What to Expect from Parent Classes in Houston
If we’re honest with ourselves, we’ve probably taken more classes about how to drive our cars than we have about parenting. We know ALL parents want to do right by their kids, but sometimes it’s hard to know what the right thing is! And in a city the size of Houston, the wealth of professional support can make finding the answers easy, but overwhelming. One prospect you may not have heard much about is parent classes. If you’re wondering about Houston parenting classes, we have some ideas what to expect from a parent class in Houston.
You’re Not Alone--Even in Houston
Even if it seems like every other parent in Houston or your child’s classroom has this parenting thing down pat, you’re not the only one wondering how to manage your child’s tantrums or finding the best way to get them to do their homework. A parent class will help you know you’re not alone. Back to the honesty--every parent has struggled with their response to their kid’s behavior some time--every single one. A class can help you find community.
Houston Parents Aren’t Bad if They Think They Need a Class
Parenthood is often portrayed as something that comes naturally. We don’t know about you, but that’s not necessarily true for us! When we worry about what’s wrong with our kids or our parenting, we lose sight of what’s going right. And looking for the answers can get more overwhelming and confusing than just sticking with the questions. We get it, and that’s why we offer our classes as a way for parents to get expert, research-backed strategies for connecting with your kids, setting limits, and making your home a more peaceful one. Your family has lots of strengths--we help you learn how to build on them.
You Get Real Information from Houston Parent Classes
The right parent class will offer you information based on solid research, will give you tools to use right away, and should follow a curriculum. That doesn’t mean there’s not value in spontaneous conversation or Q&A-based seminars--our parent classes are kept small so there’s time for all of that--but you want to get facts that will help your family fast.
It May Feel Awkward at First
We tend to parent the way we were parented. So when you learn new ways of being with your kids, it can feel absolutely weird and artificial. Our Houston parent classes give you a slow start, helping you learn skills that you build on gradually as you get more comfortable.
Your Relationship with Your Child Matters
In meeting the demands of work, school, extracurricular activities, we can lose sight of what we want to really provide our kids--a close, enjoyable, trusting relationship. Houston parents get worried about their children’s academic success, their ability to make and keep friends, if their behavior is polite enough. Against that backdrop of worrying about what’s missing, we can forget about what’s there. Our parent classes give you step-by-step ideas for making your relationship with your child more important than your worries about their behavior reports.
Class Schedules, Handouts & Homework!
If you’re investing your time and money in a parent class in Houston, we know you want to get value. Our classes offer ten weeks of clear instruction that includes written handouts that describe what you’re learning and why it’s important. We discuss them and give you supplemental information in class, role play things that are tricky, watch videos that show you how to use your skills, and talk about how easy (or hard!) they are to implement. And, ready or not, we give you homework every week so you can try things out in the real world and report back on how it goes. We know our techniques can sound so simple when you’re in class but can feel so tricky when you’re using them at home, so we want to hear about it!
Individualized Instruction
We know there’s lots of common ground in parenting, but we also know that every family in Houston has its own unique perspective. That’s why we keep our classes small and welcome parents’ questions about what’s happening with their kids. We want to know how to help you. One of our favorite things to do is have you pretend to be your kid and bring up all the arguments you’re used to hearing so we can “be you” and demonstrate the new tools you’re learning in response.
Ongoing Support if You Need It
We often see parents who take our parent class find that their child’s difficulties subside dramatically over the course of the ten-week class, and we’ll give you ideas for continuing your progress even after the class is over. But if you find that you or your child are still struggling, we’re here to help, whether that’s with play therapy or individual parent coaching. Some parents schedule “booster” sessions every four to six weeks, just to check in and ask questions after they’ve graduated.
A New Way of Being with Your Child
In the end, our main goal in our Houston parent classes is to give parents a way to be with their kids that helps kids feel understood, gives parents new insight into what their child is feeling or learning, and minimizes struggles by giving parents tools they feel confident about. We also teach you how to give your kids more responsibility and increase their self-esteem and willingness to learn.
Still Wondering What to Expect from Parenting Classes in Houston?
We get it. Sometimes you just want to talk to someone who can tell you more. We are happy to do that, at no charge! Just give us a call at (713) 936-0633 and we’ll schedule you for a free phone consultation with one of our parenting teachers. If we’re not the right fit for you, we can give you some other resources to consider.