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Putting parenting to bedUncommon sense for modern parentsRun your own parenting coursePUTTING PARENTING TO BED Putting parenting to bed is a three-week course written and recently run by Ann Benton at St. Nicholas Church, Sevenoaks. Wherever there are parents, there will always be a high demand for parenting advice, so the course was a great opportunity to have a mix of Christians and non-Christians listening to and discussing the issues raised together. It was also really encouraging to have a good number of dads as well as mums attending the course. Each participant had a course booklet, which clearly outlines the material that was covered each week. Every session started with a DVD clip and time for discussion around it, which I think really helped people to relax. There was then time for input from Ann, followed by more discussion over coffee and cake. The second half of each session had more input and, in the last session, a good amount of time was left for questions. The course was clearly Bible based and authority, sin, discipline and grace were all clearly there. There was a focus throughout on not just wanting to produce children who do the ‘right thing’, but children who have changed hearts. The vital role of the ‘magic triad’ — communication, discipline and relationship — and how they work together was something that many on the course found really helpful. The Bible clearly underpinned all the principles of the course without the content being in any way pushy and it seemed very clear to everyone, from the feedback at the end of the course, that God’s way makes sense and is clearly best! Good balanceThere was a really good balance between principles and practical application and people felt they had very specific things to go away with and put into practice. One person said that she didn’t once go away feeling guilty. Another found it really helpful that Ann made suggestions rather than giving instructions! On one of the feedback forms the course was described as being ‘very practical, down-to-earth and hugely engaging’, which I think summarises it very well. Now the course has finished, there is lots of scope for gospel opportunities and conversations with those non-Christians who attended. With many couples with young children desperate for good advice on bringing up their children, I do hope the Christians who did the course will think about meeting up one-to-one with friends and neighbours and going through the course with them using the study guide. I’m sure we will run the course again and, although it was lovely to have Ann running it for us this time, I would feel confident, with the really clear course material that is available, to run it in-house next time. Andrea Trevenna,
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