A Father’s Commitment to Change

After becoming a single father, Mike turned to his local Family Center and the Nurturing Fathers Program to build the skills and confidence he needed to raise his daughter.

Mike Valliere didn’t grow up with a role model for what it means to be a loving, supportive father. His own father left when he was just three years old; his grandfather, who moved in with his family, was physically abusive; and his neighbor sexually abused him when he was six. Mike struggled with depression, anxiety, rage, and suicidal thoughts for much of his young life. He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, major depression, and PTSD, but shame and fear left him unable to access the help and support he needed.  

That changed when he became a father. Mike’s daughter, Hailey, was born in 2014 and her mother left shortly after her birth, leaving Mike to raise Hailey on his own. He knew he wanted better for Hailey, so he went to the local library to find resources to help him. That’s where he learned about his local Children’s Trust Family Center. He started attending family center playgroups with Hailey and learned of the free parent education programs they offered, including the Nurturing Fathers program, a 16-week parenting education series to learn nurturing and supportive parenting techniques. 

Mike says that the family center became the family he didn’t have growing up and helped him gain invaluable parenting skills, a sense of pride, and self-gratitude. He also said it has helped him learn how to keep Hailey safe so that she doesn’t have the same experiences he did growing up. 

About the 30 for 30 Fatherhood Series 

This story is part of 30 Stories for 30 Years, marking 30 years of the Children’s Trust Fatherhood Initiative. The series highlights how professionals and organizations across Massachusetts support father involvement, healthy co-parenting, and stronger parenting partnerships as part of upstream prevention.