TINY terrors are being turned into model munchkins, thanks to a pioneering cookery course being run for nursery parents.

The course at Glenburn Pre-5 Centre in Paisley is part of Renfrewshire Council's package of support for parents who need help to deal with their children's behaviour.

The help on offer also includes the acclaimed Triple P and Incredible Years parenting programmes which help parents find positive ways to bring up their youngsters.

As part of the plan mums with children at the nursery have been getting help planning and budgeting nutritious meals which they can make for all the family.

And as well as providing some inspiration at dinner time, for some it has helped boost their confidence with other aspects of parenting.

Glenburn mum Christina Love, 28, whose daughter Cassie, 2, attends the nursery, said: "Before I did this, I wasn't really that confident about what to cook for a wee girl. I let my mum and dad do a lot of the cooking.

"Now I'm more confident and I've cooked meals for Cassie and all the family.

"I'm diabetic, and it's really helped me manage what we eat. It's healthy and I know it's good for us."

Janet McDougall, 40, says the cookery programme and the council's Incredible Years behaviour support programme have made a massive difference to the behaviour of her 18-month-old son Damian. Janet said: "Before I found a lot of his behaviour really difficult. Children don't come with a manual, there's no instructions as to what to do when he's having a tantrum.

"Now I'm confident I know how to deal with it.

"Coming here and meeting other mums and discovering I wasn't the only one going through this really helped."

Councillor Iain McMillan, Renfrewshire Council's community convener, said: "Research has found that what children eat can affect their behaviour and ability to learn. In a study by the Food Standards Agency, 60% of parents said they'd like to make their children's diet healthier but the cost of food often stopped them.

"These classes are a step towards giving parents the skills and confidence they need to make these important changes in their children's lives."