Parent Education Consortium offers parenting classes in November

For immediate release
The Parent Education Consortium (PEC) will offer two classes starting in November. The classes are "Parenting after Separation/Divorce" and "Parenting in Stepfamilies."

“Parenting after Separation/Divorce” class will be held on Mondays, 5:30-7:45 p.m., starting Nov. 3 through Dec. 8. “Parenting in Stepfamilies” will begin on Tuesday, Nov. 11, at 5:30-7:45 p.m., and will run through Dec. 16. Both classes will be offered at the Grant Wood AEA offices, 1120 33rd Avenue, in Cedar Rapids.

Parents will learn:

How to talk to their children about divorce

How to improve family relations – both with the children as well as former spouses

Techniques for building strong family relationships in their homes

Navigating the emotional journey of stepfamily formation

How to understand children and help them deal with their feelings

Any residents of Linn County with a child between the ages of birth and five can participate in the classes. Parents with older children may be admitted as well, if space permits. These classes are free to participants, and include a free meal and snacks as well as free child care during the class.

Parents interested in participating in the classes should contact Jennifer Cira, Parent Education Outreach Specialist, at (319) 399-6809, 1-800-798-9771, Ext. 6809, or jcira@gwaea.org. For a complete list of parenting classes offered by the PEC, visit www.aea10.org/pec.

The PEC provides parents and caregivers of young children in our community with parenting classes, resource materials, group presentations and professional development inservices. Funding for the program comes from Linn County Community Empowerment.

Grant Wood Area Education Agency provides instructional and school management services for 33 school districts and 22 approved nonpublic schools in Benton, Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn and Washington counties.

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