Parents praise free Parenting Puzzle programme
Tuesday, 3 January 2023
Parents have praised a free course for parents and carers of children between two and five years old, which is delivered from six of our children’s centres.
The ‘Parenting Puzzle’ is a free programme which is designed to support parents and carers to develop strategies to reduce the challenges and stress of parenting and prepare children for school, and provides an opportunity for parents and carers to meet.
Two versions of the free course are available a 4-week or a 10-week version of the programme.
100 per cent of parents who have attended one of the courses said they would recommend it to other parents and carers. One parent said:
It helped understand my children more, I wish I’d done it years ago.
Another said:
Life is changing for us in such a positive way now.
Other parents said the course had helped:
Make family life a lot calmer and that I never felt judged.
Councillor Tracey Stock, Executive Member for Health & Wellbeing and Communities, said:
We’re extremely pleased to have received such positive feedback for the Parenting Puzzle programme, which is designed to help take some of the stress out of parenting by introducing new techniques parents can use. The courses are also a brilliant tool to help children get ready to start school, and can make that transition easier for them.
We all need a little support at times when it comes to looking after children, and people should view Parenting Puzzle like any other support offered throughout a child’s developmental stages. Feedback from attendees has shown that it has helped parents and carers support their children to transition to their first school, which is so encouraging and a tremendous achievement.
New dates are now available for the next round of courses. There are four-week courses running in February and March 2023, and ten-week courses running in January.
Parents and carers are welcome to attend alone or bring a partner, relative or a friend. There is no deadline for people to enrol, and families can book right up until the course starts and can even join the second week of the 10-week programme.
The ten-week programme has creche provision available to support parents and carers while attending, and delves into parenting in more detail, with sessions focussing on:
- empowering parents and carers to build positive relationships with their children
- understanding why children behave as they do
- recognising the feelings behind behaviours (parent and child’s)
- exploring different approaches to discipline
- finding ways to develop co-operation and self-discipline in children
- learning the importance of looking after oneself as a parent/carer
To find out more visit Parent Puzzle Course.
The courses can be booked directly with each children’s centre using the details on our website.