Note: This site is for reviewing legacy plan of work data from 2007-2011. If you are looking for the current plan of work interface, visit pow.nmsu.edu.

Impact Report

For plan Strengthening Families Initiative, Parenting Education (Valencia County)
Date October 31, 2011, 4:19 pm
For Objective Short-term Show short-term objectives
Impact Report Parenthood is one of the most stressful and demanding of life roles, yet it is the role for which most adults receive the least preparation and support. Contemporary parents face many challenges, including poverty, isolation, fewer supports for families, and a declining sense of community. The consequences of not educating parents are tremendous. Poor parenting skills are linked to abuse and neglect as well as youth behavior problems including teen pregnancy, adolescence substance abuse, and youth violence. The Cooperative Extension Service has been providing parenting education to Valencia County residents for the past eight years. Parenting education has been one of the top priorities identified by the Valencia County Support Council. This program year 75 parents graduated from the eight-week parenting education course provided by the Valencia County Cooperative Extension Service. Currently the Valencia County CES is working closely with the Valencia County Gabriel project to help provide a supportive environment for all participants. Participants are not only equipped with the knowledge and education to help improve their quality of life, they are also blessed with items such as gas cards, diapers, and a warm dinner to share as a family while involved in the program. Parents are also encouraged to bring their children to participate in the children’s program provided by the Gabriel project. The programs feature activities to foster positive parenting skills and self-nurturing, home practice exercises, and activities to promote positive brain development in children birth to 18 years. The topics covered during the eight-week course include: • Stress Management • Praising Children • Building Self-Worth • Building Personal Power • Positive Discipline • Emergency Preparedness • Understanding Drug and Alcohol Use • Developing Family Morals, Values, and Rules • Understanding and Communicating Feelings • Signs of Suicide in Adults and Youth Eight-week Course Outcomes: • Assess attitudes and knowledge of parenting practices. • Assess social and developmental histories. • Parents develop nurturing as a lifestyle. • Parents and children relate in a positive, nurturing way. • Parents learn to enjoy their children. • Increase parents’ awareness of how we are taught not to express feelings. • Increase parents’ ability to recognize feelings in self. • Increase parents’ ability to recognize feelings of children. • Parents develop empathy in regards to their children. • Reinforce positive regard in children. • Parents understand the meaning of self-concept and self-esteem. • Parents realize their ability to impact a child’s overall self-worth. • Parents will help children improve their self-concept and self-esteem.