The quality and diversity of family relationships play a significant role in shaping health and well-being across the life course. Today, family life is changing in unprecedented ways—from single parenting, same-sex marriage, marriage without children, relatives raising children, to delayed retirement, caregiving, and living longer. Investing in child development and positive parenting fosters healthy relationships, enhances social emotional skills, and promotes healthy behaviors across the lifespan, ultimately contributing to the overall health and well-being of individuals and families as well as the stability of communities. 

The University of Kentucky Family and Consumer Sciences Extension works to improve the quality of life for families by helping to develop parenting skills and tools they need to raise healthy productive children through education, research, and outreach. As part of this mission, Caldwell County FCS Agent conducted three Active Parenting workshops: Building Courage and Self-Esteem, Understanding and Redirecting Behavior, and School Success. Twenty-five parents attended Building Courage and Self-Esteem, thirty-four attended Understanding and Redirecting Behavior, and nineteen attended School Success.  The program teaches parents a comprehensive model for parenting children in a democratic society with an emphasis on character development as a means of equipping children to survive and thrive.   The personal qualities of courage, cooperation, respect, responsibility, and self-esteem are targeted, while equipping parents with the skills to handle behavior problems using discipline, communication, problem solving, family enrichment, and encouragement. 

Parents were surveyed following each workshop. After the Courage and Self-Esteem workshop, 64% reported that they have a better understanding of what courage is, 48% have a better understanding of what self-esteem is, and 64% better understand the influence a parent has on a child’s self-esteem. 96% plan to use one of the methods discussed to encourage their child. After the Understanding and Redirecting workshop, 100% reported having a better understanding of the difference between punishment and discipline and the four goals of behavior. 97% better understand logical and natural consequences and 94% have a better understanding of polite requests, “I” messages, and firm reminders. 100% plan to use natural or logical consequences and plan to determine the goal of the child’s behavior when deciding appropriate discipline strategies. 97% plan to use polite requests, “I” messages, and firm reminders.  After the School Success workshop, 89% reported a better understanding of the seven strategies for setting a child up for success in school. 100% plan to set up a structured homework time, read with their child, and use at least one other strategy discussed in the workshop.  In a follow up survey six months later, one participant stated “These workshops were really helpful.” Another participant stated that she has focused on being present and listening to her daughter while understanding that the child has her own thoughts and feelings.