About First Steps

BACKGROUND

The First Steps course material is based on the core content of the Evergreen Parenting Course by well-known parenting coach and author, Hettie Brittz.

First Steps Evergreen Parenting was developed out of the need to empower and encourage parents with no or little educational background. It is a practical, interactive course to address the needs of multi-cultural communities irrespective of language or literacy levels. The material is fully adaptable to ensure relevance to the course attendees.

The material was developed with the help of a team who have experience working in the following fields: formal education, social work, family therapy, farm worker training, adult literacy, rural upliftment work and more.

CORE BELIEVES

First Steps Evergreen Parenting wants to help parents understand and apply the following in their parenting:

  • Parenting is a discipleship process which takes time and patience.
  • Every person has a unique temperament: a God-given design worth defending and developing.
  • Parents parent better when they know healthy authority and have insight into their own authority style.
  • Parenting happens in seasons. Parents can learn to adapt their style to each child’s growing season and the needs during that season.
  • Parenting is like a dance. There is a rhythm and a routine that helps a family to run smoothly, and aids the development of children of all ages.
  • Through sitting together, talking together and playing together we establish a love-bound discipline.
  • Parenting involves constant change. To change from inside out, we need God. We can’t parent without God’s love, forgiveness, care and guidance.

VISION

First Steps Evergreen Parenting embraces parents at their level of education and empower them through relevant advice, resources and training to fulfill their God-given role as parents.

Households thrive as a result of the principles they implement.

Communities become resilient and whole because of these Evergreen Families.