Andrea Edmonson never expected to be raising her children alone. But on her son’s second birthday, she found herself a single mother of two young kids struggling with big emotions that she didn’t know how to handle.
Luckily, Andrea was given some hope. The teachers at her son’s Early Head Start class directed her to Child Crisis Arizona’s free family education courses. She started with a class on Conscious Discipline, then Child Development, then Adverse Childhood Experiences and Anger Management for Kids. Soon she was signing up for any class she had time for.
“I learned so much in taking these classes and attending the support groups,” Andrea shared. “I have been able to expand my village. I learned tools to be a better parent and mom in the community. I have also given myself more grace and I’m thankful for you all.”
The truth is, no matter your hopes and dreams, none of us have all the answers. We all learn to parent from our own parents, and we all know none of them were perfect either.
No matter your circumstances, it’s always nice to get a little help. That’s why Child Crisis Arizona began offering free parenting courses years ago. Over time the topics have changed, and the list of classes has grown but one thing remains consistent—the classes are free and available to anyone of any income level.
The courses at Child Crisis Arizona are developed by skilled trainers, pulling in the best and most current information on topics like Water Safety, Coparenting, Managing Stress and even Healthy Teen Dating. No matter the age or stage of your child’s development, there’s a course designed just for you.
While courses are offered in person throughout the Valley, many courses, including Overcoming Bedtime Battles, Healing Trauma and Promoting Secure Attachment, are available on demand online, so parents can learn at their own pace and from the comfort of their own home.
Each course is designed to share critical information in an engaging way, but perhaps the greatest lesson from any of these courses is no matter where you are in your parenting journey, you are not alone. Whether you’ve got a newborn having trouble sleeping, an elementary-aged child struggling in school or a teen pushing boundaries, there are resources out there to help. All you have to do is reach out!
Learn more about our Family Education Classes
