Parents who are adopting often find themselves ill-prepared when they finally get the child in their possession. The process can be stressful and take a long time. When the paperwork is all finalized, everyone is at home and the dust has settled, unexpected stress can arise. This is why individuals adopting through the U.S. foster care system are required to take parenting classes as part of their home study process. Experienced adoption experts agree that the best path to take to insure a successful adoptive parenting transition is to have as much information and as many coping skills as possible. It’s best to be as prepared as possible in every aspect of diaper changing, to rewards and discipline, to organization and scheduling.
Adoptive parents can travel by car to take these classes in a traditional classroom setting or enjoy them from the comfort of their own home by taking them online. High quality educational online programs are now offered on the Internet, saving parents-to-be the time, money and hassle it takes to drive to a class that might be far away or planned at an inconvenient time. Online classes can be accessed from any Internet based computer in the home, library, local coffee house or any place that you can get web-access. Nothing needs to be downloaded or printed out, so you are free to be sitting poolside while learning the information. They are also available 24/7 any day of the week alleviating the worry of having to miss any work or school to attend prescheduled classes.
Taking a parenting course for Foster Care or Adoption from the home enables the client to learn in a relaxed, self-paced atmosphere. It’s important to do your research and choose a class designed by a true expert in the field of mental health. A class that is developed by a currently practicing and licensed family therapist will insure that potential parents, Foster parents and adopting parents are getting the most current, accurate research available. Chapters divide the different topics and the participant can go back and review material that they’ve already read at any time. If the class is being taken for court approval, the client will receive a Certificate of Completion at the end of the course. This is the official documentation the court requires to prove that the class was successfully completed. The end goal is to develop the skills necessary be the best parents possible. Topics covered include:
- Assertive Communication for Parents
- Stress Management
- Empathy training for Parenting
- Anger and Conflict resolution
- Parenting Styles
- Boundary and Limit Setting
- Foster Care and Adoption Challenges
- Foster Care and Adoption family Dynamics
- Rewards and Discipline for Children
- Avoiding Parenting Mistakes
Taking a parenting class to prepare you for adoption doesn’t mean that you won’t experience the normal trials and tribulations of parenthood. There is no question that there will be days filled with obstacles, and others that you waited for your entire life. However, through online classes you will learn the skills you need to be a confident parent with a secure foundation of knowledge to start this new journey.