Spanish Parenting Group
Before Marcela, age 3, got involved with Children’s Nurturing Project Services (CNP), her life was confused. She didn’t know how to relate to her mother, or how to behave when her father was at her house. Marcela’s parents separated a while ago, so Marcela lives 4 days a week at her father’s house and 3 days at her mother’s house.
So many of the things that you and I take for granted, such as hugging our mother, and being able to tell her how much we love her just weren’t possible for Marcela. It seemed too hard for her to be nice with both of her parents. Marcela’s father often said bad things about her mother in front of her. Marcela was confused and took advantage of the situation by manipulating her mother as a coping mechanism for the stress she endured.
Julia (Marcela’s Mother) came to, Children’s Nurturing Project for the Spanish Parenting Classes. Julia is a teen mom; she gave birth to Marcela when she was 15 years old. Mother expressed that she didn’t know how to treat her daughter as well. She wanted to have better parenting skills and know how to set limits for her daughter when she’s acting out and being disrespectful with her. Within 9 weeks, Julia’s and Marcela’s life turned around. Rather than battle, she was able to use the correct discipline techniques such as “Time Out”. Our NPP program taught her how to increase a better relationship with her daughter which also helped her to get back on her feet again. People who witnessed Julia and her daughter together in the past now see a different person who is full of life and able to appropriately discipline her daughter using nurturing techniques. Really, what we provided her was a sense of pride, dignity and confidence. Now she is able to utilize her parenting skills and get back out there to be a good parent.
Now, Julia is thriving. She says life will never be the same. Every time she thinks about all that she learned, she says “thanks Children’s Nurturing Project for giving me back my pride” and is also thankful for having Marcela’s respect back. Now she has a better education, dignity and hope for a healthier relationship with her daughter. The last time I saw her she was attending other classes to improve her knowledge. Marcela is now a happy, healthy, and social little girl who appears to be developing normally. Marcela and her mother now enjoy a closer and more connected relationship.
Marcela and her mother are just one example of the lives that are being changed every day here at Children’s Nurturing Project, thanks to the support of First 5 Solano IFSI/ Parenting for Isolated Monolingual Spanish families.
