Parent plussed

Mrs Raheny and I attended the fifth and last session of the Parent Plus program this morning.
We are not the best parents. Far from it. But after 5 weeks, we are better parents.
The program is aimed at parents of kids with special needs but I would imagine that it could benefit any owner of a few attention hungry kids (I have yet to meet an attention satiated child...)
I got an awful lot more from that course than I would have dreamed of achieving.
Those of you who read this journal regularly may have detected a slight tendency towards easy cynicism.
Well, I must say that Raheny_Eye, and his irritating habit of taking everything lightly and with an air of half disguised blasé superiority, has been humbled.
I have learned an awful lot.
I have learned more than what your common sense and instinct tell you to do (or a Lean Six Sigma initiative on improved parenting -shudder- ).
I have always opted for an instinctive approach to parenthood and I realise now that even though you may be doing a lot of pretty good things instinctively, there is still a lot more that can be learned.
The group therapy education dimension for one has surprised me in its effectiveness and lack of artificiality.
You could not have assembled a more diverse group of parents than those we shared the course with.
And yet, after a very brief initial stage of reserve or shyness, everyone began to share their experiences, and difficulties, and frustrations with the rest of the group in a very open fashion.
Being able to openly discuss the daily struggle of raising a child diagnosed with Asperger, or ADHD, or serious behavioural issues was enlightening.
I came out of the course less of a know all and more of a willing to listen.
We have both been given great tools to help us deal with discipline issues. We have learned to be better parents not just for Luca, but for our three children
Today's blip is particularly important for me.
It will be something to look back on when the going gets tough. To make sure that the lessons learned are not unlearned too fast.
I doubt it.

Normal service resumes tomorrow.

Apparently, defending the family's food supply with all fangs and claws out is no longer an essential parental skill...

Bollix.