Your job as a parent is one of the most difficult there is - it can be both challenging and rewarding. It’s a job for which very little training is given to prepare parents for what lies ahead.
Bringing up a family is an experience which brings both enjoyment and stress.
Every family experiences difficulties from time to time and these can test the best of parents.
There is no such thing as the perfect parent. However, there are ways in which it can become a less stressful and more rewarding experience. The purpose of this handbook is to highlight some of these.
I hope this handbook can offer some ideas and information to help you find your way through what can be a maze of issues and advice. It gives contacts and further information you can follow up when you are deciding how to deal with your worries and difficulties. The handbook also lists some of the warning signs of particular difficulties and offers helpful tips.
This handbook will be made available to parents across Kirklees and in particular to new parents via children's centres and health services.
The handbook has been produced with the support of a wide range of professional agencies working together to promote positive parenting.
I hope you find this handbook helpful and worth keeping for future reference. You may also wish to visit the Kirklees Parenting Website: www.kirklees.gov.uk/parenting
Rob Vincent
Chair of the Children,
Young People and Families Management Board