Parent Cooperative Preschools Where parents and children learn together
Parent Support
Parent Handbook
OPEP (Organization for Parent Education Programs) Means
Parent Support/Parent Education
Welcome to our Preschool Family.
Being a parent is the hardest and most important job you will ever do in your life. It is a job a person is never fully prepared for nor can accomplish entirely alone. For this reason parents need support and that's where we come in. We are a parent education program.
Our supportive environment will offer you:
- genuine connections with others
- friends to talk to who really understand parenting
- caring people who respect you just the way you are
- professional staff trained in Early Childhood Education
The Parent Education Program Goals and Objectives
When you enroll your child in a Parent Cooperative preschool you are simultaneously enrolled in a vocational course through South Seattle Community College titled "Parent Education Child Study Laboratory." To participate in this preschool /parent education course, quarterly tuition is paid to South Seattle Community College.
Goals
The goal of this course is to foster competent parenting and family management skills.
You acquire these skills through discussions at monthly parent meetings, lectures at parent education seminars, informal chats with your parenting instructor and handouts. A key part of your learning will come from practical experiential participation in your child's preschool lab.
Objectives
Course objectives for parents are to:
- develop realistic age-level expectations from knowledge of childhood behavior and growth
- clarify child rearing values and attitudes to explore methods of child guidance
- identify and apply safe and healthy practices in the home including: nutrition, first aid, wellness, exercise, stress management, and risk management
- experience and understand the role of parent involvement in maintaining quality learning environments for children
- develop skills to interact with children using developmentally appropriate and anti-bias practices
- access community resources, share information concerning child-rearing and family resource management
- discuss information on contemporary family concerns such as child abuse prevention, divorce, illness, and death
- develop skills in group organization and leadership
- develop and/or increase confidence in managing the demanding role of parents in a changing society
- strengthen family communication and relationships