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.
Strengthening Families Initiative, Parenting Education (Valencia County)
Plan Goals
Strengthen New Mexico’s families by providing evidence-based parenting education to increase parent-child connectedness, positive discipline practices, and healthy family functioning.
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Strengthening Families Initiative, Parenting Education
Impact Reports
The Valencia County Home Economist has been conducting nurturing parenting education classes for the residents of Valencia County and Isleta Pueblo. The program is currently being carried out in four locations around the county. Locations include the Belen Domestic Violence Shelter, Valencia County CASA, New Mexico Works, and the New Mexico Women’s recovery Academy. The Valencia County parenting programs run for eight consecutive weeks. Participants must complete six of the eight lessons in order to receive a certificate of completion and to be considered a graduate of the Valencia County Nurturing Parenting Program. Topics covered include stress management, praising children, building self-worth/personal power, understanding and communicating feelings, developing family morals, values and rules, signs of suicide, drinking and parenting don’t mix/keeping children drug free, and alternatives to spanking.
The Valencia County Parenting Program had fifty-one participants who completed six or more lessons and are considered a graduate of the program. Forty-seven participants attended one or more stand alone lessons but did not have the credits needed to be considered a graduate.
After completing the program it is expected that parents have developed the skills needed to communicate more effectively with their family members and have the knowledge to identify signs of suicide within their family members. Parents are given the opportunity to utilize the power of praising children and learn to recognize the positive effects and outcomes that praise and positive discipline has on children. It is expected that 80% of the participants will continue to use positive forms of discipline rather than physical means of discipline due to the knowledge and understanding gained in the program.
The Valencia County Parenting Program had fifty-one participants who completed six or more lessons and are considered a graduate of the program. Forty-seven participants attended one or more stand alone lessons but did not have the credits needed to be considered a graduate.
After completing the program it is expected that parents have developed the skills needed to communicate more effectively with their family members and have the knowledge to identify signs of suicide within their family members. Parents are given the opportunity to utilize the power of praising children and learn to recognize the positive effects and outcomes that praise and positive discipline has on children. It is expected that 80% of the participants will continue to use positive forms of discipline rather than physical means of discipline due to the knowledge and understanding gained in the program.
Valencia County Cooperative Extension service in cooperation with CASA’s “A Safe Place,” New Mexico Women’s Recovery Academy, and the New Mexico Works program continues to provide parenting education classes which are open to the public of Valencia County. This was the fourth year that the Valencia County Home-Economist has worked with each agency on this parenting education project. Each class was announced in the local news paper and at the local Children Youth and Families Department. Over eighty percent of the clients attending the classes were advised to participate by a case worker, the courts, or through a program they were currently involved in. In 2007-2008 six males and forty-eight females graduated from the eight-week course and approximately seventy-four males and females participated in one of more stand alone lesions.
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.
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.
(added by Wendy Hamilton from STRENGTHENING FAMILIES PLAN WORD DOC sent to me via email)
Educational Services
Parents who participate in the Strengthening Families Initiative receive intensive parenting education enhanced with life skills and nutrition education. For this reporting period, we offered a total of 21 class series. Each class series met once a week for 2.5 hours for 15-24 weeks. Parents also received at least 3 hours of life skills and 3 hours of nutrition education. While parents were attending classes, children participated in a concurrent children’s program.
From June, 2006 through July, 2007, we served 252 parents and 301 children. Families received a total of 11,604 hours of education. Twenty-one class series were offered in 6 counties. Based on our allocation of $400,000, we provided services at $34 per hour.
Parents who completed the program showed significant positive improvements in all areas: (1) parenting attitudes and beliefs; (2) knowledge of positive discipline techniques; (3) skills in self-nurturing, communication, and the parent-child relationship; and (4) attitudes and behavior related to money management and finding a job.
Valencia County Cooperative Extension service in cooperation with the New Mexico Works program continues to provide parenting education classes. The classes are open to the individuals and parents who are working with the TANF program. This was the third year that the Valencia County Home-Economist has been working with the New Mexico Works program. The Home-Economist provides three stand alone lessons each month to help the TANF participants complete the life skills hours that are needed to continue to receive TANF funds. In 2006-2007 one-hundred forty-four individuals attended one or more stand alone lessons.
Educational Services
Parents who participate in the Strengthening Families Initiative receive intensive parenting education enhanced with life skills and nutrition education. For this reporting period, we offered a total of 21 class series. Each class series met once a week for 2.5 hours for 15-24 weeks. Parents also received at least 3 hours of life skills and 3 hours of nutrition education. While parents were attending classes, children participated in a concurrent children’s program.
From June, 2006 through July, 2007, we served 252 parents and 301 children. Families received a total of 11,604 hours of education. Twenty-one class series were offered in 6 counties. Based on our allocation of $400,000, we provided services at $34 per hour.
Parents who completed the program showed significant positive improvements in all areas: (1) parenting attitudes and beliefs; (2) knowledge of positive discipline techniques; (3) skills in self-nurturing, communication, and the parent-child relationship; and (4) attitudes and behavior related to money management and finding a job.
Valencia County Cooperative Extension service in cooperation with the New Mexico Works program continues to provide parenting education classes. The classes are open to the individuals and parents who are working with the TANF program. This was the third year that the Valencia County Home-Economist has been working with the New Mexico Works program. The Home-Economist provides three stand alone lessons each month to help the TANF participants complete the life skills hours that are needed to continue to receive TANF funds. In 2006-2007 one-hundred forty-four individuals attended one or more stand alone lessons.
Valencia County Cooperative Extension service in cooperation with the New Mexico Women’s Recovery Academy continues to provide parenting education classes to the women who are in phase two or three of their drug and alcohol treatment. This was the first year that the Valencia County Home-Economist has worked with the recovery academy here in Valencia County. The agent conducted four eight- week courses. Forty-eight women graduated from the program in 2006-2007. This is a particularly productive group to work with. The women have been living together approximately two to three months prior to the start of the parenting group. Each group is able to begin the course without the stress or the feeling of being uncomfortable in the group. For most groups it is about the third session that the parents really start to open up and share thoughts and feelings in regards to parenting.
Parents are being taught parenting skills that can be used during the visits with their children or in the long run when they return home. Some of the women have the opportunity to have their children onsite. These parents not only are being taught the skills but they are also given the opportunity to apply what they have learned in a safe and comfortable environment.
When asked on the post evaluation to describe one way you could take what you learned here in class and use it at home, one parent responded with, “I’ve learned the importance of being a positive role model.” Parents learn very quickly that when it comes to morals, values and rules, parents are the number one influences on their children’s behaviors. Being a positive role model should be the number one priority. This includes being a positive role model in regards to stress management, self-worth, and by making day-to-day choices.
Parents are being taught parenting skills that can be used during the visits with their children or in the long run when they return home. Some of the women have the opportunity to have their children onsite. These parents not only are being taught the skills but they are also given the opportunity to apply what they have learned in a safe and comfortable environment.
When asked on the post evaluation to describe one way you could take what you learned here in class and use it at home, one parent responded with, “I’ve learned the importance of being a positive role model.” Parents learn very quickly that when it comes to morals, values and rules, parents are the number one influences on their children’s behaviors. Being a positive role model should be the number one priority. This includes being a positive role model in regards to stress management, self-worth, and by making day-to-day choices.
Valencia County Cooperative Extension service in cooperation with CASA’s “A Safe Place” continues to provide parenting education classes which are open to the public in Valencia County. This was the third year that the Valencia County Home-Economist worked with CASA on this parenting education project. Each class was announced in the local news paper and at the local Children Youth and Families Department. Over seventy-five percent of the clients attending the class at CASA have been advised to attend by a case worker or have been court ordered to attend the eight week course. Approximately five eight-week courses are held each year. In 2006-2007 nine fathers and thirty-three mothers graduated from the CASA parenting program.
The eight week course covers stress management, building self-worth, praise, understanding and communicating feelings, keeping children drug and alcohol free, alternatives to spanking, family morals, values, and rules, and the class ends with building personal power. Parents graduate from the program with a better understanding of child development, age appropriate expectations, and the ability to provide proper communication and nurturing skills.
The eight week course covers stress management, building self-worth, praise, understanding and communicating feelings, keeping children drug and alcohol free, alternatives to spanking, family morals, values, and rules, and the class ends with building personal power. Parents graduate from the program with a better understanding of child development, age appropriate expectations, and the ability to provide proper communication and nurturing skills.