The In-Out-N-Through® Program
Success-in-Progress Stories:
Collective Re-Imagination of Parenting

There’s a saying in my mother tongue, Thai, that says “I’m so happy I smiled until my gums were dry.” That’s how happy I am to be here writing the success-in-progress stories aka case studies on this page. I’m incredibly honored to work with the families you’ll get to know on this page and to share their stories with you. I’m equally grateful to be a small part in their decolonized, embodied, and intergenerational family building journey.

How Charles and Rebecca Honor Each Other’s Inner Child and Connect with Their Toddlers in Meaningful Ways

“I feel like the parenting my inner child is helping me to connect more with my kids, helping me to realize that they’re kids and their needs are very important. Kids are taught to do as you're told. But to really help them tap into their emotions and also their feelings [we need to] give them tools and ways to navigate those emotions and those feelings. Because I didn't necessarily have those tools as a kid. I was taught, you know, do as you're told, don't question anything. It's just helping me to connect better. Our connections are a lot more meaningful.”

-Charles Williams

How Nani Found the Community Support She Needed to Make Parenting an Act of Social Justice & Begin to Heal her Inner Child Wounds

“I think (the program)'s really encouraged me to just be in the moment with each need as it arises. I think so much of our time gets spent managing our children and trying to get them to fit a mold or, just get through the day. It's so hard when they want to melt down and you're burning dinner on the stove and you just can't right then. But I think it's been a really good reminder that each of those pieces interlocks and each little thing we do is building the next phase that we're going to face. So just trying to really stay present, and stay personal and connected.”

-Nani Bisset

How Tori & Chris Dance to a New Rhythm in their Co-Parenting when They Step In, Out, & Through the Family Patterns They Grew Up with

“I am a person who likes to be in control only because I've felt out of control in lots of aspects of my life… I can really slow myself down and then it doesn't mean (my 2-year-old daughter) can just do whatever she wants, but I have a different perspective on what is a non-negotiable and what is negotiable… Now I understand something different about my triggers. I don't have to look at everything that bugs me as dangerous… I might have a day where I can't tolerate (my daughter’s behavior that triggers me) again, because I'm back in that old space. Fine. But now I see, I can enter these moments in our relationship differently, even if I miss it sometimes like there's possibilities that I didn't even really realize.”

-Tori Graham

How Sarah Teaches Social Justice to Her Children by Example & Strengthens Intergenerational Family Wellness with her Mother

“I think [the program] would challenge a lot of notions that sort of white supremacy holds up for us about what makes a good parent like the do's and don'ts. This [program] would disrupt a lot of that, which I think more parents should have that disrupted as much as possible.”

- Sarah Avendaño

How Christine & Luke Practice Parenting & Social Justice Even On Long Days

“Nat taught us why the desire to ‘contort, conform and perform’ (to systemic oppression) can be so strong. I often find myself asking, ‘whose goal is this? who says that this is important? Is it this societal pressure that I need to produce for the capitalist system or lose the baby weight and look good for the patriarchy system instead of actually reading my baby and her cues and my cues and what feels and is right for us?’ It really helps me to have compassion on myself too about how hard it can be to make intentional parenting choices.”
- Christine