I am about to start my last semester of undergrad. I have to do an internship (that I am very excited about!) I will be working with a family literacy organization which is part of a public school system offering help to young mothers who are working to get their GED. The program also works with their children up to age 7 and offers parent education.
I am confident in being able to relay the information I have learned from classes. I am confident in what I will be teaching because of research and science-based testing that proves certain parenting styles leading to well-adjusted children.
There will be a possibility that I may be teaching some of these Parent education classes with these young mothers. My problem is this: although I have studied this area for the past 4.5 years, I am not a parent myself. I know it is important to establish credibility and to an extent deserve it because of what I have studied. It still worries me that I won't be taken seriously and/or that I'll have difficulty being confident in what I am doing BECAUSE I am NOT a parent myself. I have been around many children both in my personal life and through school. I have also had experiences with family members who have told me that regardless of how much I have studied, I am still wrong because I am not a parent and not have experienced rearing a child.
I am not naive to think that I know everything about parenting, I know that I do not but what are some tips to help me be confident in what I am saying, establish credibility but at the same time understand where they are coming from. The age demographic will probably be anywhere from 14-18 years old. I am 22, not married, no children.
I am confident in being able to relay the information I have learned from classes. I am confident in what I will be teaching because of research and science-based testing that proves certain parenting styles leading to well-adjusted children.
There will be a possibility that I may be teaching some of these Parent education classes with these young mothers. My problem is this: although I have studied this area for the past 4.5 years, I am not a parent myself. I know it is important to establish credibility and to an extent deserve it because of what I have studied. It still worries me that I won't be taken seriously and/or that I'll have difficulty being confident in what I am doing BECAUSE I am NOT a parent myself. I have been around many children both in my personal life and through school. I have also had experiences with family members who have told me that regardless of how much I have studied, I am still wrong because I am not a parent and not have experienced rearing a child.
I am not naive to think that I know everything about parenting, I know that I do not but what are some tips to help me be confident in what I am saying, establish credibility but at the same time understand where they are coming from. The age demographic will probably be anywhere from 14-18 years old. I am 22, not married, no children.