Parents Growing Together

Parents Growing Together combines parent support and facilitated storytelling for parents of young children. We’ll meet online for 90-minute sessions over the course of eight weeks to foster connection among parents, receive compassionate support, and tell the stories that matter most to you.

Parenting young children can be joyful and deeply rewarding, but it can also feel isolating, especially in today’s politically and socially polarized climate. This project creates a safe, supportive space where parents can engage in experiential story-sharing activities in order to build community and share practical strategies for raising thoughtful, compassionate children.

  • Jenny Miller, owner and director of Garden Day Small School for more than 25 years (now closed) is a parent of three. Trained and certified through the Jai Institute for Parenting, she now works as a parent coach. She is passionate about supporting parents in finding ease, joy, and compassion in their relationships with their children.


    Amy Hill, the parent of a 9th grader at Berkeley High School (and an alumni of Jenny's Garden Day program!) has been designing and facilitating community-based storytelling and participatory media projects for more than 20 years. Much of her work has focused on public health and human rights issues globally, through the Silence Speaks initiative.

  • Workshop Format

    • Length: 8 weekly sessions (90 minutes each)

    • Structure:

      • Brief presentations on parenting in early childhood (social-emotional development, empathy building, navigating conflict, positive discipline)

      • Paired and small-group story-sharing activities guided by prompts

      • Large-group discussions to surface insights and build collective wisdom

      • Facilitated digital storytelling process, leading to the production of short (2–3 minute) first-person video stories

    • Between Sessions: Parents may engage in optional journaling, photography, art-making, or audio reflections to support story development.

  • Storytelling is a powerful tool for reflection, empathy, and growth. By sharing personal experiences, parents can make sense of their challenges, validate one another’s feelings, and discover fresh strategies for navigating family life. In contrast to conventional parenting workshops that often emphasize one-size-fits-all advice, storytelling honors the complexity of real-life parenting. It allows parents to learn not only from expert guidance but also from others lived experiences, helping to cultivate resilience, compassion, and a sense of shared purpose. Weaving a storytelling approach throughout the workshop series will enable participating parents to:


    • Self-reflect: Exploring stories of how they were parented helps parents identify values, patterns, and habits they wish to continue—or leave behind.

    • Clarify values: Sharing parenting stories supports parents in articulating what matters most as they raise young children.

    • Navigate polarization: In a divided political climate, storytelling creates space for parents to affirm empathy, compassion, and respect as guiding values.

    • Build connection: Hearing others’ stories reduces isolation and fosters understanding across differences.

    • Raise resilient children: Parents who reflect on their own experiences and values are better equipped to model thoughtful, compassionate behavior for their children.

Interest Form