Science of Parenting Classes

9-SESSION PARENTING COURSE

(EACH SESSION IS 2 HOURS)

SESSION 1: MEET AND GREET, INTRO TO COURSE (and intake paperwork)

SESSION 2: INTRODUCTION TO PARENTING

Parents will learn how their child’s brain develops and the important roles that responsive caregiving and a rich language environment play in learning and lifelong development. Includes a discussion of how parent stress impairs their ability to respond in a healthy way to children and ways to handle stress.

SESSION 3: BUILDING YOUR CHILD’S BRAIN: CAREGIVING AS THE FOUNDATION

Early learning is shaped by the caregiving behaviors of parents. Responsive caregiving promotes brain, cognitive,language, social, and emotional development. Key caregiving behaviors that promote a secure attachment and meet young children’s developmental needs are discussed.

SESSION4: BUILDING YOUR CHILD’S BRAIN: POSITIVE CHILD GUIDANCE (vs. punishment)

In this session, the harmful effects of using punishments to discipline children
are discussed. Parents are introduced to positive child guidance strategies which “build the brain” and promote language, cognitive, and social-emotional development.

SESSION 5: BUILDING YOUR CHILD’S BRAIN: POSITIVE CHILD GUIDANCE (redirection & distraction; setting limits, gaining cooperation)

In this session, parents are taught how to use positive child guidance to manage and guide their child’s behavior.

SESSION 6: UNDERSTANDING AND RESPONDING TO CHALLENGING BEHAVIORS

The goal of this session is to help parents gain a better understanding of early development, causes of child behavior, and effective ways to respond to challenging behaviors.

SESSION 7: BUILDING YOUR CHILD’S BRAIN: PARENT TALK

A rich language environment during the early years of life is critical for healthy brain development, school readiness, and school success. In this session, parents will learn how to provide lots of “parent talk” for their child, and why it’s so important for children’s overall development.

SESSION 8: BUILDING YOUR CHILD’S BRAIN: READING ALOUD TO YOUNG CHILDREN

Children who are read to from infancy on become better readers and writers, do better in school, and are less likely to drop out of school or become incarcerated. In this session, parents learn why reading aloud to children is important for their development and how to read books to young children. Other activities that support early language development are discussed.

SESSION 9: BUILDING YOUR CHILD’S BRAIN THROUGH PLAY

Play is how young children learn language and use their thinking skills. They also learn how to get along with others and about their world. Play builds the brain. In this session, parents learn why play is important and how they can support play in their young children. To finish our last session we will commemorate the end of the course with parents and children.