More than two dozen kids and their parents bonded Sunday at a Center for Family Solutions root beer social while learning how to protect themselves.

The wellness program was important for Darren Stevens of Liberty Twp., the father of three and assistant principal at Madison High School.

“One of the big things, especially as an assistant principal, is how to interact with together kids,” he said.

The non-profit Center for Family Solutions, 400 N. Erie Highway, works to protect children from sexual abuse and domestic violence. About 30 kids and 18 parents from around Butler County attended Sunday’s wellness program.

These programs allow families to interact with each other and other families and “to build that bonding experience, to educate them on prevention sides for child abuse, to give them opportunities to work on self-esteem,” said Jennifer Achterman, program and operations coordinator for the center.

“It’s for anyone in the community that’s just looking for an activity to do in the community to build that bonding experience, to educate them on prevention sides for child abuse, to give (children) opportunities to work on self-esteem,” she said.

The root beer social had a March Madness theme with activities arranged by Crishna Wilbrun, a senior at Miami University studying social work and an intern at the center.

“From this we hope these families will come to more of our programs,” said the Hamilton High School graduate.

Stevens said he wants his kids — ages 4, 6 and 8 — to grow up able to interact with other kids in other communities, have fun and “learn some lessons on how do deal with other people.”

About 20 children had to be put on a waiting list for this program, the fourth time this type of wellness program had been conducted, Achterman said. This was the second root beer social. There also have been two princess teas.

“We’re already thinking about when we can do the next one,” she said.

The next wellness program will likely be a father-daughter program because Achterman said “there’s a need for that right now.”

Stevens said he’ll be able to relay the lessons he learned Sunday to other administrators in the Madison Local School District.

“One of the things we try to do out of Madison, especially in a 7 through 12 building, is to mesh different age groups,” he said. “As I, or any of our administrators, go to events like this where there’s multiple level of ages we can see what other areas are doing and take ideas and try to incorporate them out at Madison.”