TIPS
Parenting In A Difficult
Situation Web-based course
Kathy Bosch, Ph.D., Extension Specialist
Family Life Education, University of Nebraska
Parenting In A Difficult Situation is a basic parenting course developed
by Dr. Kathy Bosch, University of Nebraska Extension Family Life Specialist, for
those who are in difficult marriages or partner relationships. Specifically, it
is targeted for mothers who are living with abusive male partners. Because the
overwhelming majority of those abused are women, this course focuses on women and
their mother role in parenting children. However, some the basic course principles
may also apply to parents with a spouse/partner who is an alcoholic, drug user,
gambler or displaying another human problem issue. Women live with their abusive
male partner for an average of 11 years, and typically try to end the relationship
about 7 or 8 times. Research indicates that even when women are no longer living
with their male abuser some forms of abuse continue, especially if there are children
from the relationship. This material is intended to enable conscientious and capable
mothers to help themselves and their children as much as possible, given that they
cannot control the abusers behavior or a patriarchal system that tends to
pervade much of society, including law enforcement, legal, medical, and social
service systems. This course will be also be helpful to teachers, child care
providers, advocates working with women in shelters, outreach programs, and other
women's services.
The course has 9 lessons with activities for each section.
Lesson 1: You are a capable individual
Lesson 2: You deserve to be free from abuse
Lesson 3: Your children deserve to be free from abuse
Lesson 4: There are people and services who can help you
Lesson 5: Build your support network
Lesson 6: Take care of yourself
Lesson 7: Ask for help
Lesson 8: Sharpen your parenting skills
Lesson 9: Safety first for the children and you
Each section may stand alone but it is best if you start from the beginning.
In other words, one skill builds on another, and then another. The material
and information is designed to help you recognize your skills and strengths
at the same time asking you to decide what changes or action will be best for
yourself and your children.
The course may be accessed on the web. You may go to the Internet address
www.panhandle.unl.edu and click
on Parenting In A Difficult Situation.
Call to action:
Do you know anyone who is living in an abusive partner relationship?
Do you suspect someone might be living with an abusive partner? Is
this person a parent? Would it be possible to give them this
information or give them a copy of the newspaper article? If not,
could you share with them what you've read about this week? Which
of the lessons do you think might be most important for mothers
trying to raise children in an abusive home? Can you think of
someone in your community who works with mothers and children?
Would it be possible to give them this information or give them
a copy of the newspaper article?
After you access this course and work through the information, we
would like to know what you think. Go to
unlforfamilies.unl.edu
and click on TIPS.
Written by Kathy Bosch, Ph.D.,Extension Specialist, Family Life Education, University of Nebraska.
