Glenbard series provides ‘real-world’ parenting skills

Alison Cohen of Glen Ellyn is the mother of two daughters — one who just started college and another in high school.

She says it can be challenging to be a parent these days — not only do young people deal with many of the same issues as their predecessors, but now there’s other intangibles, such as Facebook.

That can make it hard to know who your kids’ friends are and who their parents are, Cohen says.

One way Cohen has learned about such modern-day parenting issues is the Glenbard Parent Series, a program sponsored throughout the school year by Glenbard High School District 87 that brings in nationally renowned experts to help “facilitate real-world parenting skills.”

“I think it allows parents to hear what’s going on in our kids’ lives, and communicate with other parents about how we want to parent and parent well,” Cohen said.

The free speaker series begins Wednesday, Aug. 24, the first day of school at Glenbard’s four high schools. Madeline Levine, a psychologist and author of “The Price of Privilege: How Parental Pressure and Material Advantage Are Creating a Generation of Disconnected and Unhappy Kids,” will speak at the Glenbard South High School auditorium at 7 p.m.

Indeed, it’s back to school for both students and their parents, says Gilda Ross, Glenbard’s student and community projects coordinator and organizer of GPS.

“Students are coming to school next week; they’ve got their tools and are ready to go,” Ross said. “GPS is about providing tools for parents so they can be ready to go as well.”

There are seven other speakers Ross has booked for the year — the result of networking and making calls a year in advance. It’s an impressive lineup that isn’t seen in other school districts locally or nationally, Ross says.

That’s because Glenbard was awarded a $100,000 grant from the Cebrin Goodman Center three years ago that allowed the district to expand GPS from having one speaker a year to one a month.#147;Any one of the speakers on the agenda would be a headliner in another school district #8212; and they are #8212; but here every single month you have people who are on national scene, who are A-list presenters, and who are New York Times best-selling authors repeatedly.#148;The speaking events aren#146;t only for parents of students in Glenbard District 87. Parents of students in elementary school and other community members are invited.Other school districts have begun promoting the series by posting information on their websites.Ross said the series has become a community event that has resulted in sponsorships from groups, such as Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital, the Central DuPage Hospital Behavioral Health Center, Glen Ellyn Character Coalition and Helping Girls Navigate Adolescence.Karen Volk, chairwoman of the Glenbard South citizens advisory committee, said group members already have read Levin#146;s #147;The Price of Privilege#148; and are planning to split into groups to read four more books by speakers on this year#146;s list.Volk likens the speaker series to #147;school for parents.#148;#147;Sometimes I don#146;t learn anything new, but what I learn is affirmation that what I#146;m doing is correct,#148; Volk said. #147;You don#146;t have a boss doing an evaluation when you#146;re a parent. These speakers do that.#148;