Christmas is a time when many people enjoy the chance to spend time with family. For families that have gone through divorce or other strife, however, the holiday can become a source of conflict and distress. This can be especially hard on children.

Locally, there is a resource to help parents navigate these difficult waters, as well as many other parenting issues. Steve Roman is the local coordinator for Triple P Parenting, an organization that exists to help parents deal with the issues that arise when raising children.

Roman said that at the holidays, the most important thing is for “parents [to] cooperate with each other and understand all the information from the child’s point of view.” Working together can help make the holidays less stressful for children, and in turn less stressful for the parents.

Triple P offers classes for parents that are divorced or separating, to help them navigate the changes that come with dealing with two homes.

Roman said that Triple P also offers help for a wide range of issues, from things as simple as sharing to more serious issues such as bullying. “We deal with tantrums, bedtime problems, problems at school, homework, all the way up to the teenage years, with rudeness and disrespect...Any parent that has a parenting question that they need a little help with, it’s for any parent or caregiver in the community,” Roman said.

The services at Triple P are free to everyone in the community.

You can contact Coordinator Steve Roman at 252-939-1200 ext 235.