Kristy T.'s Story

I first came to Parents Anonymous group to get help with parenting. I was 17 when I had my first child and almost 19 when I had my second. When I was a child my mom was very abusive to me. We did not have any help before we went to school. As an adult, I am seeing the difficulties I have in communicating, reading and writing because I did not have support at home. I didn’t want to do the same with my children.

I have been coming to community programs for about 20-22 years. I have attended all 10 sessions of The Parenting Way. They have helped me with all types of parenting questions. My children, ages 23 to 3, are all successful, doing well in school and preschool.

I’ve learned how to seek out support for me and my family. How much stress you have has a lot to do with the way you treat your children if you don’t know what else to do. There ARE good ways to teach your children and kids need to be loved a lot and need to be listened to. Parents need to be there for their children.

I feel that with the support and education from others who believe in me, I learned how to parent without hurting my children and how to get help for my children in school. I’ve learned new ways of discipline like timeout, 123 Magic and how to sit down on their level to talk to them and that I need to let them talk ,and really listen.

I feel good to be able to help other parents the way I was helped. To be able to give back what I was given. I feel good when I see people who I have helped. They come back and say thank you.

I think my children have learned that they have someone they can talk to if they need to. They have learned that it is the support that can help mom and dad and the kids do better. The children’s staff have helped with teaching colors, 123’s, abc's and with a lot of things they need to be ready for school. My children have gotten so much love from all the staff. They do better knowing they are there for them. My husband and I do, too.