Updated at: 03-04-2023 - By: Eden Wise

Overview

Whether your child is an infant, a toddler, a middle schooler, or a high schooler, nothing can truly prepare you for the day-to-day challenges of parenting. It’s not easy, and while those first few sleepless nights with a newborn may seem like the hardest thing ever, parenting doesn’t get easier as kids get older; it just looks different. Join the club if you feel completely unprepared for the challenges of parenthood, both now and in the future. Seventy-three percent of parents in a 2015 study by Zero to Three reported that raising children was their greatest challenge.

Thank goodness, parenting courses can aid. Taking a parenting class can do wonders for your self-assurance as a parent and a family member. A review of the literature scheduled for 2020 suggests that participation in online parenting programs can improve parenting, parental efficacy, and children’s prosocial behavior. Parental stress, problem behaviors in children, and anxiety in children can all be mitigated with their help. 2 It is now easier than ever to enroll in a parenting course, find the solutions to your most pressing child-rearing questions, and put what you’ve learned into practice thanks to the convenience of online learning. The top 2023 online parenting courses are listed below.

Best Free Online Parenting Classes..

Best free online parenting classes

Megan Leahy Parent Coach

Megan Leahy Parent Coach

Meghan Leahy is a parenting columnist for a national newspaper and a certified parenting trainer who frequently writes about helping parents resolve challenging situations involving their children.

From Conflict to Cooperation: Understanding and Preventing Power Struggles with your Children, Leahy’s online course, teaches parents how to handle challenging situations on their own.

She helps parents navigate power dynamics, discipline, family gatherings, and bonding with their kids across four distinct modules.

Notably, she incorporates the entire family into her lessons, stressing the importance of the parents’ well-being to that of their children.

However, the built-in accessibility, convenience, and support of Leahy’s course set it apart from many others. The training begins as soon as you sign up, and it can be customized to fit your needs.

You and your spouse, partner, or caregiver are welcome to participate, and various educational tools (including Facebook Live videos, as well as assigned reading and homework) are at your disposal.

You can also connect with other parents who have taken the course in an exclusive Facebook group.

The full cost of the course is about $289, but you can spread it out over several payments to save money. Leahy also provides private coaching sessions for parents for around $180.

The Unfrazzled Mom by Messy Motherhood

Do you ever feel like you’re the only hot mess in a group of moms? Unless you have a Type A personality and are naturally well-organized, the stress, confusion, and strain of parenting can have a number of negative effects on your ability to use your executive functions effectively.

Child psychotherapist and author of Messy Motherhood Amanda Rueter can relate to your struggles. It’s normal to feel worn down by the clutter, the to-do lists, and the guilt that come with being a parent.

The good news, according to Rueter, is that this need not be the case. They guarantee that if you follow the steps outlined in their online course, you will be able to rediscover the happiness and fulfillment that comes from being a parent.

This program stands out from others because it provides concrete advice for easing stress and preventing arguments with children. At the same time, it aids in mental health organization and instills much-needed self-assurance and composure in your parenting strategies.

This course (approximately $99) includes three brief modules, live calling, and a 30-day membership to the site’s community, The Messy Motherhood think village, and promises to bring clarity to even the most exhausted, disorganized, and stressed-out mothers.

Positive Parenting Solutions

Positive Parenting Solutions

As a result of their feelings of helplessness, children may react in surprising ways. However, these disagreements can disrupt domestic tranquility (and possibly even your sanity).

If you and your child are constantly at loggerheads, the seven-step program from Positive Parenting Solutions can help you rebuild your relationship from the ground up.

The course begins with an introduction to child psychology and problematic behavior, continues with discussions of routines, consequences, and counter-talks, and concludes with a strategy for improving family relationships.

It claims to equip you not only for immediate success with your kids, but also for future achievements.

Another perk of this program is that it can be adjusted to fit any budget, with the maximum amount of resources costing about $350 and the minimum amount costing less than $225.

Crossroads of Parenting and Divorce by Active Parenting

Parenting is difficult enough to figure out when you have a live-in partner, but it’s even more difficult for parents going through a divorce or separation. It’s possible that your priorities, parenting philosophies, and other interests will clash.

But does that mean you can never agree on anything (possibly damaging your relationship and your children as a result)? No, thank goodness. Divorced or separated parents can find ways to co-parent amicably, but it takes effort, willingness, and compromise.

Michael Popkin, PsyD., of Active Parenting, has created a series of online courses to assist parents at different times and stages of their child’s development, including when they are going through a divorce and trying to establish a new, healthy “normal” for their family.

Crossroads of Parenting and Divorce is a program that helps separated parents maintain positive relationships with one another so that they can better meet the needs of their children after the breakup.

The course is less expensive than most at around $80, but there are trade-offs: After signing up, you’ll have three weeks to go through the course materials (which will take four to six hours).

Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids by Aha! Parenting

Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids by Aha! Parenting

Relationships are the foundation of parenting. Even if you’re an adult and your “partner” is a tiny, irrational toddler who likes to wear their underwear on their head, you still need to put in effort to maintain a healthy relationship.

This course by Laura Markham, PhD, is designed to help you develop as a parent by focusing on the qualities shared by all healthy relationships: open dialogue, self-assurance, appreciation, and a sense of belonging.

The 12-week program teaches you and your children how to control their emotions, establish routines, instill resilience and discipline, strengthen bonds between siblings, and learn how to manage conflict.

For about $154, you get access to an online support group of parents and a copy of Markham’s best-selling book “Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids” (on which the online course is based), as well as weekly audio lessons, short meditations, practical exercises and sessions, and more.

This could be the best option for you if you believe that reducing your stress levels is the single greatest obstacle standing between you and a more fulfilling and relaxed domestic life.

Positive Parenting Solutions

A blue cup is preferred for milk, but you only have a red one. They lose it upon hearing the news, throwing themselves to the floor while screaming and twisting in various positions.

Why is this happening, exactly? Because of their feelings of helplessness, children may act out in surprising ways. However, arguments like these can disrupt family life and leave you feeling less than sane.

If your day-to-day life is being consumed by power struggles with your child, the seven-step course at Positive Parenting Solutions can help. The course starts with an introduction to child psychology and problematic behavior, then moves on to routines, consequences, and backtalk, and finally concludes with a strategy for improving family relationships.

It guarantees to get you through the rough patch you’re in with the kids right now and set you up for future success. Another perk of this program is that it can be adjusted to fit any budget, with the full complement of materials costing about $350 but being reduced to less than $225 for more modest needs.

The Unworried Mother by Messy Motherhood

The Unworried Mother by Messy Motherhood

Do you think that all of your other mommy friends are doing a better job than you are of raising their kids? If that’s the case, you should enroll in this class.

This online course was created by child psychotherapist and author of Messy Motherhood Amanda Rueter, who has been where you are now. She hopes that by restoring your sense of equilibrium, calm, and personal time, you will be able to rediscover the joy and positivity of parenting.

This course is highly regarded as one of the best free online parenting classes because of its emphasis on conflict avoidance and resolution with kids.

Daily Parenting

This is the next best option for free parenting courses available online. Yale University makes it available to the public. Alan E. Kazdin, Ph.D., ABPP also teaches this class.

The topic of behavior modification and the development of positive parenting skills is at the heart of these free online parenting courses.

The only way for the information to be useful is to put it into practice, so the teacher encourages students to do just that.

Subtitles in Spanish and Chinese are available for this course if desired.

Infant Nutrition

Professor Karen Campbell from Deakin University’s Institute of Physical Activity and Nutrition presents these free online parenting classes.

As the name suggests, this book covers every aspect of infant feeding. What to feed your baby from birth to one year old, based on real-life experience.

Advice on weaning, dealing with fussy eaters, and making the switch from breast milk to blended foods will also be provided.

Because of the wide range of topics covered, it ranks among the best options for free parenting courses on the web.

The Scientific Study of Parenting

This course is ideal if you have a passion for science and want to raise your kids on a firm foundation of scientific knowledge and understanding.

This course is taught by Professor David Barner from the University of California, San Diego. Cognitive growth is a topic that particularly fascinates Professor Barner. Among the topics he delves into are genetics, autism, lying, and physical punishment.

His seminars are so unique that they attract not only expectant parents but also medical professionals.

You’ll learn all about infant sleep, feeding, discipline, and more throughout the course of the lessons.

The fact that we have an essay on child psychology is noteworthy, and I have no doubt that it will serve you well as a parent. When it comes to free parenting courses, this is one of the best options out there.

FAQs

What Are Online Parenting Classes?

The fundamentals of raising a child are covered in depth in online parenting courses. There is a wide range of topics covered in available online parenting courses.

You can take a class that covers the fundamentals of caring for a newborn, or you can take a class that teaches you how to handle difficult situations as a parent. You can even take classes to learn effective techniques for connecting with your kid and keeping that connection strong.

It’s not only new parents who can benefit from parenting classes. There are a variety of classes designed specifically for adults with adolescents. Divorced, separated, or unmarried parents can take advantage of co-parenting classes designed specifically for them.

Online parenting courses offer the same content as traditional parenting classes, but in a more convenient format. You don’t have to go out of your way to get to a specific location when you can get what you need and do what you want without leaving your house.

The time and method of your choosing are not limited by whether a course features live lectures, recorded lectures, or both.

Some courses also feature instructor-led discussions and live video broadcasts on platforms like Facebook, while others provide members-only online forums and chat rooms.

The number of parents who opt for online parenting courses over traditional classroom instruction continues to rise. Online parenting courses are equivalent to in-person parenting education programs. Still, they provide you, the parent, with more leeway in deciding when your child completes the lessons, exercises, and video presentations.

Online parenting courses are growing in popularity because they allow students to study when it is most convenient for them.

There are many excellent parenting classes available online that can be taken from the convenience of your own home.

Why Should You Take Online Parenting Classes?

New parents can benefit greatly from taking a parenting class before their baby is born. In order to be a good parent and deal with difficult situations, it helps to have a certain set of skills under your belt. You can learn this with the help of online courses.

There are other types of parenting classes, but they tend to cater to specific populations, such as parents who are divorced or co-parenting, or only mothers and fathers.

By taking them online, you can avoid the hassle of having to attend specific classes and deal with other logistics.

You can learn at your own pace and without leaving your house when you enroll in an online course. You can learn about and perhaps alter your own parenting style with their assistance.

Why would I want to take an online parenting class?

Simply put, if you are aware of better methods, you will use them. In order to provide the best care for our young charges, it is our responsibility to expand and improve our knowledge and skills. We’re better prepared for the challenges of life (2020, anyone?) if we put money into our own education and development, and this is true in any field, not just parenting. Fortunately, there are a lot of sages around who are happy to impart their knowledge and experience to others. And the internet makes it possible for more people to share at once. To sum up, I appreciate the advancements in technology.

How do I choose the right online parenting class for me?

Excellent inquiry. Sincerity demands admitting that there is no single best course option. It’s like trying to find a mythical creature. Why? We can’t all be the same. And we’re all at various stages of parenting right now. Your neighbor may be raising a sassy adolescent while you’re dealing with the (exhausting) newborn babies stage. It’s not likely that both of you will learn anything from the same course at the same time.

However, you can benefit from a great number of courses both now and in the future.

Conclusion

Many places charge a fee for online parenting courses aimed at expectant parents, but this is not always the case. Start your journey into parenthood with one of these classes.

Informed parents tend to be content ones. You’ll be better able to deal with setbacks and unexpected events if you’re prepared for them.

In that case, why delay any longer? Join now and get going! You’ll be happy you made the effort.