Drogheda Independent

‘Incredible’ success...

DEVELOPER OF THE “INCREDIBLE YEARS” PROGRAMME CAROLYN WEBSTER-STRATTON VISITS CO LOUTH AND TALKS TO ALISON COMYN ABOUT THE JOURNEY

-

TEARS were flowing at the graduation of parents from the Incredible Years programme in the d Hotel last Thursday morning, but they were tears of happiness. In fact, if you could bottle joy in a room, you could have filled a cellar-full, such was the positive and moving testimonie­s coming from those who have completed the programme.

The graduation was made even more special by the presence of the founder and developer of the series, Carolyn Webster-Stratton, who was visiting Drogheda and Dundalk last week to mark ten years since the first programmes were completed.

‘By the time it was my turn, I could barely speak it was so emotional,’ Carolyn said after the ceremony.

‘It was amazing to hear how my programme has changed their lives, and you can help people find more joy in their children and know they’re not alone.’

It was back in June 2008 when a group of parents with children attending St. John’s JNS in Drogheda completed the first ever Incredible Years programme to be delivered in Co Louth.

Ten years later and with thousands of children, parents, early years profession­als and teachers having benefitted from a range of Incredible Years programmes, several events have been held to mark its success.

‘ The visit of Carolyn Webster-Stratton is significan­t in that it is her way of acknowledg­ing the huge work undertaken here to implement the Incredible Years series,’ Hugh Doogan, Programme Manager with The Genesis Programme said.

‘ The programme is delivered across the globe and to have the person who developed the programme spend four days with us is just brilliant for everyone involved.’

One parent Gail spoke with emotion about how the programme had saved her life.

‘Parenting didn’t come naturally to me and I was really struggling, but doing the course totally changed my approach,’ she said candidly.

‘We are now all more relaxed as a family and our home is happier, and that’s all through focussing on the child in a more positive way.’

She says she would recommend the programme to everyone who wants to be a parent or has just had children.

‘Everyone should do this programme, from all walks of life and in my opinion, it is every bit as important as ante-natal classes,’ she adds.

Mother of three Vicky agrees that the programme has changed her life for the better.

‘When my eldest was 11, it just crept up on me, and I just realised that it was a lot of work and I was totally overwhelme­d, and it’s like Groundhog Day and something’s going to snap,’ said the Drogheda mum.

‘I didn’t go looking for the Incredible Years, but Marymount school recommende­d the series and I did it because I wanted to enjoy being a parent.’

Vicky has three children; Jack in nearly four, Lucy is 6 and Amy is nearly 11.

She said she had no idea what to expect before taking part, and many parents thought they were going to get tips on how to make our children behave, but it was such a joy to see it wasn’t like that, and it’s really as simple as changing our language, being more positive and retraining our own instincts.

‘From changing a negative sounding sentence to a positive one, the children instinctiv­ely know what to do, and instead of shouting, I ask nicely, and it gets done - and it works on adults too.’

Some graduates of the first programmes have now become course facilitato­rs, and love to be able to pass on how they benefited to others.

‘Hearing the stories today is exactly why I do it,’ says Nicola Chambers, mum to Shannon, Nathan, Jane and Leo, with a huge smile.

‘I was a shouty, stressed parent and it helped me change my mindset - it’s not your children you need to change, it’s you who needs to change - and I became a much better parent.’

Mum to Abbey (12), Niamh (9) and Rachel (5), facilitato­r Paula Holland agrees.

‘It’s all about giving the changes time and learning to be more positive,’ she explains.

‘Parenting is hard – you take the baby out of the hospital in one arm, you should have this book under the other! It’s good to know the support is there; one child, two children, five children ,we all go through the same things, and you can see you’re not alone, and we can all go through it together.’

Carolyn Webster-Stratton has written a book summarizin­g the research of these programs and methods of program delivery, entitled The Incredible Years Parents, Teachers and Children’s Training Series: Program Content, Methods, Research and Disseminat­ion. The programme interventi­ons have been translated into many languages and are being used in over 24 countries.

The American author has visited over 40 countries with her programme, yet this is the first time she has been invited to schools to see it in action.

She was taken to St. Patrick’s NS, St. Brigid’s NS, Clever Cloggs creche, Moneymore Childcare Centre and Marymount NS, and says she was delighted to see how happy the children were.

‘ This is all about bringing teachers and parents together to provide the same support, “she added. “Every school I walked into, I felt such joy, and it’s clear the community is committed to developing children in the best possible way.’

 ??  ??
 ??  ?? The group from St. John’s NS at the Incredible years presentati­ons in the d hotel
The group from St. John’s NS at the Incredible years presentati­ons in the d hotel

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Ireland