Strengthening Families

    Willow Leenders started taking parenting classes from Child Abuse Prevention Services, Inc. (CAPS) when her children were preschoolers because “children don’t come with instruction books.”  Willow liked the classes for two reasons, the first one is that the 
facilitators are educated in parenting and are parents themselves.  The second is that she enjoys being with other motivated parents. 
    At first, Willow’s husband Phil Weaver was reluctant to take the classes, but now he is glad that he has.  Phil thinks that the parenting classes have helped them communicate better as a couple.  “We have different perspectives on parenting, but now we spend time discussing how to deal with problems and how to ward off potential problems,” said Phil. 
    Willow and Phil feel that it is important for couples to take the parenting classes together.  They can’t stress enough how helpful they found the class on teenagers.  “The problems that kids face today are a lot different than what we faced as teenagers,” said the couple.