Neither of my parents graduated from college, so I had little guidance on how to get started. I walked into the admission office of the local community college and said, “I have no idea where to begin; please help me.” Thankfully, the person at the front desk directed me to a counselor who walked me through the steps of enrolling for my first semester as a college student.
CONTINUEA recent topic trending amongst parents is the concept of gentle parenting. I have noticed that this method of raising children elicits strong opinions from most people who discuss it. For this post, I’ll explain gentle parenting as I understand it and share my opinion on the subject.
CONTINUEGrowing up, summer was always my favorite time of year, mostly because it meant freedom from school. Each May when the previous school year ended, the break seemed like it would last forever. Two months seems like a long time for a child. How fast summer ended was my first lesson on “time flies when you are having fun.”
CONTINUEIn Alternatives to Timeout Part 1, we discussed the need for alternatives to timeout, and I gave several suggestions for alternatives to try. In this post, we will discuss alternatives to avoid and considerations for how these suggestions fit into parenting in general.
CONTINUEI continually collect books and other materials to learn more about how to be good at what I do. As someone who originally trained in working primarily with children, my collection for this age group takes up considerable space in our library. There is a lot of information available today about child behavior. Most resources consistently cite timeout as an effective way to reduce unwanted behavior. I primarily teach the Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) version, with some modifications as needed. Timeout is one of the most research-supported interventions for difficult behavior. When used effectively, it works very consistently.
CONTINUEParent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) trains parents to help their children develop emotional and behavioral skills. PCIT directly teaches many parenting skills through two phases: child-directed interaction and parent-directed interaction. The step-by-step approach is accessible to a wide range of families and situations and is strongly backed by decades of research. PCIT sees parents as the agents of change so children can receive daily guidance, helping families progress faster and more effectively.
CONTINUEOne of the goals of raising children is to increase their independence. As children gain independence, they can solve more of their own problems. For siblings, we hope they will learn to resolve conflicts between each other more independently as well.
CONTINUESummertime is upon us! For those of us highly affected by a school calendar, the summer provides a break from the typical schedule. Children especially can have a lot of unstructured time. I have fond memories spending my summer vacation as a child on road trips, visiting friends, and going on more than a few visits to the swimming hole! While many consider this break a much-needed reprieve, summer can present some pitfalls.
CONTINUEIt is STAAR testing season! Parents, if your child’s therapy appointment falls on a testing day, please call the office in advance to reschedule. If you aren’t sure when your child is testing, reach out to the school. They should have this information.
CONTINUEAs my own children began to grow up, I learned an interesting truth. Parenting does not end when your child turns 18 and graduates from high school. For parents of adult children, a behavior contract can help with this continued parenting relationship.
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