Unlike DVRs, children don’t come with instructions. Yet parenting is the most important job we do as adults. In fact, the mental and emotional well-being of families depends upon effective parenting. The stakes are high.

The quality of the relationship between a parent and child has life-long consequences for children. Ineffective parenting leads to poor behavior control in children, destructive and violent behavior, compromised capacity to learn and poor academic performance. In contrast, effective parenting helps a child develop self-confidence, enjoy better mental health, become motivated to learn, and learn ways to resolve conflict without violence. Children raised by effective parents are more likely to be successful in the workplace and in relationships. And they are far more likely to be better parents themselves.

Research shows that ineffective parenting and abusive behavior by adults can even affect the way their child’s brain develops.

If we can enable parents to develop consistently secure, stable and compassionate relationships with their children, society as a whole will benefit. Parenting education is an important tool to accomplish this goal.

Does this happen to you?

"I’m tired of always yelling at my three kids to get ready for school."

"I’m always late for work. When my two children start arguing, I yell a lot and hit them sometimes. I want this to stop but I don’t know what to do."

My older child does not like to do homework- all he wants to do is play his computer game. I yell at home to stop and if he doesn’t, I threaten him with a belt."

Every time I punish my child he says he will kill himself."

"I have four kids—three of them get ready for school on their own. But my second oldest is very lazy and many times I have to dress him."

If you answered "yes," to any of the above, you’re not alone. C4 Parenting Education Program (PEP) can teach you effective parenting skills. You’ll learn alternative ways of discipline, how to improve communication with your child, and how to strengthen your relationship.

For information on PEP, contact Katharine Bensinger at 773.765.0829 or Katharine.bensinger@c4chciago.org.

Our Parenting Education Program (PEP) offers comprehensive services that include classes, home visits for individualized support, and peer support groups.

PEP is offered in English and Spanish. The core classes are offered in eight-week sessions with the content targeted to parents whose children are in four age groups: 0-3, 4-7, 7-12, 12-17. Parents learn communication skills, what to expect at age state of development, effective discipline strategies, and how to build better relationships with their children, self-care, including relaxation techniques to relieve stress, and other topics.

Lessons are reinforced during home visits by parent educators, who give specialized instruction and “hands-on” demonstrations in the home. This also gives parent educators the opportunity to observe if the family has special need for support services, such as substance use or mental health counseling, special educational services for children, help finding affordable housing, legal help, or furnishings. Referrals are then made for C4 services or programs offered by social service agencies.

After completing a session, parents are invited to join parent support groups where parents can continue to talk about their concerns in a supportive environment.

Classes are offered at C4 sites (4740 N. Clark and North Avenue) as well as in community health centers, schools, and public libraries.

Bus passes are available for parents and children. Children are welcome to attend supervised art activities while parents are in session.

For the latest PEP schedule, click here.

To view the PEP brochure in English, click here.

To view the PEP brochure in Spanish, click here (translate this).

To see what Chicago Parent had to say about PEP, click here.

For more information or to register for PEP, contact Katharine Bensinger at 773.765.0829 or email Katharine.bensinger@c4chicago.org

Ed hadn’t seen his daughter since she was a newborn. C4’s parenting classes helped Ed put his anger with his daughter’s mother aside to enjoy his newly won visitation rights.

When he saw his 8-year-old for the first time, Ed remembered the advice he got from parents and professionals at C4. He smiled and said, “Hello.”

Ed says, “Without C4, I would not have my daughter back in my life.”

When Ed finally visited with his eight-year-old daughter at McDonalds, it was bittersweet.

After several years of court battles, he had finally obtained visitation rights to see the brown-eyed girl he had not laid eyes on since she was a newborn.

“It was very hard not to run over and hold her in a big bear hug,” recalls Ed, “but I didn’t want to overwhelm her. “ Instead, the 34-year-old father took the advice of other parents and coordinator at a C4 parenting class he had just enrolled in. He simply looked at his beautiful daughter and said hello.

“The other parents helped me deal with painful feelings, like why I wasn’t there for my daughter during those eight years,” Ed says. “They helped me realize that I couldn’t blame her mother if I wanted to avoid hurting my daughter.”

The North Side realtor took baby steps, inching back into his daughter’s life. Accompanied by other family members, the father and daughter met at local parks. He met her at the McDonalds’ Playspace. He talked to her. He grew to know her.

Other C4 parents gave Ed the advice and emotional support he needed to re-establish his relationship with Jadian. When his own father faced life-threatening heart surgery, Ed was initially angered by his former spouse's refusal to let his father see the granddaughter he had never met.

Taking the advice from the parenting class, Ed did not react angrily. Instead, he took his daughter's photo to his father’s bedside.

“Without C4, I would not have my daughter back in my life,” Ed observes.

Interested in journaling or other C4 services? Call 773.769.0205 to get started.