If you are have found yourselves in part of the approximately 50% of marriages that end in divorce and children are involved, a family court judge will require that you complete a co-parenting course. Unfortunately, going through a separation from a spouse is rarely easy. Often the tumultuous feelings the parents are going through overtake the situation and the children’s emotions are overlooked. Courts across the U.S. want to make sure that the best interest of the kids are focused on as well.

Co-parenting classes are therefore designed to help parents effectively parent their children from two separate homes as a team. Course topics include defining your parenting style, understanding the different developmental stages of children and teens, how to properly discipline and how to set boundaries and behavioral goals. 10 Hour Co-parenting classes for divorce also teach parents how and when to resolve conflicts away from the kids, how to keep your child confident and self-assured and how to speak with effectively about sensitive topics.

For parents who find themselves too busy or are worried about childcare, online parenting classes are the best option. Court systems realize that it is often difficult to get to a pre-assigned class time because of work, school or family obligations. You will be thrilled to know that quality parenting courses are available to you online from any Internet based device like an Ipad, personal PC, or laptop. Just check with your judge prior to taking the class and get court approval. Once you do, you will enjoy the convenience an online class provides. First of all, you can take the course from the relaxed environment of your own home. Many clients find that it’s easier to learn and remember new information when they are in a comfortable, quiet environment and not distracted by strangers. Furthermore, once you enroll, the class is available to you 24/7 so you can take it during your lunch hour at work, after the kids have gone to bed or on the weekend.

The course itself is generally divided into about 10 chapters. Each chapter covers a different topic and has a short multiple-choice quiz at the end. You can login and out of the class as many times as you need to and the computer program holds your last spot. At the end, the client takes a final exam. This final is also multiple-choice and can be retaken until passed with a 70% score or better. When you are done, a Certificate of Completion will immediately be sent out. This is the documentation the court requires to prove you successfully finished the course. Another huge benefit of distance learning classes is that the California Online Co-Parenting Class and the New York Online Co-Parenting Class will be exactly the same. So, if one spouse now lives in another state but the two of you are interested in completing the same course so you are learning the same information, you can absolutely do so. Parenting programs are available completely in Spanish as well. Enroll yourself in an online parenting class today!

Some toddlers are just prone to having tantrums. Both parents can seem like relatively calm and reasonable people, but the kid just doesn’t adapt well to new environments, is tired, hungry or intense and wants what he wants, now! This situation becomes increasingly embarrassing and annoying during the holidays when extended families are together and it feels like every set of eyes is glaring your way to see your reaction. You are left feeling like a deer in headlights trying to decide if you should placate the child to get her to calm down, or act more aggressively and potentially deal with major fallout.

Of course, the easiest way out of the scenario is to give the child what he wants. This isn’t a good long-term solution, but in the heat of the moment and in front of multiple relatives, it might seem like the best choice. However, if you are partial to actually preventing this type of behavior in the future, it is advisable to take a deep breath, stay calm and then get down to the child’s eye-level and firmly let her know that tantrums are not acceptable and will not get her what she wants. If the tantrum continues, many child psychologists agree to either ignore her or put her in a time-out until she calms down. The basic guideline for a time-out is the same number of minutes as the child’s age.

At holiday gatherings, situations are often difficult. You have everyone judging your parenting abilities and deciding what they think about your child. The best plan of attack is to do your best to act proactively to help prevent meltdowns. Some popular techniques include making sure that your child gets enough sleep the night before the gathering, is well fed prior to arriving at someone else’s home and understands what to expect during the day ahead of her. Children like to feel like they have control, so try to explain who will be there, when and what to expect to eat and what is acceptable to do before and after the meal. For example, can she bring dolls to play with, color, or play a computer game? Come prepared with appropriate activities. If you notice your child starting to lose it, try to distract by offering to go on a quick walk, play with a dog, or read her a book.

For more parenting advice, take a 6 hour parenting class online. Online classes are becoming increasingly popular because they enable busy individuals to brush up on new techniques without ever having to leave the home. These classes are ideal for parents who would like to learn some different or new skills to improve relationships with their children and for the better of the entire family. Classes can be taken entirely at your pace, at any time of the day or night. Clients can login and out as many times as they’d like and the computer program holds the last spot. Choose a course that has an A+ rating from the BBB and is designed and operated by a licensed, practicing family therapist. A good class will also have a therapist available to speak with during the workweek in case any questions arise.

Give yourself the gift of quality parenting advice and education this holiday season. You will be pleased at how applying these new techniques contributes to the successful outcome of your upcoming holiday events and daily life!

Being a parent just might be one of the toughest jobs in the world. One aspect of parenting that many people tend to overlook during the holidays is just how important it is to be a good role model for your kids. Young children look up to their elders and will often emulate what they see. As a parent, you need to understand and be sensitive to the fact that your actions will impact the success of this special day in your child’s mind. Thanksgiving is just around the corner and adult behavior can tend to be a bit more reactive and immature when extended family and old issues are thrown together in one household for a day. Some tips to help parents get through what in some cases is a stressful day are as follows:

Be Open With Your Children

Talking to your children should be something that you do on a daily basis but it is even more important before Thanksgiving. Especially when they are young, explain to them about what usually goes on during Thanksgiving at the place you will be attending the feast. You can talk about different family members personalities, so they are not caught off guard by someone’s behavior. For older adolescents, you can explain that some of the adults might be drinking and what the ramifications of this behavior are.

Explain Why Some Family Relationships Don't Work

If your children are old enough to understand, it is a good idea to explain why there are certain family members that you just don't get along with. Don’t get overly dramatic or detailed, but giving them a brief overview might help them feel more comfortable about why people are acting certain ways.

Keep Your Own Behavior In Check

As a parent and an adult, do your best to be proud of your behavior in front of your kids. Don’t get pulled in to family arguments, try your best to let comments roll off your back and most of all, don’t drink too much. At the end of the day, you will be happy that you took the high road, and your kids will gain a sense of strength watching you do the right thing.

Take An Online Parenting Class

Though you might think that you are already a good parent, there are always new skills that you can learn. Being a good parent is more than just providing your children with all they need physically, but mentally as well. Being a balanced, honest, and strong role model is extremely important for successful parenting and raising healthy, confident kids. The current skills and information that you can learn from quality online parenting classes is priceless and helps you to continue to build a stable, happy family environment.

With these tips in mind, you will see that Thanksgiving is indeed a chance for your family to bond and learn more about each other. Including your children in on what to expect on Thanksgiving day will make them feel important and will help the outcome of this special day. As much as possible, avoid any tense moments and remember that your child will always be looking up to you and the other adults. With these simple tips, Thanksgiving will be a very relaxed and enjoyable day.

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.

The “blended family” has become a normal concept in America today. According to Enrichment Journal, the divorce rate for first marriages is 41%, for second marriages its 60% and 73% for third marriages. Many of these first marriages bring children with them when remarrying for a second time. Going through divorce and planning for remarriage can be quite challenging when children are involved. There are many aspects to consider and it is a time when new or seasoned parents can use extra guidance and support. Taking a parenting class as a proactive measure to address potential step family problems and concerns is highly beneficial for the quality of the marriage and family life.

Online parenting classes are easily accessible from any Internet based computer. They are designed for the purpose of improving parenting skills for daily life, for individuals who need to take a co-parenting course for a court order during divorce, and for help in planning for a remarriage.

To make a stepfamily work it is important that parents consider a number of key issues. First of all, in the first year the parents may have less time to build their own relationship while they are working on the demands of the children. Some kids may feel a sense of abandonment or jealousy as their primary parent now spends time building relationships with other children in the new family as well. Furthermore, financial and living arrangements need to be worked out with the ex-spouse so the child doesn’t feel taken away from the parent not living with them. And, it is important that parents do not speak against their ex-spouses in the new stepfamily environment.

A 16 hour online co-parenting class is designed to specifically address the needs of a divorcing couple and those embarking on remarriage. Course topics include children and divorce, step family problems and concerns to be aware of, and the life cycle of a stepfamily. They are also enriching for parents who have gone through a high-conflict divorce and are ready to leave that behavior behind them as they embark on a their new lives.

Online co-parenting classes do not need to be taken together. Adults can take them at their own convenience at any time of the day or night and from their own residences. This is a huge benefit of taking a parenting class online verses classroom courses, as the client does not need to drive anywhere to meet a traditional classroom schedule. There is nothing to print out or download and there are no computer skills required. The class is simple to follow on the screen in front of you. If the class is being taken due to a court mandate, a certificate of completion is available to you at the end of the course. This is the documentation the client uses to show the court that the parenting class requirement was fulfilled.

Taking an online parenting course to help support adults with children through the process of divorce and remarriage is a high quality educational experience. Parents will gain the skills they need to improve interpersonal skills with their children, ex-spouses and new families.