to do a parenting course

[AuntiePickleBottom]

as when i have told my family that from september i will be doing a parenting course that will run til christmas, they look at me in a shocked way.

good for you, as long as its not all knitted yoghurts and getting in touch with your inner child :)

Because people think that parenting courses are for shit parents with out of control children! They don't understand that we can all benefit from tips, ideas and support and it doesn't mean you are a bad parent! Or that you have feral children.

They obviously think you're doing it right already!

Perhaps they think you're already doing a really good job and don't need help? Anyway, don't worry about it. If you want to do it then do it. Everybody has something they can improve on.

Always a good idea to get different perspectives and suggestions of different techniques.

Don't forget to share the good points.

Share the bad points too if they're good for a laugh. :)

tbh i am doing it as i am hoping to pick up some tips

It's quite sad that parenting courses are so stigmatised when we take courses in how to improve so many less important parts of our life, like our cooking skills, or our driving, with no stigma attatched to our skills at all. It'd be nice if that stigma went away and for that to happen lots of brave mums and dads who don't have feral children need to sign up. It's a brave person who ignores stigma and does the right hing anyway so good for you.

I did one recently and was just fab and not yogurt knitting. Helped us reflect on all the things we do right and then think about how to work areas we struggle with. I must admit to thinking that most of the parents there seemed to parent really well mostly with the odd blip. The parents who seem to need more help parenting didn't get round to attending sadly.

Who are you doing it with? Which organisation, I mean?

I've just finished one and it was really useful. I don't consider myself a bad parent but thought I had nothing to loose and everything to gain by doing it. Came across some useful coping strategies, made some new friends and just felt good knowing my children's behaviour is "normal".