Twenty-seven parents, who graduated from a seven-week positive parenting skills training course offered by The Parent Centre, say they were overwhelmed by the impact the course has had on their lives.
The course ran from Thursday October 10 to Thursday November 21 and was held at the Lentegeur library with facilitators, Ester Wilson who is also a social worker
and Berenice Scott who is also a parent educator and a certified life coach.
The programme focused on learning to understand children’s behaviour, listening to children’s feelings, assertiveness and engaging co-operation, effective discipline and problem solving, among others.
Melanie Pick, 45, from Southfield said she had learned a lot from everyone who attended and that the training had helped her to be positive and excited about parenting despite the challenges.
Bahia Essop, 47, from Lentegeur said initially she had not believed she would follow through with the programme. “I thought I was doing everything right as a parent but in this course you can learn from others and learn about their challenges too. I would love to do this course again, I am grateful I got to do this,” she said.
Tasneem Oostendorp, 28, from Portland, said the course had given her a deeper understanding of what it took to be a parent.
“As a young mother, we want to accomplish what our parents have done,” she said.
“My children are 5, 3 and seven months old and it takes a lot. The Parent Centre has helped us look at things in a better light. A parent-child relationship is of the utmost importance.”
Ms Oostendorp attended the course with her mother, Faheemah Simons, 51, from Woodlands, who told the Plainsman she was grateful she could attend it with her daughter.
“I salute you all and I am grateful to have worked with you all. Even though I am a facilitator and you had to learn from me, so I too learned from you,” Ms Scott said.
For more information on their parent course, contact The Parent Centre on 021 762 0116 or visit www.theparentcentre.org.za