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Comparing Positive Parenting Courses
In this blog post, my goal is to help you choose the best positive parenting course that suits you, enabling you and your family to enhance your overall well-being.
You will not simply select a course at random.
Instead, you can have confidence in your decision by discovering a positive parenting course that meets all the criteria outlined here.
You can make an informed decision that will benefit everyone, making for a brighter future as a family!
Positive parenting is a wonderful, holistic approach that focuses on building a strong and positive relationship between parents and their children, from the start.
Courses on this parenting approach provide valuable insights and practical tools that help parents navigate the challenges of raising children in today’s world.
Let’s explore some key factors you will want to consider when searching through positive parenting courses online…
What To Look For In A Positive Parenting Course
Here is the criteria for choosing the best-fit positive parenting course for your family:
- Credibility – Use your discretion to decide what type of course provider you believe is credible. What credentials does the course provider have and do you align with and trust them? Is someone who has been practicing and teaching positive parenting for 5, 10, 15+ years someone you want to learn from? Do you want them to have a degree in a certain field? Learn about each course provider to help you make your overall decision.
- Content – Go through the details of what the course includes such as, topics covered, how long you have access, and bonuses, like 1:1 calls. Ensure that what is offered covers relevant topics you’d like to learn about and provides you with the support and access you’d like to have as you go through the course.
- Format – Consider your learning style, lifestyle, and schedule. What format will best suit you – audio? Video? A mix of both? Zoom calls, online group classes, in-person classes, etc. Are there added materials like books, printables, etc? What is the teacher’s teaching style?
- Feedback and Reviews – Take a look through testimonials from past participants of the positive parenting courses. What are people saying about the course and their experience?
- Cost – Do you and your partner agree on the cost? Do you feel that the price matches what you get?
- Money-Back Guarantee – See that the course offers a money-back guarantee, just in case you aren’t happy with the product. Having the ability to return it and get your money back will allow you to rest more assured in your decision.
For each of the positive parenting courses that you are considering, go through the bullet points above, one by one, to learn more about which course will truly suit you and your family best.
Remember that investing in a positive parenting course is not just for your children’s benefit but also for your own personal growth and well-being as a parent.
Positive Parenting Course Content Overview
Positive parenting courses typically cover a range of topics aimed at helping parents develop effective and nurturing parenting skills.
Some common areas that these courses often address include:
- Communication strategies
- Setting boundaries
- Discipline techniques
- Fostering emotional intelligence in children
- Promoting positive behavior
- Building strong parent-child relationships
- Managing parental stress and self-care
Communication strategies in positive parenting courses focus on enhancing the way parents interact with their children, including active listening, effective communication skills, and conflict resolution techniques.
Setting boundaries and discipline techniques help parents establish clear expectations and consequences for their children’s behavior in a positive and consistent manner.
Fostering emotional intelligence involves teaching parents how to help their children recognize and manage their emotions, empathize with others, and develop healthy coping skills.
Promoting positive behavior emphasizes rewarding and reinforcing the behaviors parents want to see more of to encourage children to make good and better choices.
Building strong parent-child relationships involves strengthening the bond between parent and child through quality time, positive reinforcement, and mutual respect.
Lastly, managing parental stress and self-care addresses the importance of parents taking care of their own mental and emotional well-being to be better equipped to handle the challenges of parenting positively.
Benefits Of A Positive Parenting Course
Positive parenting courses aren’t just for the child’s benefit but also for the personal growth and well-being of the parent, at every phase of parenting.
Here are some of the advantages of enrolling in a positive parenting course:
- Improved Parent-Child Relationship – a stronger bond and connection can be forged with the support of a positive parenting course. Parents will gain more closeness to their child, which will translate to more happy times, less resistance, more cooperation, and a deeper respect and love.
- Discipline Strategies That Work – parents who enroll in a positive parenting course discover new, highly effective techniques for handling unwanted behaviors and difficult interactions with their child. They often go from confused and frustrated when disciplining their child, to calm and confident, with better results.
- Greater Emotional Intelligence – parents and their children alike, learn how to become more aware, honest, and open with their feelings, communicating and handling them in healthier and more constructive ways. They learn how to gain control when things are tough, rather than constantly losing control.
- Effective Conflict Resolution Skills – as an essential part of positive parenting courses, gaining conflict resolution skills are taught to help parents and children discuss opinions, points of view, and everyday life topics as a healthy family unit, rather than being divided and at odds.
- Reduced Stress For Each Person & In The Home – parents who invest in a positive parenting course gain invaluable stress coping skills that will help them and their children be healthier, more at peace, and more united, with a happy, peaceful home. It’s certainly not about perfection; it is about balance, respect, and togetherness.
- Future Behavior Development – a positive parenting course will help shape a person, both child and parent, so there are more desirable behaviors now and in the future. Less mom (and dad) guilt, less outbursts and power struggles, and more overall flow and peace in the home.
By investing in a positive parenting course – you’ll have a playbook; that “user manual” all parents joke about not having.
No more guessing, far less frustrations, and the best possible relationship with your growing and ever-changing child.
With a positive parenting course, parents can equip themselves with the necessary tools and skills to navigate the ups and downs of parenthood with confidence and grace.
Best Positive Parenting Course
With that said, here on my website, I have conducted independent research and have almost a decade of experience working with children aged 0-5 years, (and I have my own twin preschoolers), and I utilize a blend of Montessori and conscious parenting methodologies.
Both of these approaches are closely aligned with the principles of positive parenting, and the course I have selected to recommend here is The Positive Parenting Solutions Course by Amy McCready.
This course has incredible parent support including a workbook and an app, covers the toddler to teen years, has excellent testimonials and reviews (ie: “life-changing!”, “life-saving!”, and “saw results within days!”), has a 100% money-back guarantee, and offers the first class for free.
Perfect for any parent who’s shopping around, to check out and feel out, for themselves.
I hope you have found this blog post helpful as you finalize your decision on the best positive parenting course for your family.
I’m excited for you.
And I wish you all the balance and bliss that is sure to come as soon as you start incorporating some positive parenting techniques!
What Are The 5 Positive Parenting Skills?
Positive parenting skills can be effective with all different types of children and families.
Here are the 5 positive parenting skills that make for a more peaceful and healthy parent-child dynamic:
- Be encouraging – encouraging and praising good behavior, more often than you correct unwanted behavior, reinforces positive actions and boosts a child’s self-esteem. By focusing on recognizing and rewarding desired behaviors, you can motivate your child to continue making positive choices and behaving in desirable ways.
- Be responsive – allow your child to be heard, whether it is during a tantrum or with their interests and dislikes. When parents are responsive to their child’s emotional experiences and their points of view, their child feels safe and secure with their parents, and becomes more cooperative.
- Set the example – Children learn by observing their parents, so modeling the behavior you want to see, is essential. By demonstrating patience, kindness, and healthy problem-solving and stress management skills yourself, you set a powerful example for your child to follow and learn from.
- Set the boundaries – Give your child age-appropriate freedoms within the limits that you set. Be clear on what the limits (boundaries) are and what the consequences are, so they can make informed decisions. Be consistent, kind, and patient as they practice and learn to follow the house rules you have in place.
- Be interactive – actively engage with your child each day in a supportive and nurturing manner. Follow their lead in play, listen to their worries and dislikes, and indulge their goofiness even if it is not ‘your style’. Being interactive involves listening to your child, responding to their needs, and communicating with them in a way that fosters a strong, deep, and healthy relationship. It encourages open dialogue, empathy, connection, and understanding between parent and child, creating a safe space for the child to express themselves, learn, grow, and feel heard, seen, and loved.
What Are The 4 C's Of Positive Parenting?
In the parenting world, there are often two sets of ‘4 C’s of parenting’.
One set was penned by Dr. Christian Conte, PhD, a renowned mental health therapist, licensed professional counselor and anger management specialist.
His 4 C’s of parenting are:
- Choices – Giving children age-appropriate choices helps them develop decision-making skills and autonomy. By offering options, parents empower their children to learn about responsibility and consequences. This fosters independence and confidence in decision-making.
- Consequences – Establishing clear, fair, age-appropriate consequences teaches children cause and effect. By letting your child know what the consequences for their actions are before they act, they can make informed decisions. Following through on set consequences is key to shaping behavior and teaching accountability and responsibility.
- Consistency – Once you’ve told your child about rules and consequences, it is time to stick to them. Predictable environments provide stability and structure, and help children thrive, emotionally. Consistency is key for learning, respect, and desired behaviors.
- Compassion – compassion is the foundation of a nurturing parent-child relationship. Showing your child that you understand the emotions they are experience, that you have struggled too, and that you are there to help guide them through life’s messiness, will keep them open and connected to you, seeking your guidance and having respect for you.
The other set of ‘4 C’s of parenting’ comes from the conscious parenting approach, penned by Dr. Shefali.
Dr. Laura Markham, who is acclaimed for her mindful, intentional, and nurturing approach to raising children further popularized the 4 C’s of this parenting approach.
The conscious parenting 4 C’s are:
- Calm – calm yourself, first.
- Clear – get clear on your ultimate goal and what you want to say to get to that goal.
- Connect – validate and empathize to connect with the emotion the child is experiencing that is causing the behavior.
- Collaborate – work together; pooling ideas, to solve the problem and create different habits and behaviors in the future.
Final Thoughts On Positive Parenting Courses
Positive parenting courses have been increasingly popular among parents seeking guidance and support in raising their children in today’s world, and most parents who go through the programs report positive outcomes in their family life.
Majority leave their programs with a ton of gratitude for the team of support and the community of others around the world who are right there with them, experiencing the same challenges.
Remember, it is extremely common for parents to face challenges and struggles in the parenting journey at any given stage.
You are not alone.
Overall, with positive parenting courses, the general consensus among parents who have taken a course is that the experience has been valuable in improving their relationship with their children, enhancing their parenting skills, and fostering a more positive and harmonious family dynamic.
So, whatever you decide, just know that it is important to acknowledge that parenting is a demanding and complex role that can present difficulties we (all the parents in all the world) were never ‘trained’ for, like we were our jobs. Then there are societal pressures, financial constraints, work-life balance, and individual circumstances that contribute to the challenges that we as parents may encounter, day in and day out…
It can weigh heavy. I know.
Especially when you feel lost, confused, like you are failing, or helpless.
There is hope.
If you are willing and flexible to learn and adapt, there is a brighter tomorrow.
It’s a reality that our parenting challenges can manifest in various forms, including stress, feelings of inadequacy, conflicts with children, and difficulty in balancing multiple responsibilities.
So, it’s so so so essential for parents to seek support, whether through family, friends, support groups, professional counselors, or positive parenting courses, to navigate their family’s challenges effectively.
Please remember that it is okay, even essential, to seek help – we ALL need some at times – and every parent faces struggles in their parenting journey.
100%.
To learn more about the positive parenting course that I recommend, The Positive Parenting Solutions Course, and to see if it is right for you, click here.
Best of luck in your search and decision.
I am excited for you and your family, as including positive parenting practices into your life can completely change your family dynamic for the absolute best! Xx Poppy
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