LUBBOCK, Texas — Being a parent can be overwhelming at times.
The Family Guidance and Outreach Center of Lubbock offers free parenting and anger management classes to help parents deal with the stress.
“Nowadays people have no idea how to express their anger in a positive way,” explained Oscar Reyes, a teacher for the Family Guidance Center.
Reyes has been teaching parenting classes at the non profit for 7 years.
The class focuses on emotional wellness.
“Anger is a mask,” Reyes explained. “What is behind the anger? People need to understand once they have the emotions behind the anger they can deal with their anger a lot better.”
The classes are open to anybody, but a majority of people are referred.
“Usually the people who come to the classes are referred to us by an outside source like CPS, probation or parole, family counselors or family attorneys,” explained Executive Director of the Family Guidance and Outreach Center Abby Reed.
Reyes makes sure the classes are interactive.
They bounce ideas back and forth so parents know they’re in the same boat.
“So when they go through a similar situation they can think, ‘Oh yeah, we talked about that in class,'” Reyes said.
And the class is making a difference for parents all over the South Plains.
“Just learning calming techniques or learning that it’s okay to get frustrated or it’s okay to get mad,” said Reed. “I think what Oscar’s class does is it teaches parents it’s okay to be angry. That’s a natural reaction, but here’s what you can do with that anger and here’s what you should do when you feel anger.”
“If they come in here and get a little bit of something it can make a world of difference,” Reyes said.
The parenting classes are every Monday night at 6:30 at the Family Outreach Center.
It’s at 5 Briercroft Office Park in Lubbock.
They’re free for anyone to attend.
The classes can also be taught in Spanish.
