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Parent Education

The Mental Health Association’s parent education programs are designed to encourage positive parenting, build family strengths, and teach about subject matter that families and youth face today.

Internet Safety for Parents

The Internet is here to stay. This new form of technology allows students access to more resources and information than ever before. The Internet is a tremendous benefit to education when used appropriately but can also cause great harm. Through an interactive seminar, adults will learn about the newest technologies such as MySpace, Facebook, Instant Messaging, Chat Rooms, Cyberbullying and On-Line Gaming.

In addition, parents will learn:

• How sexual predators, hackers, con artists and e-mail spammers threaten children
• How to use e-mail, chat rooms and surfing tools safely
• How specialty software can help parents monitor online activity
• How to set limits and encourage responsible Internet use
• How to talk “Cyberspeak”: Internet vocabulary words and language
• The definition and problems associated with Cyberbulling

The seminars are well-suited for public and private schools, day care centers, PTA’s, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts and church groups. Presentations can be scheduled throughout the calendar year by contacting Cathie Deadrick at 301-663-0011 ext. 162.

The following links provide valuable information on Internet safety, preventing the victimization of children, and identifying child victims:

www.wiredsafety.com
www.netsmatz.org
www.missingkids.com

The Mental Health Association of Frederick County’s Approach to Parent Education

The five Protective Factors are the foundation of our parent education approach. Extensive research supports the common-sense notion that when these Protective Factors are present and robust in a family, the likelihood of child abuse and neglect diminish.

• Parental resilience: The ability to cope and bounce back from all types of challenges
• Social connections: Friends, family members, neighbors, and other members of a community who provide emotional support and concrete assistance to parents
• Knowledge of parenting and child development: Accurate information about raising young children and appropriate expectations for their behavior
• Concrete support in times of need: Financial security to cover day-to-day expenses and unexpected costs that come up from time to time, access to formal supports like TANF and Medicaid, and informal support from social networks
• Children’s social and emotional development: A child’s ability to interact positively with others and communicate his or her emotions effectively