Jane is also an eager learner, particularly if she can learn something practical that will help her with her child rearing. She emphasizes, "I like to learn and explore new things, especially when it comes to like children and stuff…So if there's a workshop, I go…like I try to go." She often learns about parent educational sessions through the Parent Resource Centre. Jane also enrolled in a number of courses offered by the local child development centre for low-income families to help her improve her skills as a parent. These included Nobody's Perfect¹⁹ which she had done three times – once for each child; 1-2-3 Magic²⁰ which she completed twice. In addition, she participated in a collective kitchen to learn how to cook and manage meal preparation. She admits that she was not much of a student when she was in school and that "…school's not for me. I hate going to school when you know I have to go to school." Unlike Michelle and Julie, she will not consider formal academic upgrading, but is advancing her skills and education through a variety of courses, like the others, to help support learning in her children.

Interestingly, not one parent in this study mentions or demonstrates any role in providing enrichment if their child masters a subject or shows a strong interest in a particular area. Andrea recognizes that her youngest daughter is quick to learn. However, she chooses to periodically keep her at home on school days in the absence of illness or another legitimate reason so that she would have someone there with her. The irregular attendance pattern became a source of frustration for her teacher, but without truancy officers who have the power to mandate regular school attendance, the school is powerless in trying to improve the girl's attendance record.

Kelsey, Andrea's daughter's teacher, believes that Andrea is sabotaging her daughter's chance for success at school with her daughter's unnecessary frequent school absences. When asked about her daughter's missed school days, Andrea indicates that she is lonely. Andrea does not provide her daughter with activities that would enrich school instruction, such as having discussions, reading together, or going on outings. Typically, the two watch the soap operas together on television or rent adult movies. Although Andrea never outwardly admits that her husband is controlling and imposes restrictions on where she goes on her own, Andrea's good friend had disclosed this to me on one occasion.

¹⁹ Nobody's Perfect is a parenting education and support program for parents of preschool children to help them develop the knowledge, skills and self-confidence for raising their children.

²⁰ 1-2-3 Magic is a practical, easy-to-use program that offers families and educators easy-to-follow steps for disciplining children and strategies for encouraging independence and for promoting self-esteem.