Do I really have to take a parenting class?
Yes, you do.
In Arizona, every parent with a divorce, legal separation or custody (legal decision making) case has to take a parenting class. The good news is that you can take these at a variety of locations including online.
Topics include:
- How to talk to your child
- How to face your own feelings
- Long distance parenting struggles and how to keep the other parent informed
- How to build an effective support system
- How to deal with an uncooperative co-parent
- How to adjust to an absent parent
- Bridging the gap for parents who were never married
- Reduce child support and visitation conflicts
- Avoiding long, expensive, no-win custody battles.
Most people report satisfaction with the quality of the program and hope and pray that the other parent is taking notes.
For a link to the online class, check out: http://online.divorce-education.com/attorney
It will also cover:
Respectful Communication Skills
Studies show that effective parenting after divorce is directly related to parents ability to respectfully communicate with one another. CIBO identifies 5 major ways to improve communication including: I-Message, Reframing, Self-talk, Stop-Look-Listen, and Active Listening.
Anger Control
Parents who can control their anger are more likely to engage ex’s in a manner that is most likely to lead to amicable results and limit the effects of the separation on their children. By focusing on skills training, CIBO teaches conflict resolution, mindfulness, and self-talk.
Ending Loyalty Conflicts
Loyalty conflicts cause the most damage to children. We focus on how parents involve their children in these conflicts unintentionally, and change that.
For a full version of the handbook, check out:
http://www.superiorcourt.maricopa.gov/SuperiorCourt/FamilyCourt/docs/pipManual.pdf