Editor’s Note: The Bulletin’s Family section profiles local organizations designed to help families once a month. To suggest an organization, contact Alandra Johnson at ajohnson@bendbulletin.com or 541-617-7860.

For 22 years, the Family Resource Center of Central Oregon has offered parent education to local moms and dads.

It’s an impressive run for the local nonprofit.

Through the years, the organization has helped parents shepherd children of all ages through issues like tantrums, poor choices and difficult communication.

Executive Director Vicki Ertle says the parenting issues involved “become a lot more mental” once they enter middle and high school, whereas the issues with younger children can be more physical — sleepless nights, biting, etc.

Most of the center’s classes are held in the evening over several weeks. The classes are based on up-to-date, research-based information. The classes are aimed at average parents going through typical challenges with their kids. Most classes include dinner as well as child care, and costs for the classes are kept low.

Ertle hopes parents who attend a parenting course come away understanding ideas such as how to be a parent versus a friend and the difference between discipline and punishment.

“You’re the biggest role model in your child’s life,” said Ertle.

One long-running parenting class offered by the resource center is “Make Parenting a Pleasure,” a course aimed at parents of ages 0-8. It offers information about child development, stress reduction, anger management, communication, family goals and more. Other classes focus on parenting through the teen years or ages 3-6, for instance.

The center recently began offering parenting workshops, which are held on one evening about a particular topic, including stress, ages and stages for infants and toddlers, raising a confident kid and kindergarten readiness.

The resource center also offers computer-based classes for parents who aren’t interested in a group setting. Parents can come into the resource center office in Bend and take one of two computer classes based on the age of their child. They watch an interactive program that walks them through various scenarios, such as sibling conflicts, grocery store tantrums or defiance.

“We are trying to mix up the way people get information,” said Ertle.

The resource center also helped put together a guide for parents of teenagers, which is available free on the group’s website. Topics include information on the teenage brain, depression, bullying, gambling and impulse control.

Ertle is excited about being a hub for parent education in the tri-county area through the Oregon Parent Education Collaborative. This means the group connects with hubs around the state to share resources and training.

She is also excited about a recent partnership with the Deschutes County juvenile department to offer classes aimed at parents of teenagers as part of an effort to prevent risky behaviors. The class focuses on topics such who influences teenagers and how to communicate with this age group.

Classes are offered throughout the tri-county area. Ertle says about 400 parents participate each year.

She says demand for classes continues to increase and some classes have waiting lists.

What it is: Family Resource Center of Central Oregon offers all sorts of educational resources for local parents

Who: Parents of children of all ages

Contact: For a list of classes, workshops and other information visit www.frconline.org or 541-389-5468 or 1130 N.W. Harriman St., No. B, Bend.