Fatherhood Is Sacred®/Motherhood Is Sacred®

Fatherhood Is Sacred®/Motherhood Is Sacred® (FIS/MIS) is a parenting education program designed to strengthen Native American families. FIS/MIS aims to help fathers and mothers actively engage with their families while also connecting with their Native American heritage and the sacred responsibilities of being a parent. Parents who are not Native American are also welcome to participate, as are youth. An adaptation, FIS/MIS for Youth, follows the same overall structure and format, but examples and content focus on preparing youth to take on the role of a father or mother in the future or with their younger relatives or neighbors. 

In FIS/MIS, facilitators lead small group sessions, with fathers and mothers attending sessions in separate cohorts but receiving similar content. Facilitators for the father cohorts are typically male and facilitators for the mother cohorts are typically female. Facilitators promote a sense of equality, create a supporting environment, and connect parents to their heritage and families in a positive way. The facilitator uses storytelling to teach session material and encourages fathers and mothers to share their own feelings and experiences. 

FIS/MIS content focuses on the three pillars of self-worth, identity, and purpose. Facilitators embed these pillars throughout 12 individual sessions. Session 1 introduces the program’s purpose and the importance of fatherhood/motherhood in Native American heritage. Session 2 explains the foundational concepts of the program: character, integrity, and fathers and mothers as leaders. Session 3 is optional and focuses on the Creator’s importance in Native American culture and heritage. Sessions 4–5 teach the power of choice, consequences of actions, and the importance of vision when making choices. Sessions 6–7 focus on the necessity of being teachable, barriers to being teachable, and how to find truth. Sessions 8–12 teach the importance and benefits of wisdom, service, identity, relationships, and nurturing.  

FIS/MIS does not currently meet criteria to receive a rating because no studies met eligibility criteria for review.

Date Research Evidence Last Reviewed: Mar 2024

Sources

The following sources informed the program or service description, target population, and program or service delivery and implementation information: the program or service manual, and the program or service developer’s website. 

This information does not necessarily represent the views of the program or service developers. For more information on how this program or service was reviewed, visit the Review Process page or download the Handbook.