Parents and children strengthen bond

Program works to help families communicate

By SARAH GENGLER, Messenger staff writer
No arguing, listen to each other, have fun, respect each other. These are rules found in just one of the ‘‘Strengthening Families’’ classrooms.

Strengthening Families is a seven-week course for parents and sixth-graders. The program is meant to open communication between parents and their children, while helping parents learn how to discipline effectively and helping children learn that negative actions will have consequences.

‘‘You learn how to deal with different situations,’’ sixth-grader McKenna Egesdal said. ‘‘It’s fun.’’

In a recent session, students and parents learned about how to discipline for small problems and how to discipline for large problems — and the difference between the two.

During the first hour, students and parents learned separately about discipline. Coordinators Laura Stover and Nazrin Riebhoff had students play a game where they earned their driver’s license, and then tried to get from one destination to the next without doing something wrong and losing their license for a period of time.

Parents spent time with coordinator Liddy Hora watching an informative video on how to discipline correctly so that a child responds and remembers why such actions are taking place. Each adult made a list of small misbehaviors that their child has or does on a regular basis and then made a list of small penalties that can be given to the child each time the misbehavior occurs. The same process was used with parents when talking about larger problems and penalties for when those occur.

Brandi Alexander shared small misbehaviors that bother her with her son Cory.

‘‘He doesn’t do his homework when he gets home,’’ she said.

The small penalty for not doing his homework when he arrives home after school, Brandi Alexander decided, will be having to sweep the floor. If her son fails to listen and do his homework, he would then have to sweep the floor and would lose his computer privilege as a larger penalty for not listening the first time his mother asked him .

The second hour, parents and children came together to talk about what they had both learned and play a game involving positive actions for various situations.

Cory Egesdal believes the program will help his daughter McKenna learn that there are the same rules in both his and his ex-wife’s home.

‘‘It helps with the transition between homes,’’ he said.

McKenna’s mom agreed but also noted that the family is learning more than just that.

‘‘I thought that it would be a good opportunity to spend time with her and to learn how to deal with those scary teen years that are about to come,’’ Kristi Weiss said.

Students and parents are also invited to share a meal with other participants at no charge. The program is provided at no cost through the Webster County Extension Office.



Contact Sarah Gengler at (515) 573-2141 or sgengler@messengernews.net'>sgengler@messengernews.net