What Type of Fans Are in Your Club?
Help every fan be their player's best cheerleader - uplifting, inspiring, caring.
Your fans (guardians and families) are just as unique as your club members are. Do not assume all parents/families are alike, or will take an active role in their child's 4-H experience. Understanding and recognizing parental differences can assist you in selecting the best approach to increasing positive parental involvement.
There are five general types of parenting styles. No individual will fit perfectly into a single style, but will exhibit the general characteristics of one.
- Balanced - Enjoy sharing the 4-H experience with their child. Their 4-H goal is learning and growing together through the 4-H experience. They seek information to make their child's 4-H experience the best it can be! Feed as much information as possible their way.
- Overprotective - Shelter and guard their child to protect them from failure and problems. They choose to do the 4-H work for their child shielding their child from disappointments. Encourage parents to step back and let their child experience all 4-H has to offer. Build parental trust by having an older/experienced 4-H member mentor their child. Guide the member towards leadership roles and beyond club activities. Ask the parent to give leadership to an activity focusing their attention on club benefits not just on their child.>
- Over Strict - Set unrealistic standards, excessively critical finding faults rather than attributes. Help guardians to experience the 4-H program at the child's level. Ask them to teach or demonstrate a project skill with a group of children.
- Unconcerned - Provide little support or encouragement. Frequently communicate with these parents to share what their child and the club are doing. Invite them to attend a meeting to recognize their member's accomplishments or to see their member in action (demonstrating, leading, or teaching).
- Take Over - Assumes member's responsibility and lives out their 4-H goals through their child. Teach this guardian the true meaning of 4-H. Focus attention on non-competitive aspects of the program. Seek their assistance with activities that give back.community service, fundraising, and social activities and then recognize them for their help!
Why Are Some Guardians More Active 4-H Fan Participants?
For many parents, their involvement begins with someone asking. Sometimes that is their own child, but more often their 4-H club involvement starts when you ask them. Don't underestimate these simple words "Could you please help by.?"
Why do parents get involved?
- Help others.
- Help their child.
- Share a skill or knowledge.
- Seek new challenges or experience.
- Achieve personal satisfaction.
- Believe it is the right thing to do.
- Meet and work with other adults.
- Their child or someone else asks.
Why don't parents get involved?
- Do not know how.
- No one asks.
- Children do not want their parents involved.
- No time.too busy, too many commitments.
- Do not know what they can offer.
- Do not know how to ask without intruding.
- Is uncomfortable working with youth.
- Need more information about 4-H.
