Parenting 101

If you have a child, this two-part book is for you. Part one is designed to help parents have a direction to head in as it deals with discipline and rules. Parents need to see themselves as a coach as they provide guidance as the child grows older. If you at successful coaches around the world, you will notice that successful coaches have a plan, a focus, and consequences when a player does not follow directions. No matter how direct the coach may get, they discover ways to teach the players to respect their decisions. So, as a parent, you need to have a plan, a focus, and a set of consequences that are connected to the mistake the child makes. An example is that the plan is to keep one's room neat and orderly. The focus is to make sure your child will learn to take care of their personal space. The consequence of a room not being neat and orderly is, any clothes on the floor at noon will be put in the washing machine or given to "Good Will". Soon the child will understand what is expected of them, a sense of pride in having a clean and neat room and they have nothing to wear because they could not keep their clothes from getting on the floor. If they have no clothes, they will have to raise money by completing certain chores to purchase not clothes.

Part two is designed to provide parents with a list of 10 social/ coping skills to address day-to-day problems. 5 activities per skill is provided to help your child learn how to problem solve, set and reach goals, proper communication skills, and 7 more social/ coping skills. A reward system needs to be put in place when a skill has been mastered. praise and support need to be given on a daily basis to provide direction.

This program comes from 40 years of my work as a Marriage and Family Therapist working as an owner of a private school for troubled middle and high school students, program director of a children and teenager inpatient program, and 20+ years dealing with children and teen suicidal patients in emergency rooms.

Good luck on your journey to your success and a happy life as a good parent.

Dr. Robert Knapick