Should parenting classes be compulsary?

No matter what age the parents do you think we should be made to go to a course on parenting when pregnant?





Would this help the social work department or CPS see more cases of children who are at risk of neglect?Should parenting classes be compulsary?
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Yes especially for Mums like this in the link above really made me mad and few others.. and those who are finding becoming a parent worrying and those that just need help in general or those that have no help at all,Should parenting classes be compulsary?
In some parts of the UK there are parenting classes for mums who are seen as vulnerable. There are a variety of parenting program's but I think it would be difficult to force people to attend such classes. I do think many people and many children would benefit if parents did learn more before baby arrived.


That said there will always be cases of neglect and cruelty. What a child experiences is seen as normal and in many cases repeats itself when that child becomes a parent. It may even be worthwhile to add a parenting program to the school curriculum but I do not think teachers are necessarily the best people to deliver this.
No, parenting classes should not be compulsary.





Who would determine the right way and the wrong way to parent? There would be a right and a wrong in regards to birth options, feeding, discipline, education, etc. Do you really want the government having that much say in how you raise your child?





What would the punishment be for not attending teh classes, or if you do not pass the class? Compulsary abortions? Mandatory to put place your child for adoption?





I also do not think it would help Social Services locate more at-risk chldren. They do not properly accomplish that with the children already in their system-I personally know an example of 2-3 children who the DSS recognizes are being abused and neglected, yet they are not able to do what needs to be done for whatever reason. Prayerfully, those children survive.





More certainly needs to be done to protect children, but not in the way of compulsary parenting classes.
No.


I did attend parenting classes with my sister (who was the biological parent of my daughter) before my daughter was born. I thought it as a load of crap, even aside from the fact that I disagreed entirely with the parenting methods being pushed. It may have just been the class, or just because I had little siblings born when I was in my teens and thus most of this stuff was glaringly obvious to me, but you'd have to have the intellect of a zoo ape to actually learn something from that. Otherwise, I think the book below might be more informative.
I don't think classes should be compulsory since having children is a basic human right and the government already is working overtime to force too many ';rules'; on us mere citizens, however I do think there should be free classes available for ALL parents-to-be. And perhaps there could be a caveat where certain high risk groups are required to take a class (i.e. known drug abusers, people previously charged with an assault-type crime... that kind of thing). In my state (CT) I have seen many programs and offers for free parenting classes for teens but not for adults (who are the ones who should be having the babies!) I believe there should be government funded programs that OFFER free parenting classes to any parent-to-be who elects to take the class. I think a lot of people would choose to go. I know I wanted to take a class that was offered by the hospital I delivered at. They had classes on all sorts of things from breastfeeding to diapering to CPR and other medical care and they were all about $50 or more! I was/am on a tight budget so of course I didn't enroll in a class but if it was free, I'm quite sure I would have.





***EDIT*** Then again, now that I'm thinking about it, even if there were forced classes on parenting, what would your punishment be if you did not attend the class? Would they tell you you can't have your baby? It just wouldn't be practical and certainly not enforceable.
Yeah, at least that would help, and open some people's eyes, cases may drop slightly, but only for those parents who just don't know what they're suppose to do but want to do right by their child. It may not help with those parents that don't want to do what they're suppose to do, then those that are just lazy parents, parents who do drugs, parents who are mentally unstable, parents who have been abused themselves, and parents who are just too young to care.
I don't know about a parenting class per say, as there are many different schools of thought regarding child discipline. There is no one set method that works with every child. What works with one, doesn't necessarily work with the next.





Having said that, I do believe that child development should be taught in high school as a required class. Alot of the frustration, and confusion of being a parent could be avoided if people actually knew what a child was capable of at a certain age, rather than assuming the child is defiant, when in reality, the child simply doesn't understand.





I saw a question on here the other day, from a woman frustrated by her 10 month old baby's tantrums and strong will. The baby wouldn't say ';Please'; when she wanted something, and so the woman wouldn't give her what she asked for. At 10 months of age, she's lucky the baby was saying anything, and she wants the baby to say please when she wants something! I felt so sorry for that little girl.
Ya, I think so! I work with children and so many of them would do so much better if only their parents would get their acts together! I also think that teachers should make report cards for parents too! Grading them on how they've been as parents throughout the term. Parents that are involved and loving and supporting usually are more pleased with the results on their child's results. Parents that give their children little or no breakfast and send a bag of chips for recess snack..well.... those kids end up misbehaving and not doing well in their academics... I can go on for hours giving examples but in short... yes, parents should attend classes on parenting. I hope this answer is convincing! I am convinced!
I don't think that we should be made to.


But I would like to see it offered as freely and often during pre-natal appointments as Lamaze classes are. I think there would be many more takers if parenting classes were offered and encouraged as a first resort, instead of as a last resort.
NO. I do think however with teen parents there should be a program offered though along those lines for BOTH of the individuals responsible for the pregnancy.
I think parenting classes should be mandatory for all people, pregnant or not. Then maybe stupid abusive people will know ahead what they are getting themselves into and not have children.
No expectant parent should have to prove themselves , and there are many different styles of parenting- not everybody would agree with the classes which would cause more problems.
I think perhaps going to a (a as in 1) meeting with other pregnant people/couples could be an idea.


But most parents know how to look after a child.
No. Having children is a human right. The only time they should be compulsory is if children have been removed from your care and you are trying to get them back.
No.





I've got enough university classes to attend.
nobody would be able to agree on what the right thing was to teach.