Lesson Category: Parenting Essentials

What can parents do that will really help to protect kids’ mental health? Make home a safe place. A really safe place. You might be thinking, What? Of course, our home is a safe place. Think again. Every day brings something new to worry over and the blurry lines between work and home can make it hard to leave your stress at the door. The good news is that the skills you need to manage the anxiety of work, home, and the world are the same.

We want our children to live healthy, happy lives with strong connections and a positive sense of self. Conversation is a pathway to developing and sustaining a healthy and trusting relationship with your child and for having a positive impact on how they see themselves.

Not sure what the difference is between sexual orientation and gender identity?

Confused by terms your child might be using, like pansexual, queer, transgender, or nonbinary?

Feeling the need for some guidance about how to positively respond to your child?

There are many ways youth may be talking about their sexual orientation or gender identity that might be new or confusing for parents. Having a basic understanding of the words being used, along with some helpful ways to respond, can assist you in supporting your child. Participants in this class will be able to:

• Identify the differences between sexual orientation and gender identity
• Identify common LGBTQ identities and what they may mean for your child
• Recognize and apply ways to respond to your child that are supportive 
• Recognize responses to your child that are not helpful

Does the idea of talking with your child about sexual orientation feel difficult or even a little scary?

Are you confused about the changing ways that many in our society see these issues?

Worried about knowing how to support your child?

The issues of sexual orientation can be daunting for both kids and parents. Your child will look to you for guidance about how to feel and act. This class will help you prepare for an open, ongoing dialogue with your child or teen that is candid, authentic and supportive. Participants in this class will be able to:

• Recognize key issues and biases related to sexual orientation for your child and for yourself
• Apply listening and talking strategies that help your child feel safe enough to express their true thoughts and feelings
• Apply approaches that will support your child’s positive thoughts and feelings about themself

It has been said that perfectionism is a trait that makes life an endless report card on accomplishments or appearances. The tendency toward perfectionism has increased significantly among young people over the past 30 years. It can be associated with depression, anxiety, eating disorders and even suicide. The needs to feel accepted and to be cared about tend to drive perfectionism and without treatment, may get worse over time. 

Perfectionists strive for flawlessness in themselves and/or in others. If you’re wondering whether you have these tendencies, the chances are that you do to one degree or another.

Co-parenting is often a challenge for parents living apart. The impact of constant stress and arguments can be exhausting. This course will help you recognize factors that interfere with cooperative co-parenting and provide you with concrete strategies to reduce conflict. 

Each of us grows up in a unique family and when we come together as a couple, we don’t usually talk about our parenting beliefs until children are actually on the scene. The more intentional parents are about sharing their stories and values with each other, the more likely it is that you can agree on parenting approaches.  

Mothers often parent in ways that are different from fathers and those differences can be helpful to children, but only if you recognize the strengths of each other’s approaches.. “Marshmallows” often join with “Generals” because in some ways they need each other. But over time your differences can become more dramatic and problematic.  

There can be a fine line between encouraging healthy habits in our children and creating negative thoughts on body image and self-perception. We want the best for our children, but often forget that they are watching how we treat ourselves and model their own behaviors after that.  

We parents of young children have too much to do and not enough time to do it. So certain things fall off the to-do list, and fitness is usually one of the first to go. At the same time, we know deep down that we are more patient and positive when we take better care of ourselves.