A few years ago a book was published which gathered the statements of some very young Neapolitan students. Some passages were hilarious and one summarized the spirit with which all of us must – and can - grow, not only as small children but as adults as well. A young Neapolitan student whose language was a bit ungrammatical said: "Nobody is born learned". Indeed no one is born knowing how to play his or her own role, especially that of a parent who must daily face challenging efforts and difficult uncertainties. Bearing this in mind, the Age, the Italian Parents Association, is working towards the aim of strengthening the role of the family and of forming better parents. The A.Ge which stands for "Associazione Italiana Genitori" was founded in 1968 and is the national Federation of parents associations. Local associations (400 in Italy) gather together groups of parents who, inspired by the values of the Italian Constitution and by Christian ethics, want to take part in school and social life so as to make the family a political entity with a voice of its own.
Each association is made up of volunteers that promote a network of solidarity among parents and take part in national life starting from the school. A.Ge at a local level deals with relations concerning schools, parishes, the city, radio stations and local newspapers while at a provincial and regional level it refers to administrations, national school organizations and public opinion. At a national level A.Ge represents families and their needs in political institutions. The activity of the A.Ge is not only national but international as well. In fact the Italian Committee of the W.F.O. (World Family Organization – a U.N. agency) is part of the A.Ge. Members of the A.Ge are, at a directive level, part of the EPA (the European Parents Association) and the ECCFAO (European Community Confederation of Family Organizations). In order to organize a strong and incisive political subject, the A.Ge has taken part, along with other Christian inspired associations and movements, in the "Forum of the Family Associations, an organization

 that has devised "a cartel" to promote a new social and family policy. The national A.Ge has relations with the Italian Episcopal Conference especially with the family pastoral, education and social communication offices. Along with other twelve educational associations it has formed the COPERCOM ("Coordinamento per la Comunicazione) a political subject collaborating with communication operators and institutions. Just what are the main aims of this noble association? AGE was founded so as to respond to changes and complex situations in social life that can affect the family. It has become a place reserved to parents where important themes belonging to their lives as parents or as educators are examined closely. The aim is to help parents, by considering experiences and realizing how common these problems actually are. "These objectives" says Mario Salvi, president of AGE, "are set by the school for parents." They may be summarized as follows:

? awareness of the role of educator

? communication enrichment by learning how to listen

? help children to harmonize with themselves so as to find solutions to

crises and moments of growth

? learn how to use encouragement

? understand behaviours and interpret them as signs of a deeper situation