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GETTING THROUGH THE DAY FOR DADS - an 8-week course for dads with pre-school children

"Getting Through The Day" is a course for parents and has been run for mums and dads. We aim to provide a place where dads can talk together and learn from each other. We do this by talking about a range of topics. Each topic gives dads opportunities to find solutions to concerns they have about their children and themselves. We expect that what is said in the group is kept confidential. This course offers dads a chance to learn from and support each other

The course was developed by John Rogers and some parents and has been running since 1994. This means that the course was developed by parents for parents. Lots of dads have made suggestions about making the course better and we have tried to use these ideas. Courses for dads have been run.

We will also look at how children grow and what we can do to help our children. Also, as one dad said, "parenting is not so much about the children as being about us parents feeling happy with ourselves". We think there is something to this so we will look a bit at ourselves.

We will look at ways of getting on with our children - at communication and how to make our children feel encouraged and also how to get their co-operation. All this will lead to ideas on managing our children's behaviour. We will do this in a variety of ways including watching a video which shows a series of typical scenes in daily life which can cause hassles.

The video and the handouts offer some ideas on managing children's behaviour but this does not mean we have to be expert parents, merely that we try and get on with our children - where we respect our children and they will respect us.

We ask dads to do some things at home. This will mean trying out the ideas at home and talking together with partners and children. Handouts for reading at home will also be given out.

WEEK 1 - INTRODUCTIONS	WEEK 2 - COMMUNICATION
This session will look at what it means to be a parent and what we hope to get from the course.	This session will consider ideas how we communicate with our children, the barriers and how we can get better at it.
WEEK 3 - ENCOURAGEMENT	WEEK 4 - CO-OPERATION
This session will explore the importance of talking and listening to our children in a positive way.	This session will look at strategies for getting your children to co-operate with you and others.
WEEK 5 - DEALING WITH CONFLICT	WEEK 6 - GETTING UP! GETTING OUT!
This session deals with the difficult subject of conflict and tries to help find ways that parents can deal with more effectively.	This session will look at strategies for getting your children to co-operate with you and others.
WEEK 7 - MEAL TIMES, BEDTIMES AND SIBLINGS	WEEK 8 - WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?
This session will explore the difficulties around these activities and discuss how these can best be handled.	A final review of the course and a look at what happens next.

CLICK HERE to download a printable leaflet containing all this information.

For more information or to book a place on this course please contact:
Sure Start (tel. 01506 775836) or email surestart@westlothian.gov.uk

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