UNICEF and Parenting School NGO launch Armenia’s first online positive parenting course

UNICEF and Parenting School NGO launched Armenia’s first free online positive parenting course today, developed in 2022 with the funding of the United States Government and in cooperation with the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. The course will enroll about 10.000 parents from across Armenia until end of the year.

“Parents and caregivers are the chief architects of the next generation. Like no one else, they shape the experiences that build their children’s brains and set them on a path towards healthy development and adolescence. At the same time, parenting is too big a job for parents and caregivers to do alone. Through this course and other programmes, UNICEF strives to be a trusted partners for parents and caregivers in Armenia and support them in their most precious task of all – raising their children,” said Christine Weigand, UNICEF Representative in Armenia.

“Parenting is one of the best roles you can take on in life. As a parent, you cannot completely disregard a myriad of new worries, stresses and concerns that this role brings, so it’s important to balance your parenting experience via this course and other tools. Today, parents of adolescents are faced with new issues related to technological developments, consumption of fast food, as well as trying to manage diverging views, allowing your child to grow independent, while at the same time continuing to nurture your emotional connection with them,” shared Mrs Tatevik Stepanyan, Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Affairs.

Through this course, partners aim to raise the awareness of parents and caregivers about conscious parenting and its various aspects, while also building their capacity in positive parenting, building trust with children, ensuring a conducive environment for children’s healthy development and wellbeing, while trying to minimize or avoid negative psychological and emotional pressures on children.

“While parents place importance in conscious and positive approaches to parenting on daily basis, they don’t always have access to experienced psychologists and parenting experts that can help guide and support them with additional information and reassurance, as well as practical tips that they can use in their relationships with their children. Our new platform is accessible, easy to use and provides parents with videos and other user-friendly materials, unpacking all positive and negative consequences of each behavior. Our objective with this course is to support parents to enjoy parenthood, feel happy and fulfilled as parents and raise happy children,” shared Anna Velitsyan, Founding Director of Parenting School NGO.

The course was developed by three expert psychologists from Parenting School NGO – Lusine Aghabekyan, Armine Vardanyan, and Tatevik Abrahamyan, and is available online at: aybuben.parenting.am microsite.

Coursework includes six different topics, including effective communication with children, positive disciplining, how to motivate children, how to spend quality time or deal with age-related transitional issues that may arise. Each topic is presented through defined learning objectives and expected outcomes, a number of resources from videos to practical exercises. Once everything is completed, participants will also be provided with a topic-based summary sheet as a material for a quick refresh in the future.

UNICEF will continue providing necessary support to caregivers through evidence-based articles on parenting and much more on www.Babycef.am, established with the support of the Ministry of Health.