Why the Y-Princesses?

What is the Y-Indian program?
The Y-Indian program has a long history of providing elementary school age children and their dads with opportunities for fun times, learning, and mutual understanding.

Y-Indian programs are for dads that want quality, planned, one-on-one time with their daughters.  Membership with the dupont YMCA is open to every parent with a daughter K to fourth grade.

Participation in activities by both father and daughter is a vital part of Y-Indian Princesses. Father and daughter share in games, crafts, outings, and campouts. The parent observes their child's relationship in the group, and see the child's strengths and needs, affording a basis for helping the child to grow.  Likewise, the child observes the parent in action with other parents and kids. This provides the child with an important role model.

What the Program Does
Y-Indian Princess is action oriented.   Members develop their own tribal programs, elect their own officers, take turns hosting tribal meetings, and conduct the business of the tribe.

Tribes get together for campouts and family outings; visit historical sites and fire stations; take hikes to parks, zoos, and farms; and plan family picnics. Participants learn about American Indian people - their culture, their customs, crafts and games, and seek to bring new understanding and appreciation of the Indians' heritage and contributions to our nation.

Craft projects include construction of tribal property such as drums, vest, coup sticks and property boxes.  Tribes may also have campfires and hold induction ceremonies that emphasize the importance of the father/daughter relationship.

Benefits
Through Y-Indian Princess, the YMCA provides the following benefits to both parents and children.

• Foster companionship and understanding and set a foundation for positive, lifelong relationships between parent and child.

• Build a sense of self-esteem and personal worth.

• Expand awareness of body, mind, and spirit.

• Provide a framework to meet a mutual need of spending enjoyable, constructive, and quality time together.

• Enhance the quality of family time.

• Emphasize the vital role that parents play in the growth and development of their children.

• Offer an important and unique opportunity to develop and enjoy volunteer leadership skills.

• Opportunity to meet other families with children the same age.

Organization
The tribe is the basic organizational unit for Y-Indian programs.  Father and daughter attendance together is required for participation in activities.  Tribes contain anywhere from eight to twelve families. Tribal meetings are usually held twice a month in different members' homes, at the YMCA or other special settings, such as a fire-station .  One dad is selected as chief, and the various tribal offices are delegated to other fathers and daughters.