The Redwood Coast Parent Project is starting a new series in October. The Parent Project is designed to support parents and families as they navigate adolescent behavior and strive to better understand how to relate to their teen children.

This 11-week course is for parents with children ages 10 and over and includes systematic concrete skills for preventing and interrupting risky teen behavior, and developing effective tools to strengthen the relationship between parents and children.

The choices adolescents make today are critical indicators for how they will transition into the adult world. Parents have the difficult task of letting go while being the most important influence a teen has. This research-based program will give parents the skills to influence, not control, today’s teens.

When facing challenges with teens, parents need three things: desire, information, and emotional support. The Parent Project provides all three elements in an 11-week workshop that will build a foundation for success.

Topics address and focus specifically on parent concerns. Some of the topics may include poor school performance, teen violence and bullying, arguing and/or backtalk, influence of social media and technology, teen sexuality, peer associations and drug or alcohol use.

“Parent Project is both an intervention and a prevention workshop,” states Parent Project organizer, Gillian Wadsworth. “It gives parents a preview of what their teens will be facing in Jr. High and High School, and gives parents concrete tools to help their teens navigate through some challenging times. It also teaches parents how to step in and redirect destructive adolescent behavior if it’s already happening.”

For more information, contact Gillian Wadsworth LCSW, Coordinator at (707) 445-7098 or gwadsworth@hcoe.org.