Working with parents
When working with parents it is very easy to jump to the
conclusion that we know what they need to hear and what they
need to know, but our experience at Parenting Support has taught
us that we first need to listen.
Two useful reminders:
- “We cannot know parents until we stop telling ourselves
that we already know them.
- We cannot hear parents until we stop thinking we have
already heard them. They cannot tell us their truth until we
stop telling them ours.”
Adapted from:
Conversations With God, Neale Donald Walsh
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Empowerment
To give official authority or legal power to; to enable,
to promote the
self-actualization or influence of. |
A TTIPS Parent Empowerment Group
will help you to increase your understanding and awareness,
clarify
issues and source the kind of help you need as you need it.
Empowerment Group Aims
- To provide a safe and comfortable environment in which parents can
explore issues related to their performance and effectiveness as
parents.
- To provide information to enable parents to:
- Enhance parenting
skills
- Reach a greater understanding of children and child development
- To provide opportunities and information to assist parents to grow
and develop as well-functioning, healthy individuals who can continue to
expand their potential.
- To encourage communities to be more family-friendly.
Benefits to Parents
- Provide support to parents and families.
- Provide a place where parents can be treated with respect to
express and share their problems and concerns.
- Create an environment that allows parents to identify solutions
to parenting issues.
- Provide information that enhances and promotes effective
parenting practices.
What benefits can you expect?
- Improvement in communication.
- Improved ability to handle stress.
- Effective discipline techniques.
- Improved self-esteem.
- Community support networks.
Group Rules
In order to function effectively as a supportive group it is necessary
to have rules that govern individual and group behaviour. Our basic rules
are as follows:
- Confidentiality
Information and experiences shared in the group are not to
be spoken of outside the group without the permission of the person(s)
involved.
Any member known to breach this rule will be excluded from
group meetings.
- Respect
Group members are required to maintain respectful
interaction by:
- Listening respectfully while others speak and
- Speaking respectfully to others.
- Commitment
Individuals who choose to join the group are asked to commit
to:
- Self development
- Supporting the development of others in the
group
- To the development of the group itself
Meetings
A typical meeting consists of:
- Welcome/Icebreaker
- Topic discussion
- Small group work
- Skill-building exercises
Back to top of page
LISTEN
Writer Unknown
When I ask you to listen to me and you start giving advice,
you have not done what I asked.
When I ask you to listen to me and you tell me why I shouldn’t
feel that way you are trampling on my feelings.
When I ask you to listen to me and you feel you have to try to
solve my problems,
you have failed me.
LISTEN! All I ask is for you to listen, not to talk or do -
just LISTEN.
When you do something for me that I can and need to do
myself, you contribute to my fear and weakness.
When you tell me that you have gone through a similar experience
and you have coped and it will get better, I feel guilty and
inadequate because I cannot cope as you did.
But when you accept, as a simple fact, that I feel what I do
feel, no matter how irrational or trivial, then I no longer need
to convince you of my feelings.
I can concentrate on trying to understand these irrational,
trivial feelings I have.
When that’s clear and the answers start to become obvious to me,
I do not need advice because irrational and trivial feelings
begin to make sense
and when I start to understand them you can help if you just
listen to me.
Perhaps that why prayer works for some people, because God is
mute,
He doesn’t give advice or try to fix things;
He just listens and lets you work it out for yourself.
So, please, LISTEN and just hear me,
and, if you want to say something, wait a while for your turn.
Then I will listen. Back to top of page |
