Module 1 – Getting Started
Key Concepts
- Parenting is the most challenging and most important job there is.
- Parents are the foundation of the family.
- Positive parenting skills do not come naturally; they are learned.
Goals – By the end of this session parents will:
- Experience a warm and safe environment where they can feel comfortable sharing their experiences and learning about parenting.
- Learn about the Make Parenting A Pleasure® philosophy.
- Have an opportunity to get acquainted with each other and the facilitator.
- Set the Ground Rules for group interaction and establish childcare guidelines, if applicable.
- Complete Survey 1.
- Have Fun!
Module 2 – Nurturing: Taking Care of Ourselves
Key Concept
- The whole family benefits when parents find ways to nurture and take care of themselves each and every day.
Goals – By the end of this session parents will:
- Learn about nurturing and taking care of themselves. They will leave the class with some exercises to practice.
- Be familiar with community resources – how to identify them and how to access them.
- Continue to build a trusting environment and mutual support among parents.
Module 3 – Understanding Stress
Key Concepts
- Stress is a normal part of life.
- Reducing stress helps us feel more in control of our lives.
Goals – By the end of this session parents will:
- Identify personal self-care strategies.
- Understand stress as a normal part of life.
- Identify individual causes and current symptoms of stress.
- Explore the relationship between stressors and self-talk.
- Discuss and practice some stress management skills.
Module 4 – Stress and Anger Management: Techniques
Key Concepts
- Stress is a normal part of parenting.
- Managing stress effectively is critical to parenting children effectively.
- As parents we teach and model how to cope with stress.
Goals – By the end of this session parents will:
- Identify a personal support system.
- Learn about long-term stress reduction techniques.
Module 5 – Managing Anger, Modeling Alternatives
Key Concepts
- Anger is a normal emotion.
- Anger as an emotion is always okay. But how we act on anger can help or hurt our children and ourselves.
Goals – By the end of this session parents will:
- Identify and understand anger as an emotion.
- Understand the importance of acting on anger appropriately.
- Recognize the physical and emotion feelings and self-talk that may accompany or precede anger.
- Develop a personal Anger Management Plan.
Module 6 – The Dance of Communication: Nonverbal
Key Concepts
- Actions speak louder than words especially with our babies and young children.
- Effective communication begins with what we do.
Goals – By the end of this session parents will:
- Understand the importance of communication as the connector for human relationships.
- Become more aware of their own nonverbal communication styles.
- Learn nonverbal and verbal techniques for communicating with babies and young children.
Module 7 – Communication: Listening Skills
Key Concept
- Listening is at least as important as talking and often harder to do.
Goals – By the end of this session parents will:
- Learn good Quiet and Active Listening skills.
- Demonstrate Quiet and Active Listening skills.
- Understand the importance of good listening as part of communicating effectively.
Module 8 – Verbal Communication
Key Concepts
- Words are powerful and it is important to use words thoughtfully.
- Learning to communicate positively takes practice.
Goals – By the end of this session parents will:
- Learn the importance of good verbal communication.
- Practice “I” Messages.
- Practice effective communication techniques with young children.
Module 9 – Child Development: The Basics
Key Concepts
- Every child develops at his or her own pace.
- Understanding child development helps us appreciate our child and have realistic expectation for our child.
Goals – By the end of this session parents will:
- Understand the concept of developmental stages.
- Learn a few key characteristics of their child’s stage of development.
- Be aware of resources for concerns about potential developmental delays.
Module 10 – Discipline: Laying the Foundation
Key Concept
- Paying attention to children when they’re doing well can keep them from “acting out” to get our attention.
Goals – By the end of this session parents will:
- Learn positive attention skills:
- Special Time
- Showing Approval
- Develop a better understanding of the nature and value of positive attention and its relationship to discipline.
- Understand discipline as a way to teach children how to discipline themselves.
Module 11 – Discipline: Parent’s Toolbox
Key Concept
- In order for parents to make positive discipline decisions, they need to be aware of possible solutions.
Goals – By the end of this session parents will:
- Learn some specific techniques that can help them positively influence and direct their children’s behavior.
- Have an opportunity to practice some of the techniques.
Module 12 – Discipline: Challenging Behaviors
Key Concept
- While prevention is the best medicine, parents need strategies for their children’s challenging behaviors.
Goals – By the end of this session parents will:
- Learn constructive ways of dealing with specific problem behaviors of young children, such as biting, hitting, and tantrums.
- Learn about Time Out as a disciplinary technique.
- Share parenting experiences that need discipline interventions.
- Discuss spanking as punishment.
Module 13 – Closure: Saying Good-bye
Key Concepts
- Developing positive parenting skills is an ongoing process.
- It is important to acknowledge growth and change in order to strengthen positive changes.
Goals – By the end of this session parents will:
- Acknowledge the progress they have made, the skills they have learned and the goals they have met as a result of participating in Make Parenting A Pleasure.
- Set six-month goals for themselves and/or their families.
- Review high points and offer feedback for program improvement.
- Celebrate the completion of the Make Parenting A Pleasure class.