February is National Parent Leadership Month

Anthony Tomokane knows how it is to be a single dad.

Tomokane, who was chosen by Dandan Middle School as a Parent Leader in 2015, said that being a single parent—to be both the father and mother of his child—is also about time management.

“As the main and only provider for my daughter, I can say the No. 1 necessity of being a parent is time management. Being a single parent is twice the work, twice the stress, and twice the tears, but it is also twice the hugs, twice the love, and twice the pride.”

Speaking of his experience during yesterday’s signing of the proclamation of February as National Parent Leadership Month, Tomokane said it was an honor to be nominated as a Parent Leader and to be asked to speak at the proclamation but he is more than happy to get out the message to other single parents that they are not alone.

In signing the proclamation, Gov. Ralph DLG Torres expressed his personal experience as a parent and how he knows it is not an easy task. He, however, encourages all parents to keep up with the endless obligation to teach their children to do the right thing.

Lt. Gov. Victor Hocog, who joined Torres yesterday in the proclamation signing, said that every thing a child learns starts from home. “We cannot keep an eye on our kids 24/7. We need to provide them with the necessary love and care from home and they will carry that out into the community,” said Hocog.

Parent Committee chair Luis Camacho was glad at the abundance of parents involved in making the CNMI a more family-oriented place. He also announced the joy in celebrating the 48th year of Parents Anonymous Inc., an organization dedicated to mitigating and preventing adverse childhood experiences.

Activities in celebration of the 2017 Parent Leadership Month will kick off on Feb. 1 and will last until Feb. 7 with an outreach set up at the Nutrition Assistances Program office.

There will be daily Parent Education Services presentation at various schools around 5:30pm on Feb. 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, and 21.

KKMP will do a radio interview with Parent Leaders on Feb. 8.

A meeting for the Parent Leadership Committee is set for every Thursday of February at 6pm at the Garapan Community Center.

CNMI schools will have an islandwide waving on Feb. 24.

To end the month, there will be a Parent Development Workshop Day at the Pedro P. Tenorio Multi-Purpose Center on March 3, 2017.