The Triangle is a special place for soon to be parents and families. Not only do we have some amazing prenatal support in place, but the postpartum support we have for new and seasoned parents alike is unmatched. One of those great postpartum support networks is an amazing the amazing Triangle Area Parenting Support (TAPS).
I have met Monica Richardson, executive director of TAPS, several times at various trainings in the area, which I think it one of the added bonuses of being a doula in the Triangle, but that is another story! The passion that Monica has for supporting new families is apparent, and she has some amazing ideas for how to keep TAPS moving forward and staying as a great support for families with little babies.
Learn more about Monica and TAPS in our September spotlight of TAPS!
How was the idea of TAPS first born?
I think the idea that peer support for parents is a crucial step in creating equitable outcomes has been around since at least the 1980's. But I first realized that the Triangle needed more of this kind of service in 2010, when I moved from Durham to Seattle. I was 6 months pregnant with my daughter and had exactly one friend in the city. She, fortuitously, had just had her first - a girl - and told me that she was so lucky to have been able to join a PEPS group a few weeks after she delivered. I, too, found myself in a strangers' living room 3 weeks after my daughter was born. Nervously fighting to breastfeed, apprehensive of being judged, and totally unaware that these moms would become my closest supporters, cheerleaders, and life-long friends. It was then that I realized that my Triangle-based friends had nothing like this to join. Yes, there are hospital based groups and these have been around for a really long time. But we saw that there was a distinct lack of universal access, research-based, strengths-based, peer support. So, I went back to school, got my MPA, and when we had a chance to move back to the Triangle, I started TAPSNC.
How are various TAPS groups structured?
All our groups are based on the Program for Early Parent Support (PEPS). So regardless of how many weeks you meet with your group, you'll always have the same weekly rhythm - sharing highs & lows, learning a research based parenting "nugget", socializing, and discussing a topic. I love this structure because it's flexible enough to allow for everyone's desires to be met while helping parents learn from and with each other. Each part of the PEPS rhythm is tied to one of the five family strengths, often called factors of prevention (I love how wonderful this research is!), and they're proven to help reduce family stress and increase resilience during and following crises.
What type of benefits do parents notice after attending a full class series?
The biggest area where families benefit is in reducing the isolation that they feel. About 80-90% of our groups stay connected to each other - sometimes for years! Parents also report feeling more confident tackling their day-to-day rhythm with their baby, feeling more confident getting out of the house with their baby, and feeling more confident making choices around work, child care, self care, and the like. The added benefit to being in a structured group (rather than just hanging out socially) is the experienced peer facilitator who will ask questions that you may not have thought about yet. Often moms and/or couples leave a group meeting with fuel for conversations that help them connect more with their support team (partners, child care providers, & extended family) which in the long run supports consistent parenting of their child.
What is your biggest tip for someone as they are preparing to become a parent for the first time?
I think this one goes without saying, Join a TAPSNC Group! Sign up while you're still waiting for baby (if you can). The other suggestion that I have is to ask your partner and friends hard questions before baby arrives - don't be afraid to ask for help with meals, cleaning, self care, and if possible, someone to hold the baby for a few hours during the day (shower!) and at night (sleep!). Getting together with other expecting families in one of our prenatal groups can help you figure out what other families are talking about, planning for, and setting themselves up for a joy-filled transition.
Where can we find the leaders of TAPS when they are not working with new parents?
Our volunteers are the most compassionate, generous, caring people I have had the privilege of meeting. They live all over the Triangle - living and working in neighborhoods from Chapel Hill and Durham, through Raleigh, Cary, & Apex, to Holly Springs, Garner, & Wake Forest. Lots of our leaders are active in the community doing other work and volunteer activities in addition to what they do with TAPSNC! About 1/2 of our consistent volunteers are full time working parents who work in lots of different fields - from law, education, & health care to marketing, childcare, & finance. Some of them also work with new parents through fitness programs and as postpartum doulas as well. Several of our leaders have been inspired to go to graduate school in part because of their work with us as well.
