Homebuilders launch new parenting course

Homebuilders is launching two new SKIP courses this year, which expand on the basic course and encourage dads and step-parents to join.

Coordinator Quentin Jukes says Homebuilders has funding from the Ministry of Social Development for the initial courses and hopes to gain funding to continue into the second half.

A six-week Basic SKIP course will run from February 9 in Snells Beach or from April 24 in Warkworth, serving as a back up for parents to bolster their parenting skills. A four-week Caught You Being Good Course will run from February 25 in Warkworth. This focuses on positive reinforcement for behaviour, teaching parents to identify behaviour they want to increase, and ways to effectively reward good behaviour.
“The course is particularly valuable for teaching parents strategies to deal with attention-seeking behaviour,” Quentin says.

The third course is tailored for all parents, but especially dads and step-parents.
“It gives everyone involved in raising a child some steps to follow and makes sure everyone is ‘on the same page’ with the child’s management.”

Groups range in size from five to a maximum of 12 participants – offering parents the chance to learn from each others’ experiences as well as taking in the information offered by SKIP. Courses are preventative in nature, which means parents who seem to ‘have it all together’ are very welcome to attend as well as those who are struggling. Every parent can build onto the skills they already have through SKIP.

Tutors for the basic course are Brian Shires of Warkworth and Maria Collins of Matakana. The Caught Being Good course is tutored by Katie Kruger of Puhoi, and the Mums, Dads and Stepparents course by Brian Shires. The courses are for parents of children under five years old.