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Parenting classes bring positive results for families May 2011

by Lisa Wall, Editor

A group of parents discuss parenting techniques in a comfortable setting at Fair Grove UMC during Fairgrove Family Resource Center's 'Triple P' parenting class.

With the end of the school year quickly approaching, Fairgrove Family Resource Center (FFRC) is helping to set the stage for parents and children to have a stress-free summer.

'Triple P' , an 8 week interactive parenting program for parents of children 18 months through 12 years of age , will be held April 28-June 16 at Fair Grove United Methodist Church, 204 Cedar Lodge Road. The free program begins each Thursday night with dinner at 6 p.m., followed by class at 6:45. Free child care is provided.

FFRC Director Terri Nelson says the program focuses on issues common with children of all ages.

"This class targets how to develop strong relationships with your child,"Nelson said. "We focus on learning the stages of your child's development, how to manage misbehavior and planning ahead for activities with your children."

During the first four weeks of the program, parents learn different techniques to help strengthen the family, followed by four weeks of more practical learning exercises.

"During our practice sessions we actually implement what we're learning and learn from each other as a group on what works and what hasn't worked," Nelson said. "Instructive classes always benefit all the participants, because not only do we learn from the material presented, but we learn from each other. It is so inclusive that it will work for a parent of a young child as well as those in adolescence."

Nelson notes the importance of building a strong relationship with children when they're young to make the transition to the teenage years easier.

"Having a good relationship with our children in their formulative years will help keep the bond we need to make it through the teenage years," Nelson said. "Hopefully, this will help to develop a good relationship even once they're grown and gone."

Triple P also will address the best method to use when disciplining a child.

"It teaches how to have directive discussion with our children and also helps us to learn the difference between when we need to use planned ignoring," Nelson said. "This helps us know when to use quiet time and time out."

Other topics will include developing planned routines, how to develop and enforce rules, how to handle sibling rivalry, how to recognize high-risk situations that lead a child to misbehave and how to keep control under stressful circumstances.

The program, however, looks at more than negative behavior of children, it also addresses the behavior of parents as well.

"What we don't do good enough as parents is give positive feedback," Nelson said. "Once we recognize what our children do well and reinforce it with positive actions and words, we are encouraging positive behavior. Focusing more on the positive in life like we should will help get positive results."

The skill set learned from the program also is beneficial to other areas in participants lives.

"You use this in all the relationships you have - at work and home - and not just with your children," Nelson said. "The techniques you learn are applicable in life and not just with children."

An internationally-used program, FFRC is the only accredited agency in the state of North Carolina to offer Triple P.

"I really feel that this class is inclusive and undoubtedly the best parenting class presented today," Nelson said. "You can just watch everybody learn and grow as a family. It encourages positive changes, and what family doesn't need positive change."/p>

Registration is required by calling the resource center at 472-7217. Nelson asks that only parents committed to attended all eight sessions register, as space is limited. Textbook, childcare, classes and dinner are free, however, reservations for dinner are requested in advance.

Editor Lisa Wall can be reached at 888-3590 or at editor@tvilletimes.com.

Read more: Thomasville Times - Parenting classes bring positive results for families

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