Program helps divorcing parents focus on the kids

By Sherris Moreira-Byers
Herald Staff Writer

A co-parenting class for separated or divorced parents is being offered monthly by the Children’s Aid Society of Mercer County.

The class, which is mandatory in several Pennsylvania counties including Erie, Crawford and Beaver, is for parents going through a divorce and dealing with custody of children.

“We call our program transparenting,” said JoAnn Hogue, director of the society’s Family Life Program since 1986. “We feel it’s a better way to put it.”

The four-hour interactive seminar is taught by two people via role-playing, videos, overhead screens and question-and-answer sessions.

The March seminar was taught by family-based therapist Paul Crew of Sheakleyville, who has been with the society for five years, and MaryAnn McConnell of Mercer, a lawyer specializing in family law for 23 years.

“We have six specialists in this field to teach the class, so we can trade off every month,” Ms. Hogue said.

The class has been proven in the 38 states in which it’s offered to help divorcing adults agree more quickly and amicably on custody arrangements because it focuses on what’s best for the child, according to the Children Cope with Divorce program, which is the basis of the Children’s Aid Society program.

“We want parents to see what a child is going through during the divorce,” Ms. Hogue said.

The class is set up in three parts: the divorce process; helping the children; and the closing.

“One of the best ways to take care of your children is ... to take care of yourself,” Ms. McConnell said about the healing that needs to take place after a divorce. “Children are largely a reflection of what they see going on around them”

The grief process, denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance are also addressed in class.

“There’s no time limit on these stages,” Crew said. “But it’s important to find a healthy way to grieve, because divorce is like a death.”

Throughout the class, the focus is centered on the children and what they’re experiencing to help the parent lessen the negative effect of divorce on the child.

“The most important thing is to get the child or children through this difficult time,” Ms. Hogue said. “Parenting is a lifelong responsibility that doesn’t end with divorce,” Crew said.

For more information about the class, call the Children’s Aid Society of Mercer County at 662-4730.

Back to TOP // Herald Local news // Local news headlines // Herald Home page

Questions/comments: online@sharon-herald.com
For info about advertising on our site or Web-site creation: advertising@sharon-herald.com

012700