ParentIn Burlington

02/04/2026

Local feels incredibly important these days. So let's gather together for dinner and dialogue with Burlington youth as they walk us through some data and talk about the challenges they face. Everyone will have a chance to discuss opportunities for change with our students and great facilitators. PLEASE RSVP to assist with our food ordering and planning! bphc.link/letstalk

If you need babysitting, ADA accommodations, or language access support please RSVP ASAP as we may not be able to provide assistance on short notice.

25/03/2026

Every Adult Has the Ability to Support Burlington Youth!

All are encouraged to attend this evening for Burlington students, caregivers, and community members to come together to learn from each other and discuss ways to support a healthier future for the next generation. Edmunds middle schoolers will share local data and their perspectives on the health challenges they face. Everyone will have a chance to discuss opportunities for change.

We strive to remove traditional barriers to attendance! Please register where you can indicate the need for child care, language access/translation, ADA accommodations, and food allergies. So let us know you're coming at bphc.link/letstalk

Location: Edmunds Middle School Library, Main Street, Downtown Burlington
Schedule:

5:30 - 6:00 pm: Connect with neighbors over a light dinner
6:00 - 6:30 pm: Youth share data and perspectives on key issues
6:30 - 8:00 pm: Small group discussions about local experiences and data

This event is a joint effort between Burlington Partnership for a Healthy Community and the Burlington School District. Learn more about our prevention coalition at burlingtonpartnership.org

27/02/2026

There are some helpful steps you can take to assist the youth in your life quit va**ng. Starting with self-education is key. Vermonters have access to free resources to assist as well such as MyLifeMyQuit and various supports through the Dept. of Health. Check out this helpful article from our friends at The Truth Initiative.

https://truthinitiative.org/research-resources/quitting-smoking-va**ng/how-help-your-child-quit-va**ng

AVAILABLE TO ALL VERMONT YOUTH 18 AND UNDER: mylifemyquit.com/en-us/

24/02/2026

We had a fantastic turn out for our recent ParentIN event on Healthy Use of Technology. We invited experts from the Howard Center, the Burlington School District and Technology for Tomorrow to help parents and caregivers gain confidence around technologies and platforms their kids are using, set up parental controls, and discuss the health impacts of social media and tech. Thank you to all our partners and especially to the attendees who took time on a snowy evening for learning and community building to support all our kids. 🧠💗

17/02/2026

Check out this opportunity for parents and caregivers of adolescents for a solutions-focused conversation exploring how ni****ne use can affect youth mental health, increase anxiety, and accelerate addiction — and, importantly, how parents can respond in ways that build trust, motivation, and resilience.

Join Parents Against Va**ng on Tuesday, February 24 at 6PM ET for our first 2026 Clear the V***r Conversations event with Dr. Jonathan Avery to explore how ni****ne affects youth mental health and what parents can do to support their kids with care, clarity, and practical strategies. Free and open to all. Register now (link in bio): https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_48CrUPpqQNOZZ1dJUi-Z-Q #/registration

29/01/2026

Vermont Public reports on policymakers exploring nighttime safety restrictions for teen drivers. Our coalition talks a lot of collecting and analyzing expert data, and reducing risk factors for youth. We think this is another great example of how experts in various fields can help us move towards safer communities. Summary of key arguments included below for those with limited reading time.

The Proposed Change
The goal of the proposal isn't to ban teens from the road entirely, but to ensure they gain sufficient experience in low-risk conditions (daylight) before being allowed to drive unsupervised in high-risk conditions (nighttime). Many proposals include exemptions for teens driving to or from work, medical emergencies, or school activities.

1. High Fatality Rates at Night
Even though teenagers do the majority of their driving during the day, statistics show a disproportionate number of fatal crashes occur at night.

Nationally, about one-third of fatal teen crashes occur during nighttime hours.

In Vermont specifically, recent high-profile crashes involving teenagers have sparked urgency among lawmakers and safety experts to address this gap in the state's Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) program.

2. Inexperience vs. High-Risk Conditions
Experts argue that "night driving" isn't just about the dark; it combines several high-risk factors that inexperienced drivers are ill-equipped to handle:

Reduced Visibility: New drivers struggle more with depth perception and hazard recognition in the dark.

Fatigue: Drowsy driving is a significant factor in late-night accidents for teens.

Impairment on the Roads: While the teen might be sober, nighttime hours see a higher frequency of other impaired drivers on the road.

3. The "Midnight" Problem
While some states have restrictions that start at midnight, safety experts (including those from the CDC) argue these are often too late.

Data shows that nearly 60% of nighttime fatal teen crashes actually happen before midnight (typically between 9 p.m. and midnight).

Advocates are pushing for Vermont to adopt restrictions that start earlier—such as 9 p.m. or 10 p.m.—to cover these peak danger hours.

4. Proven Success of GDL Laws
The primary argument is one of proven "best practices." Every other state has implemented a version of these restrictions, and the data suggests they work.

States with comprehensive GDL laws (which include nighttime and passenger restrictions) have seen teen crash rates drop significantly.

Organizations like the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) and the IIHS categorize Vermont as an outlier for lacking this specific protection.

5. Managing Social Distractions
Nighttime driving for teens is frequently social driving rather than functional driving (like commuting to school).

Experts point out that nighttime trips often involve multiple teen passengers, which is one of the leading causes of distraction.

A nighttime restriction naturally limits these high-risk social scenarios while allowing for exceptions for work or school-sanctioned events.

Vermont is the only state that doesn’t include an overnight hours ban in its rules for junior drivers.

26/01/2026

Some helpful tips from Spark & Stitch Institute about supporting kids through challenging things they see online.

When violence fills the headlines and our kids’ feeds, parenting means tending to the emotional impact both on the ground and online.

22/01/2026

JOIN US NEXT WEEK FOR OUR IN-PERSON WORKSHOP WITH BURLINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT! RSVP IS REQUIRED AND DINNER IS PROVIDED! 1/27/26 @ 5:30 PM @ HUNT MIDDLE.
Howard Center Burlington School District Tech4Tomorrow

bphc.link/letstalk

Register by Friday if you require language access services or other accommodations. Receive help setting up parental controls on phones and computers. Dinner and babysitting available.

Veuillez vous inscrire d'ici vendredi si vous avez besoin de services d'accès linguistique ou d'autres aménagements. Obtenez de l'aide pour configurer le contrôle parental sur les téléphones et les ordinateurs. Le dîner et un service de baby-sitting seront offerts.

यदि तपाईंलाई भाषा पहुँच सेवाहरू वा अन्य सुविधाहरू आवश्यक भएमा, कृपया शुक्रबारसम्ममा दर्ता गर्नुहोस्। फोन र कम्प्युटरहरूमा अभिभावकीय नियन्त्रण (parental controls) सेट अप गर्न मद्दत प्राप्त गर्नुहोस्। बेलुकाको खाना र बच्चा हेर्ने (babysitting) सुविधा उपलब्ध छ।

احصل على المساعدة في ضبط إعدادات الرقابة الأبوية على الهواتف وأجهزة الكمبيوتر. تتوفر وجبة العشاء وخدمة رعاية الأطفال.يرجى التسجيل بحلول يوم الجمعة إذا كنت بحاجة إلى خدمات الترجمة اللغوية أو أي تسهيلات أخرى.

Fadlan is qor ugu dambayn maalinta Jimcaha haddii aad u baahan tahay adeegyada afka ama caawimaad kale. Hel caawimaad ku saabsan sidii aad talooyinka waalidka (parental controls) ugu samaysan lahayd talefannada iyo kombuyuutarrada. Casho iyo adeegga xannaanada carruurta waa la heli karaa.

Jiandikishe kabla ya Ijumaa ikiwa unahitaji huduma za ukalimani au msaada mwingine wowote. Pata usaidizi wa kuweka vidhibiti vya wazazi (parental controls) kwenye simu na kompyuta. Chakula cha jioni na huduma ya kulelea watoto vitakuwapo.

15/01/2026

If you parent, provide support, or work with boys and young men we encourage you to attend this free screening hosted by King Street Center of Gone Guys at Essex Cinemas next week.

🎬 Join us for a community screening of Gone Guys — a documentary on the challenges boys and young men face, and the power of connection, mentorship, and community support.

After the film, stay for a panel + Q&A with ACE Director Joe Ruggles, participating youth Calvin, and Jo, Calvin's mom/longtime youth social worker.

📍 Thursday, Jan. 22 | Essex Cinemas (The Double E Theater)
🕕 Film begins at 6:00 PM
🎤 Panel + Q&A to follow
🎫 FREE tickets at the door

Or pay to reserve your tickets at doubleevt.com. Special shout out to our promotional sponsors MENTOR Vermont and Vermont Professionals of Color Network!

07/01/2026

We've heard from many parents and caregivers that they have a lot of questions and concerns about the impact of social media on their kids and wondering how they can set boundaries, manage controls, and be more informed. We've worked with the the Burlington School District to pull together a great evening of learning, info exchange, and on-site live tech help (bring your kids' devices!). Includes FREE dinner and with advance registration we can accommodate babysitting needs and translation services. Learn more and register at bphc.link/letstalk

06/01/2026

Wow! Check out this great winter programming lineup from our friends at ! https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JjfZtDJKq-oq2z7nfHzMGL4LvFLO1_-1/view?mc_cid=4ccf0450f2&mc_eid=c391ea412d

31/12/2025

Check out our recent article from our December newsletter focused on helping you celebrate safely and mindfully of how the holiday season can impact folks in various ways, especially q***r and trans youth.

We all have a role to play in contributing to a joyful and safe holiday for our friends, family, and community members. Check out some of our tips for safer celebrations and some resources for being mindful about how the holiday season can show up for some people.