Some residents of Starkville Housing Authority developments celebrated a milestone Tuesday.
The group graduated from a parenting class offered through the Starkville-Oktibbeha Consolidated School District’s Family Centered Programs. The class was given as an option for Starkville Housing Authority residents to fulfill the community service requirement to live in the authority’s properties.
“At first I took it to get the volunteer hours for me staying where I’m staying at, and then I started taking the class and started understanding what they were doing in here, and I actually really needed it,” said Jeremy Donaldson, a father of two daughters aged 5 and 6. “I actually picked up a few things that I can use at home, and now I can step up and be a better father than what I was.”
Donaldson said the class taught him to be less rigid with discipline and to be more patient with his children.
The class was taught from the Active Parenting Curriculum developed by family therapist Michael H. Popkin. The 10-hour course includes six lessons and was presented in weekly sessions.
“These are the clients that have a house in the Starkville Housing Authority,” said parenting consultant Debra Austin. “They have to come based on what was required in their program here.”
Austin said some members of the class were not required to come, but did so voluntarily. The class is also taught for other groups outside the housing authority.
Victoria Hill said she took the class to be a better mother to her son.
“Some things I’ve picked up are being involved in my son’s life, letting him have a say-so, what he needs to say, so I can learn more about him, just being an active parent, being there for my child, nurturing him in the way he needs to go,” Hill said.
The class was funded through the Families First for Mississippi Grant, which provides youth development and life skills and parenting courses through the Mississippi Community Education Center and Family Resource Center of North Mississippi. The program has existed for five years.