Can We Pass Parenting Courses

Can We Pass Parenting Courses?

At some point every parent, new or experienced, gets stressed out or really tired. Once parents are this upset it's very easy for them to lose their cool. Everyone parent has reached this point of exhaustion, when the slightest look can set them off. Usually, this just leads to them losing their temper and overreacting to a mischievous act from their children, which leaves the parent feeling very bad. However, stress and exhaustion can lead to anger that causes more than harsh words and hurt feelings; this is why society should step in and help parents and children alike.

Andrea and Rusty Yates were married in 1993 and openly planned on having as many children as nature provided. Eventually the Yates's had five children. The stress of home-schooling their children in sometimes less than ideal living spaces aggravated mental issues Andrea probably already had. After two suicide attempts, self mutilation, several psychiatric hospital visits, and anti-psychotic medications Andrea drown her five children.

This is an extreme example of what the inability to deal with stress, exhaustion, and anger can do. However, verbal and physical abuse of children is a lot more common than we would like to acknowledge. According to www.childhelpusa.org, three million reports of child abuse are made each year, but it is estimated that the actual number of incidents and neglect are three times greater than reported. Also, four children die each day of child abuse or neglect, 75% of these children are under four years old.

I think we could address not only this abuse, but the mood of life for the whole family. Expecting parents should be required to take, and pass, a three part course, this course should be renewed every five years until the children are eighteen. Also, once the child has reached five years old the class will be altered to allow the whole family to learn together. The three parts of this class should include an anger management section, a stress reduction section, and an organization section.

Anger is a common, natural part of the human emotions. Unfortunately without proper training on anger management we are all ticking time bombs. The anger management portion of the class should include assessing the relationship between the parent and anger and providing the parent with a set of tools and strategies to control their anger. Once a child reaches five years of age, the parents should have a strong background in anger management, and should now focus on teaching their child how to cope with stress. Children should not be allowed to throw temper tantrums when they get upset. Anger management would provide alternatives for the kids such as, counting to 10, or taking 5 deep breaths. The classes should provide real-life situations for children with other children and their parents to practice these alternatives.

People feel little stress when they have the time, experience and resources to manage a situation. However, parents will not always have