Parenting and Paternity Awareness Session 1 Introduction State Mandated Course Aug 2013

Do you think you will ever become a parent? If no, why not? Depends? On what?

stands for: Parenting and Paternity Awareness

It is a program from the Office of the Attorney General, the Child Support agency for the state of Texas. Purpose of p.a.p.a. To help you understand the facts you need to know when you make your own decisions about parenthood NOT sex education

Office of Attorney General: Locates absent parent Establishes paternity (identifies biological father) Establishes and modifies court orders for child support and medical support payments Collects and distributes these payments Taking legal actions against absent parents who fail to pay support

Our objective is to learn about these areas of parenting – YOUR: Rights Responsibilities Realities Few decisions will ever be as important as the decision you make about parenthood. The 3 R ’ s to Parenting The 3 R ’ s to Parenting

Show Segment 1 and intro video

What do you think would go through your mind if you found out tomorrow you were going to be a parent?

Non-custodial parent - Parent who does not have primary care, custody, or control of the child, and has an obligation to pay child support. As a parent….what’s my name?

Custodial parent - a person who has primary care, custody, and control of the child(ren) Can be a dad Can be a mother iquitcountingstock.deviantart.com

Biological parent - Caregiver - Either of the two people who are the source of the sperm and egg Person who takes care of a child and helps provide for the child’s basic needs and safety at any given time

Activity: Defining Yourself Look at the list of defining words Choose 6 words that you think defines you and write them on the chart on page 4. How would your parent(s) define you? Record 6 words from the chart on page 4. How would a teacher define you? 6 words How about your friends? 6 words Discuss later

Can people change what they are? Find a word that used to describe you but no longer does. Find a word that describes you now but not in the future. How do definitions influence our behavior? How can we influence the way others define us? Activity: Defining Yourself