The city of Thousand Oaks and the Thousand Oaks Police Department are joining forces to provide a class for parents to help them cope with difficult issues when raising their children.

Deputies Dennis Sliva and Jim DeSoto will lead the class, which will be held at the Thousand Oaks Police Department beginning in January.

"With our youth having several obstacles, bad influences and distractions, raising children is not easy and problems do arise," DeSoto said. "Any parent who has a difficult, stubborn or obstinate child is welcome."

The class will meet once a week for 10 weeks starting Wed., Jan. 14 at 6 p.m. The Thousand Oaks Police Station is at 2101 E. Olsen Road.

Books that are required for the class can be purchased from www.parentproject.com.

For more information, call Sliva at (805) 494-8267 or DeSoto at (805) 371-8362.

—Joann Groff