by Clay Crosby, MFT, Assistant Clinical Director
Introduced just over a year ago, SCCC’s Best Practice Parenting Class is still a work in progress but we couldn’t be happier with the feedback we have gotten from participants. Bob Mendelsohn (SCCC’s Clinical Director), Carol Potter and I sat down over a period of several months and sketched out the outline for the Best Practice Parenting curriculum. Our goal was to create a parenting class that was in alignment with the collaborative, strength-based philosophy that guides the other programs at the Southern California Counseling Center. Many parents come into parenting classes feeling pretty bad about their parenting abilities and we did not want to reinforce those feelings. Our plan was to find out what each parent is doing well and what they know about good parenting and build on that foundation. The parents and facilitators collectively decide what the goals of the class are and collaborate on new ways to approach the specific challenges each parent faces. Along the way we discuss issues of child development, discipline and management of parental stress and reactivity. It is important to us that the atmosphere of the class be supportive, welcoming and non-shaming. Throughout the ten weeks we also introduce Mindful Awareness techniques designed to help parents manage stress and feel less pressured by the demands of modern life.
Here’s what some of the participants have said:
“[I] found confidence and reassurance within myself which has directly affected my family, myself and our level of happiness.”
“My helplessness is gone. The class empowered me… I am more hopeful that I will be able to face the challenges to come with my daughter.”
“I know that I have a choice in how I want to be or react with my child… I’m optimistic.”
“I don’t get the urgency for [my children] to be so perfect — we’re more relaxed.”
“This class showed me how to calm down. I don’t need to feel tense all the time…. I have new tools to work with.”
“I’ve learned to appreciate every single second I spend with my son.”
Our next ten-week session begins on Thursday, September 16th. Contact me at ccrosby@sccc-la.org for more information.
see Best Practice Parenting Brochure
August 17th, 2010 - 4:41 pm
Bravo to you, Clay and Bob and Carol–
This is superb. I am occasionally in need of a Parenting Class to which I can send parents– and this will be a wonderful
referral. What are the ages of the ‘kids’ whose parents are attending? Any focus on particular age groups– say, adolescents?
That sort of group would be especially useful.
Thanks again for all of your good work.
Natalie White
August 18th, 2010 - 10:34 am
Hi, Clay – checking on you
— sounds like a much needed class. Congratulations and blessings to you and the participants!
Love,
Elisabeth
January 14th, 2012 - 10:39 pm
Clay, thanks for letting me know what you are developing. You are doing such important work with folks who so need and deserve it. And it sounds like a message and a parenting approach we can all benefit from–relaxing into our relationship with our kids and remembering our time with our children is so valuable.
February 6th, 2012 - 10:29 am
Thanks, Aimee. I count you among my parenting models beacuse you are so good at handling situations calmly and thoughtfully!