Because programs that support parents are needed now more than ever, Children’s Trust continues to work with its partners across South Carolina to deliver services to children and families during the coronavirus pandemic. While social distancing has limited much of the in-person contact usually employed by our prevention programs, our partners have skillfully adapted their work to ensure children and families receive the support and resources they need to stay strong in these trying times. Earlier this year Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) service delivery began in Greenville County through activating organization Greenville First Steps with funding and support from Children’s Trust. Virginia Bikas, the Triple P community capacity coach in Greenville for Children’s Trust, and Nicole Sheppard, Greenville First Steps program director for the Triple P project, are guiding this effort. As one of the newly-trained Triple P practitioners, Gayle Ford, a career developmental specialist with SHARE Head Start, began giving parents simple and practical strategies to help them build strong and healthy relationships, confidently manage their children’s behavior, and prevent problems from developing. She shares her experience to date on putting the program into practice during these difficult times.
Explain why you wanted to be a Triple P practitioner and what you believe this program can accomplish in your community.
“In the past couple of years, our program has seen an increase in the number of children with challenging behaviors. Our program has participated in training in Conscious Discipline and the Pyramid Approach to assist our teachers with building strategies to deal with these young children in the classroom. However, there had not been any specific type of program that we used to help parents. In the past, I have trained parents on the curriculum and other educational aspects to provide quality time with their children. Triple P offered a way to incorporate training that would help parents deal with everyday parenting challenges as well as some more difficult behavior concerns.”
Are you seeing the impact of added stress related for parents and their families?
“Yes, some parents were already stretched to the breaking point prior to COVID-19. The pandemic and subsequent lockdown just exacerbated issues that parents were already addressing or that they did not know they needed to deal with until they were unable to have a break from their child for an extended period of time.”
How has delivery of Triple P been altered due to the pandemic?
“Prior to the pandemic lockdown, I offered one face-to-face class. However, I only had one participant because concern over COVID-19 had started to spread. After the lockdown, we just went virtual because that was the best way to get the information out and still stay safe.”
Gayle Ford
Are the lessons of positive parenting more important than ever in tough times?
“South Carolina has a reputation for domestic violence and child abuse. As such, providing parents with positive alternatives to the traditional discipline methods is more important. Positive parenting techniques help to alleviate the stress that parents may be feeling over financial concerns, health concerns, employment concerns, and mental health issues.”
What should parents know about navigating challenges as they raise their children?
“Parents need to understand that family is important. Also, the decisions they make today will have an impact on the person their child becomes tomorrow. Parents should not be afraid to say, ‘I don’t know,’ and be willing to seek out information and answers to those questions and concerns that inevitably arise.”
Learn more about Triple P at Children’s Trust
Learn more about Triple P at Greenville First Steps
Learn more about SHARE Head Start
