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What is A Survival Course For Parents Of Teenagers?
It is a
10 week course for parents with teenagers. The
course aims to provide a forum where parents can
help each other, because parents are the experts on
their own children.
Being a
parent of a teenager is hard work, and they can get
worn down, especially if they get few opportunities
to meet other parents. Whatever happened to the
chats at the school gate, where parents used to be
able to share ideas about the children?
Parents
often worry about the sort of friends their
teenagers have, drugs, sex, fashions and loud music
plus the feeling that they are losing control over
their child who seems to have changed such a lot.
The
course aims to:
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Provide a place where parents can meet up, share
ideas and get support from each other.
-
Help parents understand how teenagers are
growing, especially in their minds, and why they
behave the way they do.
-
Help parents to make sure their teenagers have
the support to make something of their lives.
-
Help make the relationship between parent and
teenager better.
-
Build on skills at listening to our teenagers.
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Feel more confident in being able to say “No”,
and to be firm and fair in setting boundaries,
and to be better able to negotiate those limits.
-
Enable parents to draw on an “internal toolkit”
of ideas on managing their teenager’s behaviour.
-
Help parents deal with professionals they might
meet.
The
programme looks like this:
Getting
Through the Day: A Survival Course for Parents of
Teenagers
Week 1 - Introductions
Week 2 - Communication and Listening
Week 3 - Then and Now
Week 4 - How Teenagers Grow and
Develop
Week 5 - Why Teenagers Behave the Way
they Do
Week 6 - Listening and Communicating
Week 7 - Getting Co-operation
Week 8 - Negotiations without Hassle
Week 9 - Assertion - Being Firm and
Fair
Week 10 - What Have We Learned + What
Next
Who
is the course for?
As it
says on the tin, it is for parents and carers of
teenagers. Both mothers and fathers have attended
the groups. We have run some courses in the
evening, so as to allow parents who can’t attend in
the daytime to do the course.
Where do the courses run, and is there a charge?
The
courses run all over West Lothian, mainly in
schools, or in Community Centres, and are free. We
may be able to offer transport, if needed.
What
do I do to get on a course?
Phone
the Children and Young People Team, and find out
where the nearest course is for you, and when it
runs. Parents seem to learn best when they meet in
groups to do the course, but if you want to read
some of the handouts, they are on the website (see
Related Documentation at the foot of this page).
What
parents have said about Getting Through The Day—A
Survival Course For Parents Of Teenagers
“My son’s behaviour has been completely transformed
and he no longer has behaviour issues at school”.
(This was done by) “Gained confidence and stood up
for myself more”.
“(I learned that) “I am not a bad mum, just a
stressed one”.
“Thank you for changing my life with my kids”.
“I can talk to my son and he can come and speak to
me without getting in an argument because I had the
help and advice from the workers and the people who
went to the group”.
(The handouts) “were useful. Didn’t just leave and
forget about what the issues were. I could go back
to the handouts for support and remind myself what
my goals were, make myself stronger with the info.
Finally I had the answers to my problems”.
“Didn’t think I would get out as much as I did. I
didn’t believe my situation could be helped. It
was”.
“It was nice to know I was not alone”.
“I’m using a different tone in voice. Explaining
things properly instead of rushing around.
Listening more instead of half-listening”.
(It is) “A happier household all round”
“I didn’t expect the course to be such a support for
all kinds of parents. Highly recommended”.
“I have totally enjoyed coming to this group, it has
helped me enormously”.
“It’s fantastic! Helped my confidence, made me
realise I am important too and it’s OK to say,
“No”! Every parent needs to know”.
Related
Documentation:
Handout for "Getting Through The Day - Survival
Course For Parents of Teenagers"
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