Strengthening Families Class Offered
Iowa State University Extension is offering the Strengthening Families Program for parents and youth ages 10 to 14. The seven-part series is a parent, youth, and family skills-building program.
Sessions are held weekly for seven weeks using realistic videos, role-playing, discussions, learning games, and family projects. Each session begins with a meal, followed by parents and youth meeting in separate groups for the first hour. Parents learn to increase desired behaviors in their youth by using rewards and consequences, effective discipline, substance abuse education, problem solving, and limit setting as well as learning valuable communication skills.
Youth learn effective communication, understanding feelings, coping with anger, stress management, social skills, problem solving, resisting peer pressure and consequences of substance use.
During the second hour families practice structured family games and activities, family meetings, communication skills, reinforcing positive behaviors and jointly planning family activities.
Meals are provided and childcare is also available for children younger than the age of 10. Transportation to the program can be arranged, if needed. To register, please call Erica at the ISU Black Hawk County Extension Office in Waterloo at (319) 234-6811 or email at eschauf@iastate.edu.
The Strengthening Families Program has been proven effective in delaying the onset of adolescent substance use, lowering levels of aggression, increasing the resistance to peer pressure in youth, and increasing the ability of parents/caregivers to set appropriate limits and show affection to and support of their children.