🦋Why are parents not attending parenting training? Do they still need parenting training?

🙋‍♀️Is there a need for parenting training? Do parents attend parenting training? What are parents' needs in parenting training? Are we as therapists addressing parents' needs? Do we know how to address parents' needs? 

 ❓I started with a Whole-Brain Parenting program at a primary school in Mpumalanga, South Africa. Nobody attended the first session and I sent a questionnaire to my Business WhatsApp community. 

A total of 38 people responded of which 36 are parents. Question 2 indicated that most of the parents that responded were parents of primary school. This can be explained as I am rendering services in primary school. 

The following 2 questions were looking at topics parents might be interested in for training. What is interesting is that the majority of participants indicated the need for training in the social and emotional development of their children. 

Under "other" the following responses were received:

"Trauma counseling for my 3 year old because of past abuse

Hoe betrokkenheid lyk in n kind se lewe. Hoe im n emosionele sterk kind groot te maak wat hulle emosies kan kommunukeer. Wat dit beteken om daar te wees vir jou kind van geboorte af. Hoe om n sterk band te form met jou kind

That I as the parent also would like a me time.

How to communicate effectively with your children"

On the question of whether people would prefer face-to-face or online parenting training, the majority indicated that they prefer face-to-face and interactive online sessions. It can be said that people in general value the opportunity to connect and have interactive training. 

Most of the respondents did not previously have parenting training.

All the respondents indicated that parenting training can be of value. 

On the question of why parenting training could be of value the following responses were received:

"Parenting is an ongoing process of learning. We need all the help we can get.

The is always a room for development when it comes to parenting because children are not the same and times have changed

Sal men's better help Om kinders the verstaan

Yes i believe getting parenting training cangive me guidance as to how i want my parenting to be structured.

As parent, we also need guidance in raising our children.

Daar is soveel dinge en guidence wat verduidelik kan word en uiteen gesit kan word wat jy as n ouer nie elke dag na oplet nie

I dont know what im doing

Always space to grow and learn.

Always good to learn from others.

Betrokke by uiteenlopende kinders en ouerleing en kenmis altyd n uitdaging

Leer beter skills om jou kind beter te verstaan

Children are under a lot more pressure than we were due to social media and exposure to all the things of the world

To learn is to grow.

Ek het al die hulp nodig wat ek kan kry om my kinders groot te kry... Kinders groot maak is nie speeletjies nie..

There are educated people that can teach me to be more sensitive and less forceful.Children are a challenge and I need guidance,it’s not 1980 anymore.

Currently Both parties are struggling with parenting kids during divorce

To become a better parent for my children, to be the best for them

Everyone can learn new skills

Met al die inligting wat beskikbaar is, is dit maklik om verwar te voel en soos n mislikking te voel. Dit sal goed wees om op datum te wees met nuwe Kinderontwikkeling metodes

Praktiese kennis

Mens kan altyd nuwe goed leer

Better parenting mean better understanding, that leads to better teenager and adults. That will make our world a better place to be in.

Inligting bemagtig

We learn from each other and it take’s a village.

Deur verskillende stadiums van grootword, is daar uitdagings ook twee kinders uit dieselfde huis, kan so baie verskil. Leiding/raad kan net tot voordeel wees.

Dit kan net voordeleig wees vir jouslef as ouer om jiu kind veter te verstaan en om te weet waar jy kan verbeter

As parents of today, we lack skills of parenting.

..... het spesifieke behoeftes om haar te help met woede uitbarstings. Haar konflik hantering het aandag nodig. Sy gebruik tans Risperdal .05ml saans sowel as .04ml ..........

Altyd goed om nuwe dinge te leer

For the benefit of child - parent relationship. And also child development .

Ongewone situasie van integrasie wat meer kennis sal verg"

My research question was why don't parents attend parenting training-do they need parenting training? In this research, the majority indicate that they have parental training needs and they verbalize the importance of parenting training. 

Conclusion 📖

I would like to suggest that the following should be considered why parents are reluctant to attend parenting training. 

1. 💏1. Time Constraints: Parents often have busy schedules juggling work, household responsibilities, and their children's activities. The commitment to attend regular sessions or workshops can be challenging, making them reluctant to participate.

2. 
   

3. 💫2. Perceived Competence: Some parents might feel that they are already competent in their parenting skills and don't require any additional training. They might believe that their own experiences and instincts are sufficient to raise their children effectively, leading to a reluctance to seek external guidance. Although this research indicated that parents do see the importance of parenting training.

4. 
   

5. 🙋‍♀️3. Stigma and Shame: Parents might fear that seeking help indicates that they are inadequate or struggling in their role as parents. This fear of judgment or shame can deter them from participating, even if they could benefit from the training.

6. 
   

7. ✨4. Resistance to Change: Parenting styles can be deeply ingrained, influenced by cultural norms, family traditions, and personal beliefs. Some parents might be resistant to changing their approach, even if they recognize the need for improvement. Attending parenting training could challenge their existing views and habits, leading to resistance.

8. 
   

9. 💰5. Costs: Parenting training programs, come with a cost, financially, child care, transport and time. Some parents might be reluctant to invest money in such programs, especially if they are unsure about the potential outcomes. Financial constraints can be a significant barrier, particularly for those who are already facing economic challenges.

10. 
    

11. ⌚6. Content and length of the program: This can be time-consuming and parents are, as indicated only interested in specific and a wide variety of topics.

12. 
    

13. 📖7. Ongoing research is necessary in a changing community where parenting styles and different and parenting training needs is evolving with changes in technology and education.

14. 
    

15. 👀8. Awareness is needed to be created of the need for ongoing learning and new developments in the field of parenting training. Can one ever know enough about child development to give us the optimal opportunities to develop holistic-cognitively, socially, emotionally, and spiritually?

17. 👭9. Parenting brings me to the concept of Ubuntu: "I am, because you are" -a child is raised by a village"  Parents, teachers, families, and churches are all responsible to parent our children-we need to take hands. 

Summary:💖🦋

As a therapist and social worker I still need to find ways, over and over,  to reach parents and assist them in this amazing task.  I therefore ask: please contact me and help me to find ways, new, interesting, and appealing, to offer parenting training to our parents. Commending or WhatsApp: 076 2271578.📞