Parent University gives parents tips and tools for raising children and working with them on school assignments.
Daily Reporter file photo
FORTVILLE – Tips and tricks for navigating parenthood in today’s culture will be offered at an upcoming event in Fortville.
The third annual Parent University offers courses on relationships, nutrition, online safety, career planning, mental health and more.
Scheduled for 5-9 p.m. Oct. 17 at the Mt. Vernon Administration Building, the event hosted by Mt. Vernon Education Foundation is designed to break down barriers in an all-access pass to improve skills for caring for children and teens.
“We know parents are super busy, they’re working or they’re single parents, so we want to make it easy for them so we provide a meal that evening as well as childcare,” said Renee Oldham, director of the foundation. “We want to make it super easy for them to come in and pick up resources and tools to make them more effective with parenting and providing them with … tools and resources.”
Attendees will hear from a keynote speaker during dinner and choose sessions to attend to learn more, based on the age and development of their children.
Kids will be entertained by high school volunteers and also get a bite to eat; if they need help with homework, tutoring is available too.
“It’s really looking at the holistic aspect of parenting and the nice thing about it is, it’s not just for parents, but caregivers,” she said. “There are a lot more grandparents that are playing an active role in parenting today.”
The program is supported by the Wortman Family Foundation and is one of only two in Indiana that Oldham is aware of.
English tools and assistance for non-native English speakers are available.
Participants do not have to live in the Mt. Vernon school district to attend.
“We see a lot of parents attend this that we don’t see at other functions, and it’s very laid back and engaging because you get to meet other parents who are going through similar kinds of questions so it’s just a community of parents,” she said. “It’s really been exciting to watch the interaction of parents of all levels of kids in school.”
Registration and updates are found at mtvernonfoundation.org.
