HOW KIDS' TURN CAN HELP

Explaining exactly what Kids' Turn does and how it helps children can be a little like trying to explain physics - most people can't really explain how it works, they just know it does. The combination of curriculum, leaders, activities, environment and the presence of other people going through similar difficulties all combine to help both children and adults learn to deal with the difficult process of separation or divorce. We continually ask participants for their feedback, and they almost unanimously agree that Kids' Turn improves their lives, and their children's lives as well.

I liked the increased understanding of divorce for my child, and how to minimize the negative aspects of divorce on children.

I liked the effective communication skills, and having a safe place for the children to talk about their feelings.

I liked learning about effective parenting, and treating the other parent as in a business relationship.

I liked the environment. It made you really concentrate on the children and their emotional health.

Kids' Turn's intensive focus on children helps the adults to re-direct their attention away from the ex-spouse and back onto the needs of the kids. One of the unique aspects of the Kids' Turn workshops is the parenting skills component, which some parents initially may feel they don't need, but which participants, family law attorneys and psychologists (who often make referrals for their clients to Kids' Turn) say is vital part of the program's success:

Parental education and counseling is critical to enable parents to see how important it is to do what is in the best interests of the children emotionally and developmentally.

I hope we can do more than give lip service to the idea that our society puts kids first - this is an area, perhaps, where parents can overcome their differences and work together.

Every client of ours who has attended Kids' Turn, and everyone who has heard of others who have attended, unanimously give Kids' Turn the highest praise. It is a wonderful program.

A somewhat magical aspect of Kids' Turn results from getting children together in a room with other kids who, like them, are "going through divorce." Children in all of the age groups find great comfort and relief in having a safe environment in which to address their family problems. They learn they are not alone and they feel secure in expressing their feelings (we've left some of the spelling as we found it):

I liked talking to the other kids and hearing their storys. I learned it is not our falt. I also learned other ways to help myself.

I learned to cope with the anger, and to get thru tuff times.

You can talk about your feelings and not have to worrie.

Kids' Turn utilizes theories, skills, and resources, the personal qualities of the leaders involved, the wisdom of experts in the fields of psychology and education, and plain old common sense in creating a curriculum that offers something of value to a wide variety of people, all with a common denominator that is negatively affecting their or their children's lives. The bottom line is that Kids' Turn works, and the vast majority of participants benefit from it.

WHERE TO FIND KIDS' TURN WORKSHOPS

Kids' Turn originated in San Francisco, California in 1988. Since then the parent agency has expanded to cover four counties in the San Francisco Bay Area (San Francisco, Marin, Alameda and Contra Costa). Kids' Turn is now offered in following areas as well:

Santa Rosa, California

Redding, California

San Diego, California

Hillsboro, Oregon

Napa, California

Yolo County, California

Dayton, Ohio

In addition, several agencies are presenting workshops based on Kids' Turn curriculum. You can get more information on all of these agencies by clicking here.

REGISTERING FOR KIDS' TURN WORKSHOPS

To register, please return the mail "parents' page". There is a section on forms: click on the form you need, print it out, fill it out and mail it in. We apologize that we cannot provide registration over the internet, but actual signatures are important.