On completion of the course this was an email from one parent.

“I just wanted to say thank-you so much for all your help and support with the course, you are a great person and you helped to change my life for the better, the future is open to anything I want to do. I would like it if we could stay in contact as I have connected with you and I truly think I can learn a lot from you. Before I did the course I had no dreams for the future but now I can see a brighter future and a better life for me and my family."

And another

"Before I started this course I could not handle my 2 children as they are both under five and my life was a mess itself, so I decided to take the course and see if it could help me take control over my life and my children’s.

Whilst I was on the course I noticed that what I did and how I felt affected my children in their lives. So I started to learn new ways in which I could help them and I noticed I was able to talk to my 4 year old son better and learnt how to spend time with them both and also do one on one with them. I also learnt how to love myself and stop putting myself down and learnt new ways to deal with things on a day to day basis.

After the course had ended I still practiced these new skills and now my children are much better behaved and I get up everyday and say to myself in the mirror that I love myself and that being a parent is difficult but I can handle anything that is thrown at me. In the day I am a lot calmer with things that happen and I have also learnt that taking an hour for myself everyday is not being selfish. So a massive thank you for helping me see all that and keep up with the good work.”

And at another Children's Centre this is what one parent wrote after attending only 2 sessions

“Just to inform you and the rest of the group, I have made lots of progress this week and have been really proactive, I have requested an application form for a job, and done lots of research on jobs in the local area, I have an interview with a careers advisor at the job centre on Wednesday. Me and J filled out the online questionnaire for Australia and are waiting for something to come back. I have spent a lot of time just playing with S this weekend and left the housework, both of us really enjoyed spending time together and she seems a lot happier, I too am really happy at the moment as I feel really positive about the progress I have made.”

And another on completion of the course.

When I came to my first session, I can remember feeling quite low and not enjoying being a parent. I was feeling bored with life and felt that I needed something more to occupy my mind. Although I have a very active 1 year old I was feeling like I wasn't achieving anything by looking after my daughter and thought that going back to work was the answer. Since then I have changed my outlook on life and how I see things at this point in my life and I believe this is down to your sessions.

I feel that by talking through what I have achieved in my life so far and by using the course materials to realise what I have, has made me realise that you don't need a lot to be really happy. I realised that being happy can affect so many different aspects of my life, such as my daughters moods and my relationship with my partner. I know now that true happiness for me is being content with what I have got and what I have achieved already so far in my life, my daughter, my fiancé (we have got engaged since I have been attending your course), my house, etc.

Where as before, I felt like I needed to achieve more, I wasn't content with just being a mum and didn't see this as an important role. Now I embrace my role as a mother and enjoy each and every day with my daughter. I know these early stages in her life will go by so quickly, and as her mother I can offer her so much by being here at home with her.

I have also looked into and will be attending a seminar on becoming a life coach. You mentioned this to me after we did a session on what our real passions were, and from this I discovered that I enjoyed listening to people, helping and guiding people.

Thank you for all your guidance and support.