SEE THE RESULTS

Healthier homes produce better learners

A rich resource for a foster mom

Dawn Rocha, a foster parent in Kingsburg, California, says:

“I originally went to the Parenting Partners class because I needed the credits as a foster parent. Parenting Partners is such an incredible experience -- I have now graduated four more times! Each time, I bring several of my foster parent friends with me. With each class, I experience something new and different.

“For me, with anywhere from 4-7 foster children at a time, life can be a bit overwhelming. In the past, I’ve found myself blurting out hurtful things to my children in moments of frustration and anger. Now I have learned to be more calm and patient, and to stop and take the time to think about what I am going to say first.

“When I first heard about the ‘Nevertheless/Regardless’ tool, I thought, ‘This is so stupid, it will never work with my kids’. I didn’t even try it for a long time. But then, one day I couldn’t take all the arguing anymore and I tried it. And it worked! Now, I use it all the time and our home is much more peaceful!”

“I think Parenting Partners is wonderful. I am so glad to have this resource and support in my life.”

The gift of a soft voice

“I grew up in a very loud family, and I realized after our class that I am always yelling at my children. I decided to talk to my children in a calm tone of voice, instead of yelling across the room at them when I want them to do something. At first, my children thought something was wrong with me; they asked me if I was feeling okay! But now they are so much happier, and our home is a pleasant place to be.”

...Single Mom of four young children

The gift of positive communication

“I have two year old twin boys, and I realized that I usually spend most of my evenings telling them ‘no, no’. I decided after the class to go home and find positive things to say and do with them at night, and now we have a lot of fun, and our evenings are so much more positive.”

…Principal who is a Parenting Partners Facilitator and father of three little boys

The gift of no more power struggles

“Before I took the Parenting Partners class, I was constantly arguing with my 15 year old. I didn’t think the “magic words” you gave me would work, but I tried them with my daughter, and an amazing thing happened. When I told her to turn off the TV and do her homework, I realized that normally I would get more and more angry as she tried her usual arguments on me, but this time, I remained calm, and didn’t get drawn into the argument. My daughter was so surprised; she started laughing, and said “You sure learned a lot at that parenting class you’re taking, Mom!

… Parent of five children

Parent grads became Facilitators

“ I had a decent job, but I never went to college. After my wife and I took the Parenting Partners class, we decided to become trained facilitators and give back by helping other parents. I really enjoyed teaching the classes, and I decided to go to college and become a teacher. I’m now attending Fresno Pacific University, and I’m going to be an elementary school teacher. My kids are really proud of me!

…Father of two young children

This training is so wonderful. In my culture, we have nothing to help us know how to do relationships, how to parent. We are not taught a way to express and show love to our children, and they need it so much. We do not know these simple techniques for communication and discipline. It is going to change my life and the life of my children for the better. I am excited to teach this class to my Hmong friends and parents at the high school; it will be tremendous help to them.

Scott, a father with two children, was worried as his daughter fell behind in school. He responded by arguing with her more and more. Then he attended the Family Leadership parenting group and mastered some new parenting skills. He showed his daughter how to set aside distractions and concentrate on reading. He read with her and she quickly advanced to her grade level. He developed a more positive home atmosphere, and his children responded with better performance at school.

School Principals say...

"Twenty-five years of personal experience, along with credible education studies have shown a direct correlation between a student's academic success and their parents involvement at school and home."
(John Edmonson, Principal Centennial School)
  
"In my many years as a school administrator, I have never seen a more effective parenting program than Parenting Partners™!"
(Steve Gonzales, Principal Jefferson Elementary)

Parental Success Stories...

Grace, mother of two children, was transformed from quiet and timid to a confident leader and facilitator who was always on the campus.
  
"I'm really different now. My husband notices [that] I'm calmer with my kids, and even teachers at the school ask me for advice on handling certain kids. I'm so on fire -- I just can't get enough! I know that Parenting Partners™ has changed my life and now I can help others too!"

"I was so happy when I became a father of a baby girl, then later a baby boy. But I couldn't find time for myself or didn't know how to raise them in an appropriate manner.
  
Soon, I heard about the Parenting Partners™ program at the schools. I began taking the class. I learned many of the techniques and methods about discipline and structure. I learned how to have schedules for both of my children, create chores for them around the house, have routines for them to keep them busy, and the best thing was that my children knew how much I love them and we treated each other with respect.
  
The class was wonderful; it taught me many things for the future and it can do the same for you, too. As a Hmong parent, we never received any of these guidance's from our parents. I am so proud to have taken this class and learn to be a better parent for my children and for myself in the future."

(Bee Thao, Home/school liaison and father of two)

Steve and Victoria were raising their eight-year-old grandson. They were frustrated because they were constantly being called into the principal's office because of behavior and attitude problems their grandson was having at school. He fought with them each morning and complained about having to go to school.
  
After participating in the workshops, they began to apply what they learned and worked as a team to set clear, appropriate boundaries and consequences. They also worked with their grandson's teachers, volunteered at school, created a quiet space to do homework, and encouraged his progress.
  
At graduation, Steve said, "When I stopped yelling at my grandson his behavior and attitude improved at school. Before my wife and I took this class, we were called into the principal's office because of our grandson's poor behavior at school. Now he wants to go to school, his grades and behavior have improved."

Kids say...

"I'm so proud of my mom. Since she went to parenting class, she comes to school everyday and helps at lunch and as a crossing guard. I tell the kids, 'There's my mom!'"
(3rd grader)
  
My mom used to watch TV every afternoon. I told her I wanted to play on the basketball team at school, but she didn't listen to me and I gave up. After my mom took this Parenting Partners class. I came home from school one day and she had a brand new basketball and she said, "No more soap operas. Let's go shoot some hoops!"
(6th grader)
  
My dad never used to listen. he got really angry all the time, and we were scared of him. He took the Parenting Partners class with my mom, and now he listens to us, and he gives us 'time outs' instead of yelling and hitting us if we did something wrong. We aren't scared of him any more."
(Middle School son)
  
"My mother is learning English, taking computer classes, and going to school at night. She says I should go to college, and she is going to graduate high school and go to college, too. She has so much more self-confidence now that she's been involved with Parenting Partners.” (Teenager)

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