Sharing knowledge through parent education workshops

PRESS RELEASE 19 November 2012

Sharing knowledge through parent education workshops

Improving the quality of parent-child relationships is something Milson Kindergarten Head Teacher Emma Henderson is passionate about. So when the opportunity for three Ruahine Kindergarten Association teachers to become Triple P accredited practitioners arose, Emma saw it as an opportunity to further her knowledge developed from teaching the incredible years programme.

The Triple P - Positive Parenting Program is designed to increase parent confidence in raising children. It looks at strategies for managing common child behaviour and developmental issues, while improving parents’ communication and reducing stress.

Developed on 30 years of evidence-based research, Triple P has been delivered to millions of parents in 25 countries in 19 languages around the world. In New Zealand it is supported by the Ministry of Social Development and available in Counties Bay of Plenty, Manukau, and the Mid Central region.

As a level 3 Primary Care Triple P practitioner, Emma delivers selective prevention strategies for parents who have concerns about their child’s behaviour or development (such as disobedience or sleep disturbance). A Triple P support person in Auckland, provides Emma with valuable ongoing advice.

Individual programmes consist of four sessions, where Emma works directly one on one with a family. Often it is small parent traps that they have fallen into. By focusing on personal issues, learning practical parenting skills that can be incorporated into everyday interactions with their children, and receiving feedback about their implementation strategies, parental confidence blossoms.

Emma also holds discussion groups at the kindergarten, bringing together a group of parents who share a parenting problem. Emma’s first at the end of September was based around fighting and aggression. The two-hour discussion sessions include a DVD clip, workbook exercises, and positive parenting strategies, such as what else can be used before time out.

Often it is only a small tweak to the child’s sleeping routines, or remembering to use praise, that can make a major difference to the entire household. Emma says the reward is “seeing the parents gain confidence and becoming empowered by their new parenting methods”. Not only this, she has seen change in the childrens’ mannerisms, self-esteem and life long personal development strategies at kindergarten.

Milson Kindergarten’s vision is based on parent education. Emma’s Triple P workshops are just one of the many initiatives they are trialling. Other workshops have included teacher Michelle presenting on child development, and a parent sharing her expertise on budgeting, with teacher Teresa supporting. “Our teachers are 100% qualified early childhood educators, sharing our expertise with our families further benefits the children, their life long learning and supports the family as a whole”, says Emma.

-ENDS-

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