I started Operation Parent when my husband and I were in the thick of raising our own five children, feeling overwhelmed and underprepared. For years, I erroniously believed that the culture and my children's friends had more influence on my kids than I did. I was wrong. I have grown a lot over the past 15 years...as a parent and as a Christian. I've learned that my role as "mom" is God-given, and with it comes tremendous power and influence. We just need to tap into it and build our confidence. But let's face it. Parenting is hard. The culture is aggressive, and our kids have "free will". So what can we do to leverage our influence? What can we do to help them avoid the pitfalls of substance use, social media mania, anxiety, depression, pornography, dating violence and more? We can step boldly into our God-given role as parent, raise our awareness, open up channels of communication, listen well, and pray for them continually. Operation Parent exists to help parents better understand their child's day-to-day reality and equip them with the real world information they need to keep their kiddos safe and healthy. We are excited to know our resources are now being used in every state across the country and beyond.