Parenting School Age Children

When your child turns 5, they start to gain a new level of independence. Between the ages of 5 and 11, they spend more time at school, with friends, and participating in extra-curricular activities. This means they are spending less time with you under your direct supervision and care.

Since you can’t be there to solve all of your child’s problems as they occur, you need skills to teach them to be independent and make positive choices. The Parenting School Age Children workshop offers a way to help you understand how they’re growing up and the type of role you should have with them as they go through the school years.

Who can attend?

Any caregiver who is parenting a child between 5 and 11 years old
Caregivers interested in establishing positive parenting practices or addressing challenges in school age children

What will you learn?

You will build skills for parenting school-age children by understanding:

What to expect as your child grows and develops
Your parenting style and how it affects your child
Why school-age children behave the way they do
How to positively guide behaviours
How to better communicate with your child
What bonding is and why it’s important

Ways to teach your child problem-solving skills
The ins and outs of self-esteem
Discipline strategies
Internet safety
Chores – what to expect and when
What drives power struggles and how to address them
How to care for yourself during this stage

By the end of the session, you will feel more comfortable:

Creating effective parenting strategies and giving positive feedback
Addressing misbehaviour or other issues
Setting boundaries, limits, and guidelines
Communicating with your child
Providing a nurturing home environment
Minimizing the negative effects of divorce or separation (if applicable), and
Solving day-to-day problems and challenges

When and where is the class offered?

The class is available as a group workshop or a private class.
The group class is offered several times per year. Scroll down for upcoming dates.
You can attend this class online or in person at our office at 9912-106 Street, Edmonton.
In our group workshops, you will have many opportunities to ask questions, learn about yourself and your family, hear others’ experiences, and practise new skills. Many people who attend our workshops say they feel better after attending because they realize that they are not alone.
In a private class, you will receive the same amount of information as our group workshops, condensed into 3 hours with the facilitator. These are ideal for individuals or couples who want to get started sooner than the next group workshop, can’t attend the group workshops due to work schedules or other personal commitments, or simply prefer a more private setting.

How much does it cost?

Group workshops: $150 per person.

Private session: $325

We are dedicated to supporting families of all income levels. We offer a subsidy for attending the group workshop for this class, thanks to funding from the City of Edmonton Family and Community Support Services.

If needed, you can apply for a subsidy by selecting one of the subsidy options in the registration form.

Please note, these subsidies are available for individuals registering themselves for a class. If you are an organization looking to register your client, please pay the full fee or get in touch to discuss funding options. If you'd like to donate to The Family Centre in lieu of paying for the class, you can do so here. All donations go right back into covering the next person who cannot afford the full fee. Please add “Education Services” to the message field.

Additional resources

Frequently asked questions about classes

Read in our blog: Helping children cope with school-based anxiety

Read in our blog: Take the work out of homework

Holiday Closure Notice

Parenting School-Age Children