Would you go to a parenting course?

[parentstogether]

Have name changed but regular MNer. I’m a social worker trained in various parenting courses. These are attachment and relationship focused, not supernanny time out type stuff.

I’m interested in normalising the idea that being a parent is hard and that we all need support; that we all struggle at times and all have things to learn. Id like us all to see parenting courses as not just for families who have had cause to come into contact with social work, or meaning someone is failing in some way. I’m thinking about setting up group courses based helping parents improve their relationship with their kids and tune in to what might be going on for them.

Would you consider attending a course like this? What would you consider paying/ expect to pay for an 8 week block? Would you want to make 2hrs space per week for this? Ideally I’d like to have a model where those who can pay, pay, and people who couldn’t, be referred through gps and other services, but I need to secure funding.

Id like to have groups for different ages, sexes, abilities, nationalities etc, if this was needed by the community I’ll work in.

Thank you, a really important point. Would it be appealing to have more peer support type groups where like minded/cultured parents could come together? I agree about ‘experts’ and this may explain some of the stigmatisation of parenting classes - there are so many ways to raise kids. I’m certainly not an expert and get things wrong all the time with my kids so I wouldn’t seek to present myself as there to tell people what they do or even especially give advice. I think when people have a supported space to reflect they have all the answers to their own problems.

Another helpful point, thank you. Having worked for local authority and major charities and seen poor practice, I’m less convinced that a caring individual can’t be ‘better’ but I absolutely take your point that there’s little accountability, and helpful to hear this perception that a few have shared.

I have paid for and attended a parenting course. It was aimed at parenting young (out of control) teens. It was prompted by some problems I was having at the time and it was helpful. This sort of thing should be normalised more.

I’m a social worker too. Since the collapse of any meaningful early intervention system, my experience of parenting courses is that they’re only accessed by families in crisis, I wouldn’t attend a parenting course as even though parenting is challenging, I’m not sure my challenges would be comparable with my expectation of the challenges of those that would be attending alongside me.

OP, are you aware of this study regarding Circle of Security? You might find it an interesting read
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpsy/article/PIIS2215-0366(25)00263-9/fulltext

In terms of nomenclature, myself and a group of parents were successful in lobbying our LA to use the term workshops instead of parenting courses.

My husband and I attended a parentling course facilitated by our church when our kids were small. It was led by one of the pastors and a qualified sw who was a member of the congregation.

It was brilliant, less prescriptive and more big picture stuff about intentional parenting. My biggest take away was there is not one fail safe way to raise children. I gave myself permission to ditch the naughty step, which was absolutely not working for us 🤣

It was free to attend, but an optional donation of a small amount to cover the course material. A creche was also provided.

No I wasn’t aware of that research! I’ve been at home with kids for 3yrs since I last delivered the course and this is me looking at getting back into work. To my knowledge there are other more positive studies of the model but that is an important finding to know. I have seen it not work for everyone in my own experience. Have you been involved with running circle?

No.
My skin in the game is of a parent with complex needs who's LA authority mandate parenting courses over any actual practical help.

Ha! I’m British and feel the same about a lot of mainstream British parenting 😁

OP, I wouldn’t tbh- especially not if they were in any way run by Social Care. Mine are older now but I didn’t find it hard enough to warrant doing a course. And presumably many people (and perhaps esp those really struggling with trickier kids) would struggle to find childcare for 8 weeks solid.

To add: what I might have considered was a regular group in a cafe or similar where there was a chance to hang out with other parents and maybe talk about a different aspect of parenting each month. Sort of like a bookclub but without books!