: Offered as a face-to-face program, under development
Branch Out! 14 to 18 years workshops: Offered online, under development

Learn More

Branch Out! Parent Resources
Other THRIVE Programs

This material is the result of a partnership funded by the Department of Defense between the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Policy and the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture through a grant/cooperative agreement with Penn State University.

THRIVE: Your Resource for Positive Parenting

This Month’s Blogs