Westwood Baptist Church will host two parenting classes, starting on Wednesday, Jan. 11 at 6:15 p.m. According to class instructor Ric Callahan, the courses will take place every Wednesday for six weeks and are offered as part of the Parenting U program.

“We believe that parents are the primary faith teachers, not schools and not the community,” Callahan said. “We want to better equip parents to do the job that God designed them to do.”

During “Parenting: the Early Years,” parents of younger children have the opportunity to learn about new parenting techniques. Callahan and his wife, Carla, will teach the course.

Poker and Julie Boyd will teach the “Parenting Your Teenager” course, which will cover topics such as helping a teenager discover their identity, dealing with turmoil, handling rebellion and leaving a legacy.

“It’s designed for the parents of kids who are dealing with adolescence,” Callahan said. “Teenagers will benefit, because their parents will be more on board.”

According to Callahan, the course’s slogan is “It starts at home.” The classes also place an emphasis on parents leading by example.

In addition to basic lectures, classes will incorporate videos, drama, interactive teaching, panel discussions and personal testimonies to give participants a creative learning environment.

“Kids are visual learners,” Callahan said. “They learn more from a parent based on how they live, rather than what they say. It’s about living out your faith for kids to follow”

Callahan said the courses will lead to the 2017 “It’s a Phase” Parenting Conference, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday, March 18.

Callahan said free childcare is also provided during the classes.

“During the study, we have activities for children of all ages,” Callahan said.

Callahan said all classes are free and open to both Westwood Baptist Church members and non-members. Anyone can drop in for a session at any point during the course.

“Families come in all shapes and sizes, and all parents want their kids to be good kids,” Callahan said. “Parents can be encouraged by other parents and become inspired to be the parents that God designed them to be.”