Baby Steps to Parenthood

 At Parenting Matters, we believe that all parents need the support they can get in raising their young ones. It takes a village to raise a child and we would be honoured to be a part of your village.

We are offering a 3 session course for expectant and new parents to prepare for this important milestone in their life. Our sessions delve deep into the theme of building life long connections between parent and child. This happens alongside as they work on communication and building stronger emotional connections with their partner as they transition to this new phase. Each session will be 2 hours long, with ample time for Q & A. 

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CONTENT OF THE PROGRAM: 

Our program focusses on the emotional needs of the parents/care givers and baby. It creates opportunities for conversations between the parents/care givers on crucial aspects of raising a little human being.This works as a beautiful and wholesome complement to most antenatal programs that focus on the physical concerns of pregnancy, child birth and infant care as these are the most pressing concerns for expectant and new parents. 

Module 1- Transition
This module will support expectant parents to understand changes that this crucial transition period will bring into their lives. They can explore ways to effectively deal with these transitions and empower themselves to understand each other through invaluable conversations. This would be a start to an ongoing process of conversations between couples as their children grow. The session will also offer them the opportunity to reflect on the upkeep of their self-care and explore the concept of emotional regulation. 
 
Module 2- Reflection
Parents-to-be will use this module to reflect on the key questions of how they were parented and how they would like to parent? What would they like to continue with or let go of from their childhoods and how they were parented. This session will also offer them opportunities to become aware of each partner's back story, which is a crucial aspect of co-parenting with consciousness.  
 
Module 3- What Every Child Needs
This module will focus on the information from the latest research in brain science to raise awareness about what are the key elements that help a child thrive, and the role the parent plays in the formative years of childhood. A deep understanding of how the baby's growing brain develops is directly connected to the kind of interactions and experiences the parents give the baby.

 


WHY A PROGRAM FOR EXPECTANT AND NEW PARENTS?  

1. Bringing Science to parents: Today, we are aware of the enormous role parents' play in how children's brains develop. Neuroscience tells us that brain development starts in utero and that early interactions with the baby impacts the architecture of the child's brain.

John Medina, geneticist and molecular biologist, author of Brain Rules for Babies, says, " What you do before pregnancy, during pregnancy and through the first five years- will affect your children for the rest of their lives." 

Parenting Matters endeavours to support parents by sharing information from the latest research on brain science. Understanding the emotional and social needs of babies will empower young parents to make informed choices, be attuned to their babies and set a solid foundation for the optimal development of their child.

2. Changing times requires a change in approach:  With the disintegration of large families and communities, parents need a lot of support to understand and deal with the stresses that may accompany childbirth and parenthood. Parents talk about how they find the early years very difficult because they are unprepared or not fully prepared for the huge changes that happen. This often shows up in the communication between the couple. We would like to support parents be better prepared at both an emotional and practical level.

Our course will support couples in having key conversations - how they can work as a team to nurture the baby, how responsibilities will be shared,discuss the pros and cons of going back to work etc. 

3. Right information at the right time:  In our work with parents, since 2004, our participants share that they wish they had adequate knowledge and skills about parenting right at the start.The most common regret often is, "Oh I wish I had known this when my baby was born. There are so many things I would have done differently." They also share that breaking out of set patterns or practices which are not beneficial to the child is challenging. 

Beginning right at the start when parents are expecting a baby can make them feel empowered with the knowledge and skills to make informed decisions. 

 


 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

 
Who is this course for?
Anyone who is contemplating having a baby, expecting their little one or has a baby under the age of 3 months. We recommend they attend this course with their partner or whoever is supporting them in raising the child. If they cannot bring a partner along, we highly recommend them bringing along the individual who is their key support during this journey, as their course partner.
 
What is the time investment?
6 hour program, covered in three, 2 hour sessions.
 
Where can the course be attended from?
The course is being offered online via Zoom and can be attended from the comfort of your home.
 
Who will be conducting this course?
The course will be conducted by 1 or 2 experienced certified parent educators from Parenting Matters depending on the group size.
 
What will they receive as part of this course?
This is a very experiential and interactive course. The details of the 3 modules are shared above. Participants will also receive a workbook worth Rs.999 with detailed handouts and reflective exercises. Plenty of resources are also shared during the sessions and in the workbook. There is also in-depth Whatsapp engagement with the facilitators for the duration of the course. This will continue for 2 weeks after the completion of the sessions for participants to clarify queries and share experiences.  The whatsapp group often continues and becomes a valuable support network for participants in the future!
 
How many participants in a group?
We have an upper limit of 10 couples per group to ensure ample time for all participants to share and ask questions. 
 
How can I make the payment?
You can Gpay us on 95660 75368 or make a bank transfer.

Our bank details are:

Account Name: Parenting Matters

Bank account number: 00172020001253

Branch: Anna Nagar

Bank: HDFC Bank

IFSC Code: HDFC0000017

 
When is the next batch happening?
Just get in touch with us and we can run a batch for you at your convenience.  
 
How can I register for this program or plan to run it for employees in my organisation/ parents in my school?
Simply call us or whatsapp us on 95660 75368  Or write to us on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  
 

  

 * It is our sincere endeavour to make parent education available to any parent seeking it. If you are finding it difficult to pay the mentioned fee, please do reach out to us on 95660 75368.