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For Erica Moorman, a 35-year-old Gaithersburg mother of three boys, it's never too late to learn.

With two teenagers and a 4 year old constantly in need of attention, Moorman finds herself enrolled in a lot of parenting classes at The Judy Center in Gaithersburg to achieve balance.

"I want to take advantage of all the parenting classes I can so I can be better with my kids," she said. "Even though they are 12 and 13, I can always learn more."

Most recently, Moorman signed up for "1, 2, 3, 4, Parents," offered by the nonprofit Parent Encouragement Program.

Known in Kensington, Rockville and Washington, D.C., for 27 years, PEP classes moved upcounty to Gaithersburg this fall — and were translated to Spanish.

PEP and The Judy Center offered the class to 18 mothers for $10 for 10 hours of instruction.

Classes usually cost about $15 per hour, said PEP's executive director Cheryl R. Wieker. The Gaithersburg class was funded by other PEP parents, who donated extra money to bring the classes to additional locations.

"When PEP expressed interest in coming upcounty, I almost wept I was so excited," said Martha Monks, program manager at The Judy Center. "The program is so well-known and so well-liked; it was not a hard sell to our parents. It was full in two days."

In fiscal year 2010, the Parent Encouragement Program enrolled 1,712 parents in 3,775 classes at 15 locations.

Wieker said the fees for all PEP classes are subsidized by the company to make parenting education more affordable. The organization's revenue comes mostly from class fees (57 percent), with one-third from donations. Ninety-three percent of the money funds the parenting classes.

PEP was founded in 1982 in Silver Spring. It is headquartered in Kensington.

The $400,000 annual budget supports 197 volunteers, three full-time employees and five part-time staffers.

The Gaithersburg class served parents from three elementary schools — Rosemont, Summit Hall and Washington Grove.

Kerry Mayorga, a Rockville mother of two, taught the class with Carolyn Camacho. All PEP program instructors are parents who took classes before they enrolled in special training.

"I got so much from the program and my family is in such a better place, it's so great to give back to other families," said Mayorga.

She was so enamored of the program that she also became president of the board of directors. Mayorga's taught PEP classes for four years, but this was her first in Spanish.

Wieker said the company decided to offer the class in Spanish to help the mothers — who also speak English — to feel more at ease.

Estela Aguilera, the mother of two young girls, decided to enroll because she was having increasing communication problems with her 7 year old. Now her family operates under PEP's "Three R's" rule: recognize feelings, set the rules and redirect.

When her daughter tries to jump on the bed, Aguilera now says she knows how fun jumping is, reminds her daughter it is against their house rules and asks if she wants to play outside.

"It's been extremely helpful. I am going to look into signing up for more," Aguilera said at the final class session in Gaithersburg on Thursday. "Now I understand better my daughters. I know what is usual for her age, so I don't stress about things that are normal."

All PEP classes are a blend of parenting theory, practice through role-playing and demonstrations, and group support, all based on the works of Dr. Alfred Adler and Dr. Rudolf Dreikurs.

Wieker said the most important thing for parents to realize is there is no shame in asking for help or taking a class.

"Parenting is not intuitive any more. So much has changed," Wieker said. "For most parents, there is a point where they want or need help and support."

-Start the night before: Before bed take time to choose clothes and pack lunches and backpacks.

-Use alarm clocks: Let each child pick an alarm clock and learn how to use it.

-View children as capable: Let kids take part in the morning routine as "toast master" or "milk man."

Source: Parent Encouragement Program

Parent Encouragement Program hosts a fundraiser each year with a well-known parenting author.

-This year's speaker: Po Bronson, author of "Nurture Shock: New Thinking About Children."

-When: 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Nov. 18

-Where: Landon School, Mondzac Performing Arts Center, 6101 Wilson Lane, Bethesda

-Cost: $25 per person, $45 per couple. PEP member discounts are available.

-FYI: For tickets or additional information, call (301) 929-8824.

dgaines@gazette.net