There are parents who may feel like they have all the answers when it comes to raising their children, but parents who turn to Triple P for strategies and suggestions as they navigate child-rearing may find they have an edge, not to mention an ally.

Triple P – Positive Parenting Program – offers different modules for parents, and Kimiko Williams, the local coordinator for the nationally recognized program, wants parents to know there’s something for everyone.

Whether you’ve got time on a Saturday morning or after supper on a weeknight, the free, online self-paced modules are accessible whenever parents are available.

There are four different modules, three of which are targeted at certain age groups of children. There’s the basic Triple P 0-12 years module, a Triple P Baby and a Triple P Teen for those 10-16.

A fourth module, Triple P Fearless, deals with issues surrounding children who may be dealing with anxiety issues.

“We’re seeing that a lot of children are developing anxiety around certain situations,
Williams said on Thursday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

This particular module has suggestions for helping children from 6 years and up cope and overcome anxiety – and the strategies are useful for adults, too, she said.

Parenting doesn’t come with a manual, and one size does not fit all when it comes to handling the important job of raising healthy, happy children.

Triple P is for not only for parents, but also for caregivers, Williams said. “Anybody who has a direct impact on raising a child, this course is very helpful. We want our children to grow up to be healthy, well rounded productive citizens.”

The modules include fun, interactive videos that touch on a variety of topics, from understanding why your baby is crying – usually he’s either sleepy, hungry or needs changing. But how do you tell the difference, and how do you know that there’s not something else going on?

Even if you’re not a new parent,” Williams said, each child is different and so what worked for Baby #1 may not do the trick with Baby #2.

Whether you’re a first-time parent or a fifth-time parent, Triple P can be a much-needed resource, she said. “If nothing else, it will make you feel a little more comfortable as a parent.”

The program for ages 0-12 includes 17 proven strategies that can be used in any combination as parents go about their daily interactions with their children. It’s important to be consistent, however. Don’t try something once and discard it if it doesn’t work right away.

Oftentimes, children will pick up behaviors from the adults in their lives, too. Whatever the family dynamic is, she said, there are tools and strategies that can be effective for creating a positive home environment where children thrive.

As children grow into their teens, when they’re on the cusp of being neither children nor adults, Triple P offers parents a glimpse about what it’s like to be a teen today.

Children are facing different things than their parents did when they were teens, but they’re still trying to figure out how to fit in.

“We can’t parent our teenagers the same way we did when they were in elementary school,” Williams said. Triple P Teen provides support to help parents manage their reactions to teens’ meltdowns, outbursts and other behaviors and help their young people better understand tand manage heir feelings.

Accessing Triple P is a simple process, Williams said. Visit triplep-parenting.com and create an account, provide a few bits of information such as the number of children in the household, their ages and the county you live in, and you’ll be ready to go!

And, Williams said, parents are always welcome to be in touch with her if they have questions or want more information.

Her office is located within the Franklin County Health Department, 107 Industrial Dr. Her phone number is 919.496.2533 extension 2335 and her email is klwilliams@franklincountync.gov.

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