Because family engagement doesn’t begin with a flyer about Back-to-School Night. It begins with understanding. The first step is for our educators to start discussing real-life challenges that families face every day, especially those challenges that might not be covered during staff meetings or professional development.

Too often, we confuse parent involvement with family engagement. Involvement is showing up when asked. Engagement is feeling seen, respected, and connected to a child’s educational journey, and it means two-way communication is happening, not just one-way updates from school to home. The truth is, we often assume that if parents aren’t showing up, it’s because they don’t care. But what if the real issue is that they don’t feel seen, respected, or supported by the system we’re asking them to engage with?

Here are Ernesto Mejía’s five challenges families are facing in 2025 and what you, as educators, should keep in mind as you work to build stronger connections with them.

1. Technology is Taking Over, But It’s Not the Enemy

What families are facing:

Technology is everywhere. In 2025, 96% of youth are online daily, and nearly half are online constantly, engaging in activities such as gaming, YouTube, social media, and texting. For many families, this screen time isn’t just about distraction. It’s become a substitute for connection.

What educators should consider:

Don’t assume “bad parenting” is the reason students are glued to devices. For many families, time and energy are scarce. Instead, consider how you can model tech-free interactions, help students find purpose offline, and even create homework or classroom activities that involve family participation away from screens.

2. Family Time is Scarce… and Scheduled

What families are facing:

Some families are lucky if they get 37 minutes of quality time together in a week. Between jobs, responsibilities, and stress, connecting isn’t easy, even when the love is there.

What educators should consider:

When you assign family-based projects, be mindful of time. Assume families are stretched thin and offer flexibility. Also, invite families into school spaces that feel welcoming and low-pressure. Consider a “Community Meal Night” or “Family Walk & Talk” instead of formal sit-down events.

3. Post-High School Pathways Feel Like a Mystery

What families are facing:

Only 61% of students are enrolling in college after high school. Many families don’t know what options are out there, especially alternatives like trades, apprenticeships, or certifications.

What educators should consider:

You’re not just educating students, you’re educating families, too. Bring families into the postsecondary planning process. Host workshops (in multiple languages) about all the options not just the traditional four-year path. Help them see where their child’s interests and strengths could lead.

4. Grit and Resilience Are Learned, But So Is Overprotection

What families are facing:

Parents today are juggling a new world filled with tech, social pressures, AI, and uncertainty. Many overcompensate by doing too much for their kids, trying to shield them from the struggles they themselves endured.

What educators should consider:

Empower students to take ownership, but build that independence gradually and collaboratively with families. Share ways that parents can help their child fail safely and learn from it. And as a school, reward effort and growth, not just perfection.

5. Co-Parenting is Common And Complicated

What families are facing:

At least 15% of youth live in blended families or experience co-parenting situations. That means multiple households, varying rules, and emotional dynamics that can make consistency tough.

What educators should consider:

Be mindful when communicating with home. Ask: “Who else should be in the loop?” Don’t assume a “one family fits all” model. And avoid making judgments. Your role is to support the student by honoring all the people who care for them, however nontraditional that may look.

Final Thoughts: From Paperwork to Partnership

To connect the educator-parent line of the Golden Triangle of Student Success, it begins with empathy and culminates in intentional action. Here’s what I challenge you to do:

• Think of family engagement not as an “event,” but as an ongoing conversation.
• Try to engage in informal dialogue to find out which challenges your students’ parents/caregivers may be struggling with.
• Stop asking, “Why don’t they come?” and start asking, “What’s getting in the way?”
• Recognize that your classroom may be the only space where a parent feels seen as more than just a guardian.

Because when families feel supported, heard, and valued, they don’t just show up for their kids. They show up for you, too.

And that’s the CoolSpeak difference.

Want to bring Ernesto to your school or district? Connect with us today to learn how CoolSpeak can support your next event, training, or initiative.