At times Julie Langston isn't sure who runs the household: her or her second grade daughter. No computer can mean a temper tantrum. No after dinner dessert results in a cold stare. And let's not talk limits on TV time.

No wonder when Langston attended Parent University held at Arlington High School on Saturday, she made a beeline for the class entitled, "Parenting the Strong-Willed Child."

"She's persistent - very, very, very persistent," Langston told the instructor, Jeannie Luna of the Parenting Center. "She knows exactly what she wants and when it is not what she needs, there's a big confrontation."

Langston wasn't alone. This class on dealing with strong willed children was one of the more heavily attended during this day-long conference designed to help parents and guardians of Arlington ISD students develop skills to support their children. The inaugural AISD Parent University drew over 400 participants who had the choice of attending some 100 workshop sessions targeting all grade levels.

Some were age and grade specific, such as the workshop on 6^th to 7^th Grade Transitions where parents learned what their elementary school aged children will be expected to know once they hit junior high next year, and classes on "Math Activities for Toddler Engagement," "How to Recognize Violence in Teen Relationships," and how fathers can create and maintain engagement through a dads' club.

Parents were able to learn about filling out financial aid forms for college, how to promote nutrition and fitness, how to build self-esteem, how to communicate to a child's teacher, and the perils of social media.

Cass Cyprien Jr. and his wife, Cheryl, wanted a better handle on dual class credit courses for their son, Cass II, a freshman at Seguin High School.

"We're exploring all the options for him because he's one of those kids who already knows what he wants to do," said Cheryl Cyprien. "His plan is to go to TCC (Tarrant Community College) in the summer and take course that will give him college credit."

"Which sounds like a great plan," said Cass Cyprien Jr. "Less money to pay later."

The Cypriens were able to talk directly to a TCC representative in the Community Resource Fair, which featured over 100 organizations and institutions such as the H.O.P.E. Tutoring Center, UTA Pathways to College Access and Career Readiness Program, the Arlington Fire Department, the Arlington Housing Authority and the Public Library GED/Adult Literacy Program.

"The more information parents have the stronger the child can be in school," said AISD Superintendent Dr. Marcelo Cavazos. "Our hope is that this information is shared from parent to parent."

That is exactly the plan of Mendy Marshall, a member of Williams Elementary Parent Teacher Association.

Her goal: "To get as much information as I can and take it back to the parents who could not make it," she said. "We'll have our own Parent University right there at school."