Incredible Years

First Steps offering new program for parents

Chesterfield County First Steps has teamed with Cheraw Primary School to bring a national program known as The Incredible Years to the Cheraw area.  The Incredible Years program will include a weekly class for 12 consecutive weeks and emphasizes parenting skills which involve ways to play with their child, help their child learn, monitoring and supervision techniques, and discipline strategies.

Karen Odom, First Steps executive director, said “Children often enter kindergarten with limited social-emotional skills which can be a risk factor for school failure, delinquency, and other problems.  Parents need effective parenting strategies to assist their child in developing strong social and emotional skills”. 
  
The program teaches parents interactive play and reinforcement skills, nonviolent discipline techniques, including “timeout” and “ignore”, logical and natural consequences, and problem solving skills.  The program uses multiple learning approaches including videotape modeling, group discussion and support, practice activities within sessions, home activities, and reading assignments (or audiotapes).

The program is free and being offered on Tuesdays at Cheraw Primary School beginning January 12, 2010.   It is open to anyone with children ages 2-5 who want to learn strategies to help them deal with children’s challenging behaviors and enhance their child’s academic success.  A meal will be provided as part of each class, and a gas card may be arranged for those in need of transportation assistance. Meals are included because the classes will be held from noon to 2:30 p.m., which conflicts with most participants’ lunch time.  Offering them a nice meal, will make it easier to participate and then after the class they can just pick their children up and go home together.

“It is also important to let parents know that The Incredible Years is a research-proven parenting program that strengthens young children’s social competence and problem-solving abilities, and reduces aggression at home and school”, said Odom

The course will be offered on Tuesdays at Cheraw Primary School beginning Jan. 12 and ending March 30.  

Pre-registration is required for the course. To pre-register or for more information, call Chesterfield County First Steps at (843) 623-5904.