MSU July Offerings – Free Classes for Parents and Caregivers
MSU Extension has a wide range of free online classes for parents and caregivers of children of all ages and early childhood professionals. See below for the July offerings.
Extension Extra’s Parenting Hour
These free online parenting workshops will provide guidance for parents of young children as they navigate the challenges, concerns, and joys of parenting. Participants may register for as few or as many workshops as they wish. The workshops are on Tuesday evenings from 8 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. EST as follows:
Class dates:
- 7/4/23: NO CLASS; 4th of July holiday
- 7/11/23: Picky Eaters
- 7/18/23: Positive Discipline
- 7/25/23: Purpose of Play
Class Times: 8 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
- Registration: https://msu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_J46cnBPnQLWjDeTk2gs59g#/registration
- For more information contact Courtney Aldrich at aldric82@msu.edu
Parenting Series
The Parent Talk System
Do you feel like your children aren’t listening to you? Do you find yourself constantly repeating yourself trying to gain compliance? This 6-week series is for parents of children of all ages and is designed to improve communication and provide practical verbal strategies for raising confident, caring, responsible children.
Topics include eliminating unwanted behavior, setting limits, teaching about consequences, giving effective feedback, promoting independence, and developing character. Certificates of attendance are available.
- Class dates: 6/29, 7/6, 7/13, 7/20, 7/27, 8/3
- Class times: 8 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. EST
- Registration: https://msu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2oye6BYmcmz3bfw
- For more information, contact Courtney Aldrich, aldric82@msu.edu
Lunchtime Webinars
July Webinar: Parenting and Family Relationships When a Family Member has a Disability: Join us for a program by Jenna H. Beffel, doctoral candidate in Child Development, Family Stress Lab. This presentation will serve as a brief overview of parenting when you have a disability, parenting a child with a disability, and sibling relationships and experiences when one sibling has a disability.
Pre-register and join via Zoom.
Title: Parenting and Family Relationships When a Family Member has a Disability
- Date: 7/11/23
- Time: 12 p.m. – 1 p.m.
- Zoom Registration link: https://msu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_u4si0caNQt6MDhaXHPF-fA
Early Childhood Professional Development Classes
These free online classes provide professional development training hours for early childhood professionals. Credit in the MiRegistry system is available.
Title: Setting the Stage: Promoting Social-Emotional Health in Young Children
- Class Date: 7/20/23
- Class Time: 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
- Registration: https://msu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_–fWlZlqTu-lkyn9Czibow
- For more information contact Vivian Washington at washi138@msu.edu
Title: Let’s Talk: Parent and Provider Communication
- Class Date: 7/28/23
- Class Time: 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
- Registration: https://msu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_VLYBmjHlR-qzBK-PRCn0Gg
- For more information contact Vivian Washington at washi138@msu.edu
In-Person Workshop: Including All of Us
Description: Including All of Us is an intensive training to provide an opportunity for child care professionals to learn about issues of diversity, equity and inclusion in early childhood. Including All of Us includes group content, where early childhood professionals can explore their own beliefs, worldviews and understanding of issues surrounding diversity.
Participants learn about ways they can incorporate anti-bias education into their work with young children and create environments of equity for all children. Ensuring that child care environments are high quality, equitable and inclusive will help build and nurture social emotional competencies and prepare children for success in school and in life. Including All of Us provides an opportunity for teachers to practice self-reflection and develop an awareness that will have a positive impact on their teaching, child care skills, and family interactions.
This in-person, free program is six hours in length and can be taught in one six-hour session or two, three-hour sessions. The program is approved in the MiRegistry system and completion certificates are available.
To schedule a workshop at your location, contact Vivian Washington at washi138@msu.edu
Online Self-Paced Classes
These free online classes can be completed on your own at your own pace.
Positive Discipline
Helping young children learn self-control is important to their ability to be successful citizens now and in the future. Positive Discipline workshops help adults learn how their role in creating appropriate environments and experiences can strengthen that development. This class has a “parent and caregiver” track and a “professional” track. Certificates of attendance are available for all who take the class and professional development training hours are available for early childhood professionals. Credit in the MiRegistry system is available.
- Registration: https://www.canr.msu.edu/courses/positive-discipline-online-course
- For more information contact Courtney Aldrich at aldric82@msu.edu
Infant Safety
MSU Extension has partnered with the Livingston County Child Abuse Prevention Council to create a self-directed online infant safety course called “Sleeping, Crying, Driving.” This three part course contains videos and interactive content on infant safe sleep, how to handle extended infant crying and guidelines for transporting your child safely. A certificate of completion is available for those who need proof of attendance.
MI Parenting Resource
This free, online program is meant to support caregivers across the state in strengthening their parent-child relationships and gaining new tools for enhancing positive child behaviors.
- Registration: https://miparentingresource.org/
- For more information contact Courtney Aldrich at aldric82@msu.edu
Additional Resources
Michigan State University Extension has partnered with Cooperative Extension in other states to provide more resources and classes for you! Check out Fit and Healthy Kids at https://fitandhealthykids.unl.edu/
Follow the Facebook page for more information and resources at MI Stronger Family – MSU Extension.
