There is a heated argument on whether or not parents should be forced to undertake parenting courses to better foster their children. Personally, I dislike the idea and will outline the reasons below.
On one hand, parents courses can be a huge advantage for first-time parents as they provide the exact guideline that the parents should follow to make sure their children develop properly and efficiently. Without proper instruction, parents can be overwhelmed with the responsibility of caring for their new born infant and such courses can help alleviate this stress. Similarly, parents also struggle with trying to discipline troublesome teenagers who are misbehaving while going through their adolescence. Parenting courses could aid in understanding the issues from a more psychological viewpoint and could help them take the necessary steps accordingly without any confusion.
However, while parents courses could provide a great deal of information on parenting skills and techniques, several others argue that parenting is an innate skill which mothers and fathers develop naturally without any prior training. For example, the majority of mothers instinctively know how to correctly hold a baby in their upright position without the need of an instruction leaflet. In addition, people normally have their own unique ideas of parenting due to their own upbringing and cultural influences, a notable example would be the various methods of putting a baby to sleep. Lastly, it seems outright ridiculous that parents should be forced to attend such courses but rather should be given the freedom to make a choice for themselves depending on their own judgment, experience and financial security as these courses are not always cheap.
In conclusion, although parents courses would definitely provide some proper insight on parenting and result in beneficial outcomes, I believe that it should solely depend on the parents decision on whether they wish to participate in such courses or not.