What is Forget Me Not?

Forget Me Not is an educational program for never married parents, living separately, who have minor children.

The Goals of the Forget Me Not program are?

• To provide parents with an understanding of their child's need for the involvement of both parents in the child's life.
• To help parents understand the needs of their child.
• To encourage non-custodial parent's to be actively involved in their child's life.
• To help parents with separate homes raise a healthy child.

About the Program

The Forget Me Not program is held at the Jackson County Friend of the Court office.

For dates at times of the presentations, please contact the Jackson County Friend of the Court at 517-788-4470.

The program features a video, and a speaker from the community who is skilled in dealing with families and children. Active involvement of participants is encouraged and questions that are relevant to the group are raised and discussed.

Parents need not attend a program on the same evening, particularly where there is a personal protection order in effect, or other reason why joint participation would not be advisable.

Referrals to the program are made by the Assistant Prosecuting Attorney responsible for initiating support orders.

The Circuit Court Judges also order participation in the programs when they believe it is warranted. Participation is sometimes a prerequisite to establishing a regular parenting time schedule. Parents may also request to attend by contacting the Jackson County Friend of the Court.

The Importance of Forget Me Not

About thirty percent of all children are born outside of marriage. The relationship between the parents of these children may have consisted of one contact, or may have lasted several years. While some parents decide that a marriage commitment is not for them, the children born to them are deserving of commitment.

Children need their mother and their fathers involved in their lives even though their parents are not together. Children of any age suffer when they experience the loss of a parent, whether through abandonment, a move away, or withholding by the other parent. Children lose when a parent chooses to put his or her needs first.

Parenting and raising children is rewarding. It is also a difficult job that becomes even more complicated when parents do not live together. Although every family situation is different, there are common problems and concerns that parents face. Parents often need information about what their children need from them.