- “We have had great success with Here, Now, and Down the Road in our unique setting (residential substance abuse treatment center for women with on-site child care). The response has been very positive and the attempts at enhanced bonding with children is heartwarming. We offer you all our appreciation for giving us the tools to make such a powerful impact in the lives of these ladies and their youngsters.”
- - Percy Brown
- Prevention Consultant
- Tulsa, Oklahoma
- “I must say that I, as well as many of the parents, are pleased with this program. It appears to be very clear cut and easy to understand. I have noticed ‘"light bulbs’ " actually going on while parents are involved in the different activities. My parents are loving it so much that I have actually had at least 5 to request an advanced class. Hooray!!!!! for "Here Now And Down The Road"!!!!”
- - Rhonda Parks
- Parent Education Specialist
- Kansas City, Missouri
- Comments from parent educators after completing HNDR training:
“This will empower parents in a way that they will be able to raise healthy, safe, resilient children.”- “It’s not about just discipline. The program helps children be survivors even though they may have difficult times in life.”
- “The resources provided in the curriculum, including exercises designed to facilitate experiential learning, are excellent.”
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About Here, Now and Down the Road... Tips For Loving Parents
- Here, Now and Down the Road - Strengths-based Parent Education
- How It Works
- Hands-on Training for Parent Educators
- Comprehensive Curriculum Materials for Parent Groups
Here, Now and Down the Road... Tips for Loving Parents
Strengths-based Parent Education
Here, Now and Down the Road...Tips for Loving Parents is a strengths-based parent education program designed to promote the resilient development of children ages three to eight. Here, Now and Down the Road works to foster positive relationships between parents and children and offers strategies that help parents support their children's social-emotional development and healthy decision-making. While Here, Now and Down the Road was developed as a companion program to Al's Pals: Kids Making Healthy Choices, the program also benefits parents whose children do not receive Al's Pals.
Here, Now and Down the Road enhances parents' skills to help children:
- Express feelings appropriately
- Use self-control
- Feel valued and special
- Calm down
- Develop creativity
- Solve problems
- Become meaningfully involved in family life
- Avoid harmful substances
How It Works
Here, Now and Down the Road . . . Tips for Loving Parents consists of 13 interactive modules, lasting 45 minutes each. Wingspan-trained parent educators create a relaxed learning environment and lead parents through carefully designed activities that generate discussion and exploration of parenting and family life.
Here, Now and Down the Road recognizes the uniqueness of each family and helps parents transfer classroom learning to their particular "real life" daily parenting. As parents gain an understanding of resilience and protective factors, they also explore how these concepts can be applied to their own family life, in practical and personal ways. Parents leave Here, Now and Down the Road sessions feeling more connected to their children and optimistic about their own parenting abilities.
While modules are designed to be delivered as part of an on-going parenting class, they can be conducted as "stand-alone" presentations. The flexibility of the program makes it easy for parents to benefit from any session they attend, whether or not they are able to participate in the entire curriculum.
Hands-on Training for Parent Educators
Training of parent educators is provided by Wingspan, the developer and national distributor of Here, Now and Down the Road. The two-day training is required for all parent educators who will deliver the program. Due to the interactive and experiential nature of the curriculum, it is recommended that two parent educators receive training to co-facilitate the program.
Parent educators from a wide variety of professions and backgrounds deliver the program, including:
- Social workers
- Family involvement specialists
- Guidance counselors
- Prevention staff and others
The training combines curriculum information with opportunities to explore the modules and practice delivery techniques. Parent educators appreciate the hands-on nature of the training.
Training topics for parent educators include:
- HNDR curriculum goals, framework and adult learning approaches
- Exploration of resilience, risk and protective factor research and the application of these concepts to daily family life
- Parenting strategies that promote the positive social and emotional development of young children
- The effective use of experiential learning approaches to advance participant learning
- How to manage difficult participants or situations, and transform these challenges into learning opportunities
For a group of parent educators who previously participated in Al's Pals training, special arrangements for one-day Here, Now, Down the Road training may be available. Contact an Outreach Specialist to make arrangements.
Comprehensive Curriculum Materials for Parent Groups
Here, Now and Down the Road curriculum materials are available for use only by those who complete Wingspan's training. Curriculum materials include:
- An extensive trainer's manual of 13 experiential modules, complete with instructional narratives, engaging group activities, take-home practice reminders, and feedback cards
- Seven original songs on cassette or CD
- Reproducible masters of parent handouts (also available in Spanish)
- Resilience and protective factors posters (also available in Spanish)