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Family Services

Parenting
Education

Kids don’t come with instructions, but you can learn practical tips and gain inspiration to help you parent. Our courses are open to all parents and caregivers, wherever you are on the parenting journey.

We have programmes to help you at each step

Lifewise has a course that will give you tools to help at each stage of the parenting journey. We also offer a course to help your kids when you separate. Each course has a supportive, judgement-free environment.

Costs:

There is no charge for the Parenting Through Separation course.

For the other six week courses, the cost for the materials is $75 per individual or $110 per couple (+ $10 courier fee).

There is a subsidy available for financial hardship if needed. Just let the Family Services team know.

“There’s power in humour, it helps people to open up. There’s ‘no blame, no shame’. We use videos, role play and get parents to have a laugh, which inspires confidence and teaches fun and effective parenting.

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We offer online courses with Zoom

Running our courses by Zoom means we can run them even if there is a change in Alert Levels. We’ve had great feedback from parents about our Zoom sessions. We will walk you through each step of the zoom process and help you along the way. Please let us know if you’d like more information about how it works.

Here’s what you’ll need for Zoom sessions:

  • A device
  • A stable internet connection
  • A private space free from interruption
  • Be ready to join the Zoom course on time with the link we’ll send you

You can reach us on familyservices@lifewise.org.nz or by calling 09 818 6834 – choose option 3 for parenting courses.

A child using an Apple laptop

Preschool Years Toolbox Parenting Course

Six Monday evenings 

8 May to 19 June, 7pm to 9pm, New Lynn office

Topics:

  • The Foundation of Love – Parent Vision, Building Connection, Love Languages.
  • Parenting Styles – Sergeant Major, Jellyfish, Too Busy, the Parent Coach Style, Looking after Ourselves.
  • Understanding Emotions – a Parent Coach Approach to Emotions, Ages & Stages.
  • Understanding Behaviour – a Parent Coach Approach to Behaviour, Putting It Into Action, Getting All The Adults on Board.
  • Understanding The World of the Preschooler – Common Challenges (picky eating, bedtimes, screen time, preschool drop-off/clinginess).
  • Delaying Gratification – Technology, Putting It All Together, Your Dream for your Tamariki.

You can register here with our Parenting Education Booking Form.

A mother sitting with her baby and toddler, watching a parenting seminar from home
Three little girls sitting together on a grassy bank.

Building Awesome Whānau (0-12) Toolbox Parenting Course

Six Friday morning sessions 

26 May to 30 June, 9:15am to 11:15am, New Lynn office

Topics: 

  • Laying the foundations of aroha – Parent Vision; Soul Food (the Five Love Languages); Quality Time & Quantity Time; basic children’s needs; the importance of Attachment; the “Science of Love”.
  • Parents are the roof: protecting our whanau – the mana of the parent; keeping our children safe; our default Parenting Styles; the Backbone Parent Coach; building rangatira; caring for ourselves too.
  • The walls of the whare : boundaries and discipline – the real meaning of discipline; rules and boundaries; giving children choices; appropriate consequences; “good” discipline.
  • Keep it sweet: atmosphere is everything – how to sweeten up the atmosphere; the value of children doing chores; the importance of play; the value of eating meals all together; building a museum of memories.
  • Cool kōrero: communication – tone of voice is a big issue; Reflective Listening & how to practise it; getting kids talking; parenting tools and strategies; Whanau Hui (family meetings); giving our kids ‘bounce’.
  • Outside the whare: living in the big wide world – school; the importance of enough sleep; learning starts at home; if your kids are in trouble; ANGER – our own and our children’s; our dreams for our children.

You can register here with our Parenting Education Booking Form.

Children

Primary Years Toolbox Course (5-12)

Six Tuesday evenings

9 May to 13 June, 7pm to 9pm, New Lynn office.

Topics: 

  • The foundation of love – parent vision, building connection, love languages.
  • Parenting styles – sergeant major, jellyfish, too busy, the parent coach Style, Looking after Ourselves.
  • Atmosphere – play, personality types, ages & stages.
  • Building resilience – reflective listening, problem solving, handling anger.
  • Loving discipline – boundaries and consequences.
  • Delaying gratification – technology, putting it all together, your dream for your tamariki.

You can register here with our Parenting Education Booking Form.

Teenage Years (13+) Toolbox Parenting Course

Six Wednesday evenings

10 May to 14 June, 7pm to 9pm, New Lynn office.

Topics:

  • Understanding love and connection
  • Understanding yourself as a parent
  • Understanding our teenagers
  • Understanding the world they live in
  • Understanding discipline and boundaries
  • Understanding a culture of connection

You can register here with our Parenting Education Booking Form.

A young teenage girl with a sullen expression, listening to music
A mother and child hugging outdoors

Parenting Through Separation – Northland Courses

2 x 2 hour sessions (Online via Zoom)

  • Tuesday 6th & Thursday 8th June – 7pm to 9pm
  • Tuesday 20th & Thursday 22nd June – 7pm to 9pm

1 x 4 hour session – (Whangārei, NorthTec Campus) – In person course.

  • Saturday 10th June – 10am to 2pm
  • Saturday 24th June – 10am to 2pm

Parenting Through Separation

You can choose to do this course in either one four-hour session, or in two x two-hour sessions.

Separating from your partner or spouse is usually stressful, but the effects of this can be minimised for your children.

You can register with our Parenting Education Booking Form here.

We currently offer courses in Auckland and Northland. If we don’t offer courses in your region, check the Ministry of Justice website for a provider close to you.

Parenting Through Separation – Auckland Courses

1 x 4 hour session – (New Lynn office) – In person course

  • Thursday 1st June – 5pm to 9pm
  • Thursday 15th June – 5pm to 9pm
  • Tuesday 27th June – 5pm to 9pm

1 x 4 hour session (Online via Zoom)

  • Friday 2nd June – 9:30am to 1:30pm
  • Thursday 8th June – 6pm to 10pm
  • Friday 9th June – 9:30am to 1:30pm
  • Friday 16th June – 9:30am to 1:30pm
  • Wednesday, 21st June – 6pm to 10pm
  • Friday 23rd June – 9:30am to 1:30pm

2 x 2 hour sessions (Online via Zoom) – Auckland participants

  • Monday 19th & Tuesday 20th June – 7pm to 9pm

1 x 4 hour session – (East Auckland) – In person course

  • Saturday 17th June – 9:30am to 1:30pm

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