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As an Active Parenting facilitator, it’s apparent
to me that the programs work and that parents clearly do not want
to lose what they have gained. At the end of the six weeks, parents
repeatedly ask me, “Now that we ‘get it,’ how
do we ‘maintain it’?” The desire to enjoy parenting
led parents to design a graduate group that enables them to maintain
their skills. Support, guidance, acceptance, serenity, wisdom,
and gratitude in parenting provide the momentum.
The groups run once a month and focus on consistent use of the
Active Parenting skills. Parents of Active
Parenting Now and Active
Parenting of Teens combine parents of younger children
(with enthusiasm and willingness), with parents of older children/teens
(who provide experience and insight). The application of skills
to current parenting situations and continued at-home experimentation
leads to more permanent patterns of effective parenting. Thoughts
for the day, quotes, or “real life situations” help
illustrate valuable lessons. Parents “maintain it”
when they learn that what they can do can be so much more important
than what they can’t do. Here are some insights from parents
in my graduate groups:
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“It’s
great to be refreshed on what we had initially learned, gain new
insight, and incorporate it into our daily experiences. I walk
away with a new idea or thought on parenting. Idea/problem sharing
of the group participants helps us look for solutions of successful
parenting. Everyone’s information is invaluable.”
- D.S.
“Sometimes you can’t see the forest
through the trees. When dealing with your own situations, you
have difficulty breaking everything down and handling it appropriately;
however, when others share their stories, it is so very clear
what the issues are, what was done right or wrong, and how to
best handle the situation. The classes have truly been enlightening.
They have enabled me to see things from a different perspective
(my child’s), which in turn has helped me to deal more effectively
with them.” - D.D.
Jan M. Tedeschi is an Active Parenting leader
in Norwell, MA.
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