|
What is Mellow Parenting?
It is a course for parents lasting up to 14 weeks
and which runs all day (9.30am - 2.30pm).
There are three parts to it:
-
A session in the morning where parents explore
their own needs.
-
A session in the afternoon which looks at
parenting - how to help with the child's overall
development and manage behaviour of the child.
-
Feedback on parent-child interactions using
video films.
In
addition, we film play sessions at lunch time which
allows parents to reflect on how they are playing
with their children. The course has run since the
early 1990's and research has shown it is very
effective and helps parents make significant changes
in their lives. The course is offered to parents
where there are concerns about the care of the
children and all parents are referred. It is very
intensive.
The
course runs for:
-
mothers and their children
-
fathers and their children
-
young mothers with babies
-
parents whose children are in P1 or P2
The
course was originally developed for mothers but in
West Lothian we have developed the course for
fathers and this has been very successful.
The aims of the course are:
-
To
improve the confidence of the parents
-
To
improve how parents and child get on together
-
To
help the parents see the world more from the
child's point of view
-
That parents are better able to manage the
behaviour of the children and feel more
confident in how they promote their child's
development
Who is
the course for?:
For
parents (mothers and father have separate groups),
mainly with children under 5 years, although there
is a course for parents with younger primary school
children).
Is
there a charge?:
No, the
course is free.
Where
are the courses run?:
They
run, mostly, in the two family centres in West
Lothian - Livingston and Whitburn. Parents come from
all over West Lothian and transport is normally
offered.
What do
I do to get on a course?:
If you
want to get on a course, it is best if you already
have a social worker or a health visitor and can
discuss this with them Participants are referred,
usually by social workers and health visitors.
The
Programme:
|
Session |
Morning Session |
Afternoon Session |
|
Intro |
Name Game and Group Agreement |
---- |
|
Week 1 |
Being a Parent |
Understanding Parenting |
|
Week 2 |
How Do I Feel About Myself |
Learning from Our Children Through
Observation |
|
Week 3 |
Mums and Dads - Whose Job Is It? |
Communicating With Our Children |
|
Week 4 |
My Family Now and Then |
Everyone is Different |
|
Week 5 |
Life Stories |
Encouragement |
|
Week 6 |
Schooldays - Preparation For Life? |
Helping The Child Who Is Upset |
|
Week 7 |
Sex and Relationships - Beyond The Bikeshed |
Anticipating Trouble |
|
Week 8 |
Pregnancy and Birth |
Getting On With Our Children - Nice and
Nasty |
|
Week 9 |
Smacking |
Getting On With Our Children - Co-operation |
|
Week 10 |
Anger and Violence |
Why Children Behave The Way They Do |
|
Week 11 |
Assertion - Sticking Up For Ourselves |
Changing Behaviour |
|
Week 12 |
Child Abuse |
Dealing With Temper Tantrums |
|
Week 13 |
My Future and What Next? |
Problems and Solutions |
|
Week 14 |
Endings |
---- |
What parents have said about the group:
-
I
have got more confidence.
-
More confidence with my children and within
myself, learned to manage things better.
-
I
have more love in the home and the family.
-
(I)
control (my) temper, stand up for myself. I have
more time talking and playing with my kids.
-
He
has become more confident and likes playing with
other kids.
-
Less temper tantrums. Better behaved at home and
in public. Seems to pick up and learn things
quicker.
-
I
play more with my child and enjoy him.
-
It
was a joy to be part of this group.
|
