What guidelines should professionals follow when preparing to work with families on parenting skills?
There are a number of guidelines that are important to remember in working with families on parenting skills. These include: • It is important to help parents understand what to expect of their children given their age and developmental stage and temperamental characteristics. With this understanding, parents are able to become more understanding of the reasons for their children’s behavior and to have more realistic expectations of what their children should be able to do and how they can expect them to behave. • It is always helpful in working with parents to start with an issue of parenting or a concern about their child’s behavior that they are most interested in or confused about. The issue chosen is often about finding an effective way to discipline children, although sleeping or eating problems are also common concerns. Starting with the parents’ concern and working together to find answers can help build a partnership between professionals and parents, ensuring that parents are
