Discover the Best Parenting Classes Online
Whether you’re expecting a baby for the first time or your oldest just hit 13, you’ve probably encountered the universal longing for an instruction manual to guide you through this stage of parenting journey. But real human experts, instructors, and mentors are even better than instruction manuals, as they can answer questions and offer personalized solutions based on their experience and your needs.
The skill set required in parenting is as varied as life itself, and you can find both online and in-person classes in many of those skills. Childbirth classes are especially abundant. Other parenting classes can range from infant care to broader parenting methodologies such as conscious parenting.
Why You Should Learn Parenting Online
Some people trust themselves to learn their parenting skills in real-time. However, most parents seek instruction on one parenting skill or another throughout the journey of birthing and raising their child.
Some of these are practical hands-on skills such as breathing during labor, changing a diaper, or even getting your baby to sleep in three easy steps. Mastering these skills can give you an enormous confidence boost and help you focus on building a connection with your child that will last a lifetime.
Other parenting skills are as broad as getting through an entire stage of child development or embodying a parenting style like gentle parenting. When you focus on learning a parenting methodology that aligns with your personal values, you can be more present with your child and feel confident that they are learning those values too.
Virtual Parenting Classes
Both in-person and online parenting classes will connect you with an expert in the area you hope to gain confidence in, and both are tried-and-true forums for learning skills you need during childbirth and as a parent. Online classes hold many benefits over in-person, however, including no commute times to factor into your busy schedule, more options to choose from, and being able to attend from home or another location of your choice. In some cases, you can save on childcare expenses by taking your parenting class online. And you won’t have to worry about unnecessarily exposing yourself or your children to any bugs going around town..
Few parenting classes require materials beyond a notebook and a pen, but virtual classes are more likely to require you to provide your own materials when they are called for. These may range from books to birth balls but are unlikely to be major expenses.
You can find online parenting classes on topics for every step of your parenting career and more than a few options for expectant parents needing extra guidance at the beginning of their journey. Childbirth class options are especially abundant, with some covering the topic broadly while others focus on a specific approach to birth, such as Hypnobirthing or Lamaze.
You don’t have to live in NYC to benefit from Birth Day Presence’s award-winning childbirth classes. Each ticket to the Childbirth Education Basics (3 Hour) workshop covers attendance by a birthing parent and support partner for this well-rounded class designed for the busiest parents-to-be. You’ll learn how to recognize the stages of labor, breathe for pain management, and write a birth plan, among other skills for the delivery room and beyond.
If you’re looking for a class on a specific birth method that embraces the intuitive and joyful side of labor, sign up for Sakinah Birth’s Hypnobirthing (Online) course. Teacher Jihan Huq is a Doula, Lactation Consultant, and HypnoBirthing Childbirth Educator based in Houston, Texas, and she is a firm believer that the Mongan Method of Hypnobirthing is key to a comfortable birth free from fear. This evidence-based course walks you through the Mongan Method over five sessions and will leave you ready to trust your body to lead the way through your labor and the fourth trimester.
An infant care class can help you feel even more prepared to care for your newborn through the fourth trimester and beyond. Jewish community center 92nd Street Y now offers Becoming Parents: What You Really Need to Know online, inviting expecting parents to bring a support partner with them to the class. You’ll learn what to expect when it comes to your newborn’s sleep, behavior, and temperament, as well as what to do when you need help. The instructor will also guide you through solutions for any problems that arise in your new family dynamics and other topics that will help you feel more present and confident through the infant stage.
Another popular 92nd Street Y option is Caring for a Newborn. This class prepares both expectant and adopting families for the navigation of their infant’s care through the first few weeks. Each ticket covers the admission of two parties.
If you want to start ahead of the game when it comes to sleep, Birth Day Presence’s Infant Sleep Live Seminar is a budget-friendly way to connect with a Pediatric Sleep Consultant. You will learn about the range of normal infant sleep patterns and how to prepare your newborn’s sleep environment and maximize rest for everyone in the family.
Whether you are just beginning your parenthood journey or a few years into it, you can always use some support in connecting with yourself beneath the identity of “parent.” The Penumbra Foundation’s Little Sips of Selfhood: Professional Practice is a six-session course designed to help parent artists—whether currently expecting or already sitting in an empty nest—reconnect with their creativity and a creative community. While the class is hosted by a non-profit photographic arts organization, artists of all mediums are welcome.
Private Online Group Parenting Classes
Are you looking for private online parenting classes for your family, friends, or mom group? Maybe the mothers of your homeschool group would like to schedule a class about spending time with themselves again. Or your new father’s support group may like a private workshop in infant care basics. Whatever topic you’re hoping to explore, CourseHorse can help you find parenting classes for private groups that fit your schedule and needs.
Don’t worry if you don’t see the exact private parenting workshop you are looking for in the CourseHorse catalog: they can coordinate the class you want for your group. You can connect with a CourseHorse team member through the contact form on their website or schedule a phone call to start the conversation. Either way, CourseHorse will send you confirmation within 24 hours of booking.
If you don’t know your class numbers just yet, don’t worry. CourseHorse can schedule your group’s parenting course, and you can change the headcount up to a week before the class date.
When you schedule your private online parenting class for your group, CourseHorse recommends Zoom as your teleconferencing platform. But if you prefer Microsoft Teams, Webex, or Google Meet, CourseHorse can accommodate your wishes.
Best of all, CourseHorse never charges a booking fee. However, if you desire to customize your class curriculum to include specific questions, games, or exercises, you can pay $150, and CourseHorse will make it happen.
Online vs. In-Person Parenting Classes
For many parenting topics, in-person and online classes offer a similar experience. If you’re learning about online safety or discussing sleep strategies, whether or not you are in the same room with your teacher or classmates is likely not going to make a significant difference in your experience.
Other classes require more hands-on learning, such as infant care or birthing. While many can learn such skills quickly by interacting with a teacher over Zoom, others may prefer in-person instruction with an instructor.
However, the pros of online parenting classes will outweigh the cons for many parents. Taking your class from home means you don’t have to take time out of your busy schedule to commute, and it minimizes your potential exposure to germs. When you open up your class search to virtual options, you also increase your options in topics, schools, instructors, and class times. Sometimes virtual courses require the purchase of supplies that may be provided in an in-person class, but these are things—like birth balls or yoga blocks—that you will likely want to purchase for yourself anyway.
When choosing a class for yourself, whether in-person or online, you’ll want to ensure the topic aligns with your interest, the time aligns with your schedule, and the instructor’s and school’s reputations align with your values. You can use reviews, news articles, blog posts, and social media to assess whether the school and instructor are a good fit for you.
Can I Learn Parenting for Free Online?
Mommy blogs, Instagram therapists, and YouTube TED Talks are a few tools that can assist you in learning parenting skills online for free. Be cautious, however, as virtually anyone can create online content, but that does not make them an expert on vaccinations, safe sleep, or attachment-based parenting. Some life-saving skills, like infant CPR, must be learned in a class with a certified instructor. And many parenting soft skills are best learned in a class with an instructor available for open discussion.
