EYES ON PARENTING
Have parenting questions? A Phoenix non-profit has a helpline for that
Dec 6, 2017, 4:39 AM
When you don’t understand your child’s behavior, don’t you wish you could call someone? It turns out you can.
The Phoenix-based non-profit organization Southwest Human Development created the Birth to Five helpline in 2005 to help parents with this exact issue — and it’s free.
“We take hundreds of calls every year from parents and childcare providers,” said Dr. Alison Steier, who is the organization’s director of mental health services.
Steier said the service is available to all families with young children or even professionals who are looking for the latest child development information from experts in the field.
“It’s a telephone-based service where people can take all the time that they need to get the help that they want,” she said. “You don’t have to be absolutely beside yourself with worry.”
Steier said the hotline is staffed with bilingual early childhood specialists, who can answer an array of questions like “Why is my baby so fussy?” or “Why is my 3-year-old so bad?”
Parents can call 877-705-KIDS (5437) anytime between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday to get the answers they are looking for. They can also text the number at any time, leave a voicemail or fill out an online form.
