Mothers’ Union Parenting Program

WHAT IS IT?

The Canadian Mothers’ Union is happy to present the Mothers’ Union Worldwide Parenting Program. The program has been in operation since 2000, starting in the UK and spreading to over 23 countries worldwide. From the original manual produced by the Parenting Trainers in 2010, each country has adapted the material to suit their own culture and needs. It is currently being reviewed and updated with emphasis on safeguarding all who take part.

WHO IS IT FOR?

Our program is called Parents Supporting Parents; its aim is to assist parents and all who care for children to do one of the most important jobs in the world – to bring up healthy children in healthy families. It’s all about building positive relationships in families. It’s about exploring communication – talking and listening. It’s a program for every family.

WHAT DO WE LEARN?

Bringing up children is fun and rewarding—but isn’t always easy. The challenges of being a parent or caregiver are many, from dealing with a sleepless infant to counselling a confused unhappy teenager. This program is a support group for parents, where we learn from one another about what works and what doesn’t work, about how to enhance our communication skills within our families, about sharing blessings as well as challenges. We discover that we are not alone; many others are in the same situation we are. Together we can learn how to bring up confident, secure, well-adjusted children.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

This Parenting group provides an opportunity for parents and all who care for children, to get together in a supportive environment and talk about the joys and challenges of bringing up our children. Away from the busyness of home life, they can meet other parents or caregivers, make new friends, share ideas and have some fun.

HOW DOES IT FIT EACH GROUP’S NEEDS?

Another aim of the Parenting Program is to to inspire parents and caregivers to enjoy their children at every stage of development. The specific content of the groups will vary according to the needs of the participants—for example, there might be a group focusing on the needs of new parents and families with toddlers or it may focus on the needs of teenagers or pre-teens.

Typically, we aim to have eight to twelve participants meet for six two-hour sessions, one per week, to discuss a range of subjects, which include positive parenting strategies, effective communication, building trust and confidence, problem solving, setting boundaries at home, active listening and child protection.

To support discussion, we use a variety of materials, including handouts and power-point presentations; we use appropriate energizers and instructional tools. The program is experiential in nature, with a focus on group discussion and participation. It is not a “preaching and teaching”course; it is a program.

WHO CAN TAKE PART?

We do not promote any one faith group. People of all faiths or none are welcome. Every parent or caregiver would benefit from attending a group like this.

PARENTING PROGRAM PARTNERS

Just like any community effort, we like to partner with other groups to train our facilitators and to connect facilitators with our participants. In 2021, a Training of Facilitators took place in Sudbury, Ontario with funding from the Canadian Mothers’ Union and The Anglican Foundation of Canada. Presently, we are participating in a renewal of the Parenting Program involving facilitators and trainers from around the world. Most recently, we received a generous donation from the Anglican Church Women of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island towards future Facilitator Training.

Download our Parenting Course Brochure (PDF)