Where and When? The ten week Parenting Skills Course gives parents the chance to affirm what they are doing right, learn new skills and stragegies, practice and get really confident about the changes they are making to transform their family life.
It is designed for parents of children of all ages and not just those who are having 'problems'. Parents come with a range of different issues. Some come because their children are being difficult, some because they'd like to feel more in charge, more positive or better-equipped as a parent.
FREE TASTER CLASS!
If you are interested in joining the class but unsure whether it will suit you then we invite you to come free of charge and sit in on any one of our weekly classes to observe. This allows you to experience the positive, supportive constructive environment of the group before you commit to joining.
The Course Programme:
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Developing your child’s motivation, co-operation, confidence and consideration using Descriptive Praise.
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How to make and consistently apply and follow through on rules your children accept, understand and observe.
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Preparing for success including presenting a united front as parents.
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Understanding your child’s feelings and managing negative emotions using Reflective Listening.
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Fostering self-reliance: understanding what children are able to do for themselves and motivating them to do it while encouraging confidence.
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Learning how to be in charge positively, firmly and consistently.
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How to establish good habits and behaviours.
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Dealing constructively with lying, fighting, whining and other recurring negative behaviours.
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Promoting harmony and minimising rivalry between siblings and peers.
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What to do when your kids push your buttons
At the Parent Practice we know that our courses make a huge difference to family life. You only get one shot at being a parent and our programmes help parents be the best they can be. All our facilitators are parents themselves and our classes are aimed at giving parents extra skills or strategies to deal with the daily situations and challenges of parenting.
Some of your questions answered:
Why should I need parenting training, shouldn't it just be instinctive? We believe that being a parent is one of the most rewarding yet challenging jobs you'll ever do. Why not get some training for it in a constructive and inspiring environment? You will be able to discuss the challenges you meet in your own families and from the facilitator and other parents you will get a wide range of solutions for your individual situation. The classes are kept small to allow this individuality and anything discussed is in the strictest confidence.
What is the initial consultation?
Prior to joining both parents (where possible) come for a consultation (generally 45 minutes) which gives us a chance to understand your family’s specific individual situation, to hear in detail about your children and any areas of concern you have with them. The cost of this consultation is included in the cost of the Parenting Skills course
What will the classes be like?
The parenting skills classes have a maximum group size of 15. The classes usually contain a mixture of mothers and fathers with children ranging from 2 – 18 years. They are run in Clapham at the home of Melissa and John Hood, in Putney at Sue Kumleben’s house and in Wimbledon at Elaine Halligan's house. It is a relaxed, friendly atmosphere where people feel safe to discuss their issues in a confidential, non-judgemental environment.
Participants are given a folder with the course notes and each week they are set non-compulsory homework assignments of worksheets and questions to focus their thoughts.
The course leader presents the topic, facilitates group discussion, uses demonstration role-play, helps the group and individuals to problem-solve and shares his/her own experiences.
How does the rolling start work?
Each class covers a different topic and we have found that parents prefer to start the classes as soon as they are ready (and we have space) rather than wait for the first class of the series to come round again. This means that everyone eventually covers the same programme just in a different order.
Will some people therefore be finishing just as I am starting?
Each class will contain participants with varying levels of acquaintance with and expertise in using the skills. Parents find it very useful to hear someone more experienced sharing about the progress they have made whilst at the same time they always find someone going through similar challenges as them.
What happens if I know I have to miss a class?
We let parents complete a 10 session programme over 12 sessions. If you know you have to miss a class and tell us we will do our best to let you catch up the class you’ve missed at another of the weekly sessions or at a later point on the programme during your 12 weeks. If you cannot make up the class during the 12 weeks but would like to complete it outside this period you can attend the relevant class (space permitting) at a cost of £27.50 per class. At The Parent Practice we strive to accommodate people’s busy and unpredictable schedules and will always do our best to help people get the most from the programme.