Beginning Sept. 28, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will be offering Great Beginnings for Families, a five-week skills-building program for parents of infants through preschoolers. The series is being offered in English and Spanish.
Great Beginnings helps mothers and fathers learn how to effectively administer positive discipline and guidance while helping their youngsters cope with anger and conflict. Encouraging learning through play and understanding the key principles of child development are also core lessons of this program.
“Our goal is to help parents realize the strengths they already have along with gaining some new knowledge, skills and techniques to assist them in providing and building a solid foundation to raise awesome children and create a happy, healthy family,” said Lisa Mickelson, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach educator and Great Beginnings facilitator.
Topics in the five-week skills-building program include positive discipline and guidance, helping children resolve conflict, basic principles of child development, handling uncomfortable emotions and feelings and encouraging learning through play.
“Parents will come away from this course with more confidence in their abilities as parents and reduce behavior problems along with encouraging and supporting their children as they grow,” Mickelson said.
Great Beginnings for Families is offered at no cost, and free childcare will be provided. Sessions will meet every Thursday from Sept. 28 to Oct. 26 at 10:30 a.m. until noon at the Perry Town Craft Center at 1124 Willis Ave.
For more information or to register for the English session, contact Lisa Mickelson at lmickel@iastate.edu or 515-993-4281. To register for the Spanish session, contact ISU Extension Specialist Rosa Gonzalez at rdegonza@iastate.edu or 515-490-2298.
