Positive Parenting

Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) Albany County offers parenting education for parents/caregivers of babies – teens. These programs are open to the public and free to attend.  Current program offerings:

Magic Years Flyer - January/February 2025

Middle Years Flyer - January/February 2025

The Tween/Teen Years Flyer - January 2025

Workshops can also be requested by community partners as a standalone program/training or combined for a series. Workshops can be delivered virtually, in-person, or hybrid. To receive more information or schedule a workshop, contact CCE Resource Educator Maria DeLucia-Evans at 518.765.3559 or mkd59@cornell.edu.

1.Parenting in Times of Stress: Raising Resilient Youth
Whether it’s managing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic or negotiating other stressful life events, life’s unpredictability can create parenting challenges as we strive to raise healthy children. Join Cornell Cooperative Extension Albany County to discuss strategies that can help parents/caregivers manage the impact of stressful events on youth of all ages and families.

We will discuss the importance of stress management for parents/caregivers, how we see stress manifest in children and teens, and how to develop positive coping skills. We will also share strategies to help youth better manage school year stresses, understand the power of purpose and gratitude, and develop resilience, self-respect, and a positive self-image—their armor against the challenges of the world.

(This program can be customized to target children ages 5 - 10 or tweens/teens.)

2.Improving Family Communication
Developing healthy, trusting communication can be a challenge for any family. Join Cornell Cooperative Extension Albany County to learn how to get your kids talking and keep the conversation going. For younger kids – teens, we will discuss positive communication strategies that help kids open up and reduce family conflict. Learn strategies and practical ways to develop stronger family connections that make the tougher parts of parenting and discipline easier and more rewarding.

3.Raising Healthy Kids in a Digital World
Join Cornell Cooperative Extension Albany County to discuss how we can better help our kids find balance with media and tech use. We’ll explore the importance of media literacy and how we can raise our kids to be critical thinkers as they consume media. We’ll share how to keep our kids safe online and how to use media to create meaningful connections within our families. Learn about Cornell’s Social Media Test Drive tool and how to create a social media contract with your kids.

(This program can be customized to target children ages 5 -10 or tweens/teens.)

4.The Magic Years
The Magic Years is a six-hour, researched-based parent education program for parents/caregivers of children from birth – 4-years-old. This program may be in offered in a full-series or in topic-specific workshops, as identified below.

Topics include strategies on how to manage parent and child stress, understand the stages of child development, and how to best support these stages. We will discuss how to set up (or better manage) routines surrounding bedtime, bathing, family meals and toilet training. We will also better understand parenting responsibilities, styles, and learn strategies for positive discipline tools that really work. Join us to discuss parenting strategies that are positive, supportive, and provide you with valuable information on best practices for you and your children.

5.The Middle Years
The Middle Years is a six-hour, researched-based parent education program for parents/caregivers of children ages 5 – 10. This program may be in offered in a full-series or in topic-specific workshops, as identified below.

This researched-based parenting program helps parents/caregivers with children from ages 5 – 10 enhance their parenting skills. This program will assist participants, who are experts on their families, in developing a deeper understanding of how their personal and parenting knowledge and behavior affects their children. Topics include managing parent and child stress, understanding parenting styles, raising responsible children, improving family communication and strengthening family relationships. This program will also include helpful family activities, and activities for parents/caregivers to share with their youth.

6.The Tween/Teen Years
The Tween/Teen Years is a six-hour, researched-based parent education program for parents/caregivers of children ages 11 – 18. This program may be in offered in a full-series or in topic-specific workshops, as identified below.

This researched-based parenting education program provides parents/caregivers with best practices for parenting children ages 11 – 18. This program will assist participants, who are experts on their families, in developing a deeper understanding of how their personal and parenting knowledge and behavior affects their children. Topics will include, understanding parenting styles and tween and teen development, how to improve family communication, and create a better understanding of tween and teen challenges. We will also discuss discipline strategies and managing parent and child stress. This program will also include helpful family activities, and activities for parents/caregivers to share with their youth.

7.Strengthening Families Program
Thisis an interactive program for parents/caregivers and youth to celebrate family strengths through fun activities. Participating parents/caregivers and youth will learn and practice strategies for successful family communication, reaffirm what youth and adults need from each other, and discover the power of compliments and positive communication. The Strengthening Families Program strives to empower families. We celebrate family strengths, improve communication skills, and provide support to both youth and parents/caregivers. This program can be offered as a standalone workshop or in a series.

Last updated November 18, 2024