Welcome to the Rooted Reach Blog

A woman with blonde hair and a dark gray T-shirt sitting on the grass next to a small inflatable pool filled with plastic balls, with a young girl inside, during a sunny day in a backyard.

This space is filled with real-life parenting tips, family-centered strategies, and ways to strengthen your community — especially in small towns and rural spaces.

Featured Categories:

  • Family Tips

  • Community Spotlights

  • Strategic Support for Nonprofits

  • Behind the Scenes

Stay tuned — new posts coming soon!

What Families Really Want From Schools
Kayli Bontrager Kayli Bontrager

What Families Really Want From Schools

Families don’t need perfection—they need partnership.
In this week’s blog, I’m diving into what families really want from schools (and how to make it happen).

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Why Family Engagement Still Matters
Kayli Bontrager Kayli Bontrager

Why Family Engagement Still Matters

Family engagement isn’t a trend—it’s a relationship. And in our rural communities, it’s often the difference between families feeling included versus invisible. In today’s busy, tech-driven world, it’s easy to overlook the power of a simple conversation, a handwritten note, or a moment of trust between a teacher and a caregiver. But the research is clear: when families are engaged, kids do better.

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Becoming a Step-Parent
Kayli Bontrager Kayli Bontrager

Becoming a Step-Parent

Stepping into the role of a stepparent can feel confusing and emotionally taxing, but it can also be deeply rewarding. As the post outlines, successful stepparenting hinges on planning ahead—discussing parenting styles and expectations with your partner—while taking things slow, respecting the child’s pace, and communicating openly. Flexibility, patience, and allowing biological parents to lead are key strategies that build trust and foster a strong, blended family dynamic.

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Starting a family as LGBTQ+ parents
Kayli Bontrager Kayli Bontrager

Starting a family as LGBTQ+ parents

Starting a family can be both exciting and complex—especially for LGBTQ+ parents. This blog explores the unique paths to parenthood, from adoption to surrogacy, and offers insight into the legal, emotional, and social considerations LGBTQ+ families may face.

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Tips to help military families cope with stress
Kayli Bontrager Kayli Bontrager

Tips to help military families cope with stress

Life in a military family demands resilience—especially when loved ones are deployed. This blog offers five compassionate, practical strategies to help families cope with stress: from prioritizing self‑care and maintaining routines to leaning on support systems like military counseling and community groups.

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Five ways to refine your co-parental communication
Kayli Bontrager Kayli Bontrager

Five ways to refine your co-parental communication

Co-parenting well takes clear, respectful communication—especially when families have split. In this post, I outline five practical ways to refine your co-parental dialogue, from choosing the right timing and tone to leveraging tools and routines that keep children at the center.

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Helpful hints for unifying a blended family
Kayli Bontrager Kayli Bontrager

Helpful hints for unifying a blended family

Blending families is a beautiful journey—but it comes with its own set of challenges. In this post, I share practical, heart-centered tips for creating harmony: from setting clear expectations and building strong parent‑child routines, to fostering open communication and cultivating unity one step at a time.

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Five ways to support foster parents
Kayli Bontrager Kayli Bontrager

Five ways to support foster parents

Foster parents provide immense love and stability to children in need—but they often need support too. This blog outlines five meaningful ways to uplift the foster families in your life, from offering emotional backup and practical help to simply showing appreciation and respect. A little encouragement can go a long way.

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Five financial tips for single parents
Kayli Bontrager Kayli Bontrager

Five financial tips for single parents

Raising a child on your own comes with unique financial challenges—but also opportunities for empowerment. Whether you're navigating housing, childcare, or credit, this blog shares five practical tips to help single parents build financial stability and confidence.

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Five tips for grandparents raising grandchildren
Kayli Bontrager Kayli Bontrager

Five tips for grandparents raising grandchildren

Stepping in as a grandparent caregiver is a profound act of love—though it brings its own challenges. In this article,I share five practical tips to help grandparents thrive: from managing legal and financial logistics to nurturing emotional bonds and building a strong support network.

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