Parenting Course Outline

8-12 weekly sessions (90 minutes each)

Week one: Introductions – including ages and genders of participant's children, Course overview, expectations, Q&A.

Week two: Overview of positive parenting. Parenting styles (Permissive, disciplinarian, engaged/disengaged, etc) and the impact these styles have on your child. Where we learn parenting (multi-generational parenting) Impact of home environment.

Week three: Positive parenting, child development, setting age appropriate expectations, need for parental involvement

Week four: Discipline – Having a plan Consequences vs. punishment, Logical, natural and creative consequences. Respect vs. fear. Need for consistency, Importance of support and cooperation from partner, mother, significant people in your life.

Week five: Intervention strategies – Begin to understand the use of consequences. Case examples, personal examples and role plays will be used. Appropriate and effective strategies will be discussed. Time outs, point charts, grounding, etc. will be discussed.

Week six: Parents as Role models and use of Language. "I" messages vs. "you" messages. Expectations vs. requests. Less is more! Staying out of arguments. "Children may listen to what we say but they learn from watching what we do!"

Week seven: Homework, chores, arguments and other problem areas. The importance of Setting parental expectations, consistency, creatively designing consequences that work.

Week eight: Helping your child in school/Helping the school with your child. IEP's, 264's, 504's, student's with disabilities act, the laws, the options, the collaboration.

Week nine: AD/HD, ODD, LD, PTSD and behavior disorders. The latest research, the facts, what you can do.

Week ten: Self-care. Taking better care of your children by taking better care of yourself.

Week eleven: Co- parenting, single parenting, shared parenting. What to do when your child is being raised in a non-traditional setting.

Week twelve: Pre-adolescents and teenagers. The special issues and challenges that they create. Wrap up/ Graduation party. Hand out certificates of completion.

Booster support session can be scheduled at two weeks, six weeks and ten weeks following week twelve.

Bob Higgins LMFT
(603) 298-5435