Many people question the need for parent education. Shouldn’t parenting skills be innate, instinctive, without requiring any external training and help? However, it is not as simple as it seems. Parents have always needed and received help from various sources. Now, these are provided in classrooms as formal training.

Parent education traditions and the new challenges
Till a few decades ago, parents had support groups in the form of extended family, the neighbors, the community and so on. Here, experienced parents helped guide new parents in effective childcare and child-rearing skills. However, these family structures and support groups have all but disappeared in recent years.

The nuclear family, single-parent families, families that have fallen out of touch with older generation family members – all these have created an isolated environment for younger parents. Other influences like working mothers, problems in time management, the growth of technology, social changes, new threats to child safety have all contributed to various challenges in parenting that need new approaches to child rearing.

Besides these needs in normal families, there is also the special needs segment. These are at-risk families with financial difficulties, substance abuse situations, child abuse situations and so on. These situations need special focus.

Parent education programs target segments
Parent education programs can be divided into three broad categories based on the target segments:

Primary: These programs are designed to encourage and enhance parenting skills. These also help emphasize the need for parents to be an active participant in their children’s education. The target for these programs is the general public, participation or enrolment in these programs is completely voluntary.

Secondary: These programs target parents whose children can be potentially at risk for neglect or abuse. They are designed to target specific issues and challenges faced by the parents. They also emphasize self-examination in parents, making them analyze the reasons that lead them to abusive and destructive relationships with their children. These programs may be voluntary or court recommended.

Tertiary: These programs are specifically designed for parents with a history of child abuse or substance abuse or imprisonment. They aim to help the parents retrain themselves in their child-rearing approaches. Self-examination and a review of their backgrounds help the parents understand what led them into these negative situations and help them rectify it. These programs are mandatory, almost always court recommended.

General goals of parent education programs
Besides the training and approaches used to correct parental behavior in the secondary and tertiary programs, parent education has many common aims across the board. Various approaches, training delivery systems, and training models are used to impart good parenting skills.

They equip parents with deeper knowledge of baby care, child development, parent-child communication, and interaction, and train them in positive approaches to discipline, setting boundaries, behavior modification, etc.

Another important element focused on is the need for parents to take part in their child’s schooling. It also teaches parents to be realistic in their expectations, not to force their child into tight schedules involving various after-school activities with no time to play and have fun. Studies have shown that children whose parents help in their learning process show better academic results and these children also have fewer behavioral problems.

Parent education programs serve a need created by many factors in contemporary society. They help prevent child abuse, help parents become better caregivers and better caretakers of their children’s future.