Parenting courses for Self Development

I have always been a believer in the power of learning whether that be formally or just improving your knowledge through reading, workshops or learning a new creative skills, at the end of the day we are never too old to learn something new and with kids heading back to school I find know is a good time to look at options for our own learning . Over the years I have often thought about doing a course that may give me more insight and knowledge into what my children need, no necessarily to change careers but just to give me added skills. I would love to do a Forest School course one day, purely because it's something I am interested in learning more about as we tend to spend a lot of time outdoors together. I think many parents feel the same so I thought I would share a few ideas if you are looking to improve your knowledge and self-development in a certain areas.

Paediatric First Aid

Over the years I have actually done a paediatric first aid course twice and felt they have both been very valuable in giving me essential skills in case of an emergency. This course only take one day and can also help to give you piece of mind that you are aware of dangers and is a good backup policy in case the worst were to happen. First aid, particularly child first aid can teach you things such as how to remove choking obstructions safely which could quite literally save their life. You’ll learn how to treat things like cuts and burns and other minor injuries while you seek medical assistance, and even how to perform resuscitation should you ever need to know how to do it.

Forest School

If you enjoy spending time outdoors with your kids and want to incorporate more learning into your time then doing a Forest School qualification my be of interest. The courses offer ways to carry out some practical outdoor tasks like building shelters and trying knits as well as understanding the natural learning environment and sustainable ways to learn in that environment. A level 1 course just offers practical and hands-on information but with a level 2 you could even work as a forest school assistant if it really piqued your interest. 

Nutrition

We’re in the midst of an obesity epidemic and while I embrace everything in moderation and believe in true and real body positivity I do think it's important to be aware of possible health implications and how important regardless of size it is to try and keep a balance with being active and eating foods that nourish us and provide us with the right vitamins to be able live well and get the most out of life. Helping our children and us as parents develop a healthy attitude towards food is very important and if you are interested in this sector then a child nutrition course, or a general nutrition course which includes a module about children can teach you all you need to know. It can give you the information you need to be able to feed your family in the best possible way.

Child psychology

A child’s mind works a lot differently to an adults. As adults, we have the ability to ‘see the bigger picture’, we have coping strategies that we know work for difficult situations and we have experience in how to deal with many things that life throws at us. That’s not the case for children, who can easily feel lost, overwhelmed and anxious even about things that seem minor to us. Learning about child psychology and their cognitive and emotional development can help us to understand them better. It can be frustrating for both adults and children when they feel misunderstood and so this is something that could really benefit you and your family. Once you have a background in psychology or child psychology you could take further education to specialise- something like a online school counseling masters for example could be of interest. As humans, we’re a fascinating species and it’s always interesting being able to find out more and what makes us tick. Education in child psychology can make you more understanding and aware of your child’s needs, and give you an insight as to why they act and think the way they do.

Teaching Assistant

If you are looking for a career change or want to be more involved with your child's learning then retraining as a teacher's assistant could be a good ideas as there are always temp positions and it's a job role thats appears to always be in need of more qualified individuals. You can do the majority of learning online and from home so you can retrain around your current commitments and shouldn't take more than a year to achieve. While your kids may not be that keen on having you working at their school it is a great way to get a real understanding of their education. 

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