NURTURING PARENTING

Building a Stronger Community One Family at a Time

The Nurturing Parenting Programs are a family-centered initiative designed to build nurturing parenting skills in the families of our community. The programs feature activities to foster positive parenting skills and self-nurturing, home practice exercises, family nurturing time, and activities to promote positive brain development in children. Each program is designed to correspond to the developmental age level of children: birth to five years; school-age (5 to12 years); and adolescence (13 to 19 years).

The flexibility within the structure of the programs allows facilitators to ensure the specific needs of families are being met. Up to twenty-four 2 ½ hour sessions are offered in a group setting one day each week for 12 to 20 weeks. Locations and dates are determined by participant demographics such as age of child and agency affiliation. Parents and children attend separate groups that meet concurrently designed to build positive concept/self-esteem; build levels of empathy and awareness of needs; teach alternatives to hitting and yelling; enhance family communication; promote healthy physical and emotional development; and teach appropriate developmental expectations. Groups promote nurturing practices by opening and closing each session with parents and children together playing, creating, guiding and learning wherein parents have the opportunity to practice skills learned for a combined total of 30 – 45 minutes each week.

Facilitators employ various methods to implement material such as PowerPoint presentation, video media, hand-outs, games, hands-on and team-building activities, artistic expression through crafts, music and children’s literature, and Puppet Shows. Our facilitators are experienced parents, grandparents, and foster/adoptive parents whose desire is to continue to learn while guiding participants through researched and evidence-based curricula. At the conclusion of each session, participants are asked to complete an evaluation to provide on-going enhancements for the local program. In addition, parents are pre and post tested using the AAPI II online assessment to help instructors not only determine each group’s individual needs and strengths, but also to assess outcomes regarding the program’s effectiveness.

Currently, the program is providing Nurturing Parenting for Parents of Infants, Toddlers and Preschoolers at 3 separate locations for families of Help Me Grow, Children’s Protective Services, Even Start / Family Literacy, and the Opportunity School. According to comments and attendance records, at least 55 participants are more than pleased with the sessions and/or would recommend the program to a friend.

Referral Form

0-5 Flyer

School-Aged Flyer

Adolescents Flyer

June 12, 2009 News Article from the Coshocton Tribune