Today I have a fabulous job, fabulous life and fabulous friends. If you had asked me that two years ago then that would have been a different story!
I attended the Parent Champion course as a professional person and really did not think it was for me and was honestly not going to return to further sessions. Something made me go back and Alan Wilson was our guide throughout the course. I then realised that I was not attending the course professionally but I needed the course personally.
The course is really difficult to describe it is not a parenting course, it does not tell you what to do it changes the way you think and the way you think about yourself. Being a wife and a mother I had forgotten about me and spent my time worrying for other people and by the time I attended the course my life was completely upside down. Please do not get me wrong my life did not get better overnight and we all still have to work at things but my outlook and perception is brighter. I am positive and I try not to let things get me down.
A while ago I was made redundant, I turned this negative into a positive and landed a job on my first application form. There were hundreds of applicants, I knew I could do the job and was perfect for my life, The applications were whittled down to 6 – the interview was one of the best I had ever had and to be honest I did not want to be too confidant and it was the first time ever I can actually say I had done well in an interview. An hour later I had got the job my new boss and I both cried on the phone as I was so happy and she said to me then that that had completely sealed it totally and she knew she had picked the right person.
I now have a fabulous dream job in a secondary school where I have the all the holidays off with my children, my life is full of ups and downs sometimes more ups then downs but we laugh and smile and get through it as tomorrow will always be better! My children adore and love me as I do them, they respect my decisions and know what I do is to keep them safe and healthy and the reasons why I say no. Yes they will reason with me and I am prepared to meet them half way if they do too.
I have two girls 14 and 11 year old who now understand give and take – My 5 year old is now testing his skills with temper tantrums and arguing, sometimes he forgets no is no but he is only 5 but the girls will now comfort him and tell him that mummy is not a bad person because she says no its because she loves him so much. Yes there are days when I sit down and cry but these are less and its feels good to cry but there is a lot less shouting and a lot more love and laughter.
I think a lot of people were shocked that someone like me attended the course and I think you would be surprised at the amount of ‘someone like me’s’ who needs the help and direction but are unable or just cannot ask. This course should be more widely available to everybody who needs it and certainly not be labelled for anybody in particular. To be honest if I had not stumbled across the course I don’t know where I would be today!
I would also like to say a big thank to Alan Wilson for highlighting and developing this way of thinking and for becoming a mentor and coach to me.”
Mrs JD, Parent, Kent
