Cheers to our friends at MotherWise! This program in Denver, CO, has just completed their first Incredible Years® course with Spanish-speaking mothers – online!  IY group leader Emily Parkey has shared their success with us.

I am overcome with joy and love after participating this morning in MotherWise’s Virtual Spanish IY Program Celebration! 

I would like to take a moment to recognize MotherWise, under the leadership of Executive Director, Galena Rhoades, and Programs and Community Outreach Manager, Jessie Purcel, for making the decision to provide the class virtually to meet participants’ needs during the quarantine.

Parent Program Facilitator, Amanda Love, advocated for the class to take place online after the class was abruptly shut down in mid-March due to Covid-19. Throughout the quarantine, Amanda kept in touch with class participants who felt like they needed the class more than ever, given the increase in time spent at home with their children. Amanda and Jessie problem solved ways to ensure that participants could receive meals and incentives on class nights, and even linked participants’ children to virtual childcare programming throughout the class to ensure that participants could fully interact with the program content.

Under Amanda’s leadership, the virtual program maintained the vast majority of original participants, and was a great way to boost participants’ confidence levels and parenting skill sets throughout the quarantine. Even better, throughout the course of the program, participants strengthened relationships with their children and each other. They now have created a network of Spanish-speaking mothers who will continue to practice skills and support each other long after the program’s end.

At today’s ceremony each graduate mentioned what they had learned from the program, and I would love to share some of these take-always with you (translated from Spanish).

“Especially in this time of coronavirus in which we are all inside of our houses this class has taught me how to be more patient. I am a better mom now because I know how to listen to my children.”

“I was surprised because I thought that this class was going to tell us all of the things that we were doing wrong. Instead, this class taught me to put myself in my child’s shoes to understand how she thinks.”

“My favorite part has been teaching my children how to solve their own problems. I think that this will help them, not only now, but in the future.”

“My favorite part was learning about time out. My daughter doesn’t see it as a punishment, but as a reset. She finishes her time and then goes on her way.”

“I am less authoritarian. I give fewer commands. It’s not about punishing children, we can have fun together.”

“I learned how to praise my child. Now he also praises me!”

Amanda, congratulations for creating a beautiful connection and community with these mothers – and for harnessing the power of their parenting with great fidelity to the Incredible Years Program!

Sincerely,
Emily Parkey
Bilingual Program Consultant
Invest in Kids
Denver, CO

Cheers to everyone at MotherWise, and to Emily for sharing their success with us!

To learn more about MotherWise, please click here to visit their website.