PARENT EDUCATION & SUPPORT

 

Classes are offered both at Cope Family Center and off-site. Not every class is offered every session. Please see current class schedule for dates, times and locations.

 

For parents of infants, toddlers and preschool-aged children

 

Baby Steps
For parents with infants 0-12 months. This educational support group for parents of newborns through one year olds explores the topics of feeding, sleeping, development and health. Parents are encouraged to bring babies along to class. Meets one day a week.

 

Terrific Toddlers 
This educational support group for parents of children ages 1 through 3 years helps parents navigate the tricky terrain of toddler-hood. Topics include discipline, potty training, sleeping, feeding and power struggles. Meets one day a week.

 

Mother's Group for Spanish-Language Speakers
This monthly group gives mothers a place to meet and connect with other Spanish-speaking mothers to help create a community of support. Guest speakers, special topics, & craft projects are offered. Meets the last Friday of each month.

 

Ages & Stages
Not a class, but a fun, interactive, one-on-one activity to help parents determine if their child's development is age appropriate. Available for parents & children, from 4 months to 5 years old. By appointment only.

 

Drop In-Childcare
Parents can relax or get work done in Cope Family Center's comfortable community room while their children are cared for, in our childcare room, by our on-staff childcare provider. Fun crafts & activities for the children are provided. Parents must stay onsite. Open to the community. Fridays, 10am-12pm.

 

For parents with children of all ages

 

1-2-3 Magic 
Based on the book by Thomas W. Phelan, PhD, 1-2-3 Magic provides practical and easy-to-learn parenting techniques for parents of children ages 2-12. The three steps to achieving effective discipline are controlling obnoxious behavior, encouraging good behavior, and strengthening your relationship with your child. 1-2-3 Magic is ideal for parents needing simple techniques and quick results. By appointment only.

 

Positive Discipline
One of the longest-running and most successful parenting programs, Positive Discipline teaches parents how to end power struggles with misbehaving children and rebellious teenagers, using kind, firm support to raise responsible, respectful children. Created in 1979 by Jane Nelsen, EdD, Positive Discipline promotes encouraging good behavior without resorting to blame or negative punishments like spanking and grounding. Positive Discipline is for parents with children ages 0-18 years old who want to improve their parenting skills and foster communication with their children. Meets once a week for six weeks.

 

Family Rules
Also called Positive Parenting with a Plan or P3, Family Rules is for parents of school-aged children grades K-12. Developed by Matthew A. Johnson, PsyD, MSW, Family Rules offers an organized, structured approach to discipline. Family Rules focuses on the entire family system and not just the child. Parents are required to change their attitudes and behaviors, too! Four two-hour sessions.

 

Blended Family Workshop
An ongoing series of workshops for stepparents, foster parents, adoptive parents, parents sharing custody, grandparents raising grandchildren,  parents raising non-biological children or anyone raising children. Topics discussed include: dealing with grief and loss, different temperaments, surviving the holidays, taking care of yourselves while caring for others. Meets monthly.

 

Kinship & Coffee
Raising a grandchild, niece/nephew, younger sibling or another relative's child can be stressful. This group provides an opportunity to learn where to find help as well as share challenges, needs, resources and experiences with other in similar situations. Meets monthly. Childcare available.

Single Parent Support Group
Ongoing support group for parents without partners to share challenges, discuss common topics of interest, lend and receive support, and make new friends. Meets monthly. Childcare available.

Individual Parenting Consultations
One-on-one parenting sessions available for parents who are mandated to take parenting classes when other classes are unavailable or for parents who aren't able to attend scheduled classes. Classes are structured on an individual basis depending on ages of children. Ongoing; by appointment only.

 

Resources for families going through divorce or separation

 

Children in the Middle
A program developed by the by the Center for Divorce Education that helps children and their parents deal with the children's reactions to divorce. It is designed to teach parents the skills needed to avoid putting children in the middle of their conflicts.

 

Cooperative Co-Parenting
A 5-week series of workshops for parents who are separating or divorcing, Cooperative Co-Parenting helps parents develop family management techniques and mediation skill-building with their co-parent. Cooperative Co-Parenting teaches parents how to reduce conflicts with their co-parent, to effectively address their children's feelings about conflict and to gain confidence in their parenting abilities. Both parents are encouraged to attend. Meets one evening per week for five weeks.

 

Kids' Turn
An educational program for children ages 4-14 years and their parents who are going through a divorce or separation. Kids' Turn is designed to address the questions and emotions of children confronted by what is a major change in their lives. Children attend this workshop with their parents and are divided into age-appropriate groups to learn how to deal with common feelings and issues arising from the separation process. Six 90-minute sessions, sliding scale fee.

 

 Click here to download a PDF copy of the current Class Schedule .