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Parent University Seeks To Help Give Attendees Better Parenting Skills

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Ask anyone who is a parent if they really felt they knew what they were doing when it came time to take home their baby from the hospital.

Now, a program to help parents become better parents celebrated a new group of graduates.

It's been eight transformative weeks.

Noah is here, and so is Jordan. They're two of the 15 children who will benefit from parent university.

"They have learned about responsive parenting, development, health, financial prosperity for their family, so we are here to celebrate the accomplishment of the parent," said Dr. Kyla Liggett-Creel, with the University of Maryland School of Social Work.

"This is a very awesome learning experience," said Angela.

First time parents, like Noah's mom, Angela, and dad, Jose, want to be great parents.

"I need my own development, my own ways to take care of my son," Angela said.

So far, 150 parents have graduated from Parent University.

Twice a year, the University of Maryland School of Social Work offers the classes for free.

Full-time mom Rikeisha is glad she signed up.

"I can't say what mistakes I'm not going to make, but what I think that I know I am going to try to do is to make sure that I'm going to to be attentive to their needs, to get whatever they need to survive, grow, flourish in life," she said.

In the end, better parents should make for better kids, which is better for us all.

"That's right, they'll be students who are ready to learn, be successful and the leaders of tomorrow," Liggett-Creel said.

A great goal that is provided for free

Classes are now forming for the next 25 parents. This time, they're looking for people in the Upton-Druid Hill neighborhoods.

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