Providing Positive Parenting Support in Your School

A mom of a first grader spoke to me today about how she can provide positive parenting support to other parents at her daughter's school.  She's learned a number of positive ways to respond to her daughter's behavior through the Priceless Parenting online classes.   She loves the fact that she can continue to get support in her parenting through ideas in the monthly newsletter and on the web site.

After observing various parent/kid interactions, she is passionate about sharing what she's learned with others who might appreciate it.  She called me for ideas about how to approach the school.

One of the best ways is probably to join the school's PTA group which she has recently done.  Generally the PTA group is the school organization that provides parent education opportunities.  Like many PTA groups, her school's PTA seems focused on fund raising and academic support of students but not on supporting parents in their parenting.

So the idea of providing parent education and support may be new to them.  However, we discussed many possible ways to support her school's parents:

• Send a parenting article home with all students each month.   
• Provide free printouts of charts for kids that parents can pick up in the school office.  
• Set up a parenting support group for parents who want to take an online parenting class and discuss each lesson. 
• Provide a parenting presentation sponsored by the PTA so parents could attend for free.  Ideally the PTA will also provide free child care so all parents can easily attend.

Has your school done something to support parents that has worked really well?  I'd love to know about it.  If you want help in bringing parenting education and support to your school, feel free to call me at 425-770-1629 or email me.