Schools today are required to provide more services than ever before.  For example, many schools across the nation offer a free hot breakfast and lunch to students.  Some schools serve as a community mental health center and some even supply medical services to the neighborhood.

One service I believe schools can and should provide is parenting training.  Most parents struggle with disciplining and managing their children.  Parents, unfortunately, have no training or guidance in one of the most important things an adult can do—raise an independent, responsible child.  Schools are perfectly positioned to offer this information.

I propose the following:

1. The parent-teacher association (PTA/O) conducts a group parenting seminar to be held at the school for four (or more) consecutive weeknights—four Tuesdays, for example, during the school year. All parents of students in the school (and District?) and all certified staff should be invited.  (CE’s could be provided to staff who complete the program.)

2. A nominal fee is charged to parents, to include a copy of a selected text, with a discount for couples, to encourage dads to participate. Checks are written to the PTA so it is deductible.  (The District may choose to pay for the event or find a sponsor to fund it, but it is usually best to have parents “invest” in the program.)

3. The presenter could be a member of the District staff, such as a school psychologist, counselor, special educator, teacher, or administrator. Using an outside consultant is also a possibility.  The school/District would negotiate compensation for the presenter.  If a consultant is used, staff could be trained to offer subsequent programs.

4. The program should be lecture-discussion oriented—not just an opportunity for parents to talk about their parenting issues with other parents. The program should be behaviorally-oriented, teaching parents what to do, with homework assigned between every session.

Session 1 should include a review of basic principles of child management/discipline and the identification of an observable, measureable, positive target behavior.  The homework assigned for session 2 would be to do assigned reading in the text and baseline that target behavior.

Session 2 should focus on reinforcement theory and increasing the amount of appropriate behavior the child exhibits.  The homework would be to do additional reading of the text, identify reinforcements, and begin to reinforce the identified target behavior.

Session 3 should concern decreasing the amount of inappropriate behavior the child displays and discuss extinction theory, with logical and natural consequences.  The homework would be more reading of the text and begin applying extinction and logical/natural consequences to undesirable behavior.  Session 4 should pertain to punishment theory and conclude with a wrap-up.  The homework should be to finish the text, begin implementing proper methods of punishment, and compare the current level of the target behavior relative to the initial baseline level.

5. Follow-up sessions can be held to discuss progress and plateaus. School staff could lead those sessions.

By offering a solid, evidenced-based, parenting program in the school, at least every other year, several benefits will be realized:

1. Parents learn to effectively manage and discipline their children, allowing the home to become more harmonious and peaceful.

2. Children learn to become more responsible and independent with home tasks and their school work.

3. Children learn to behave more appropriately in the classroom, reducing the time teachers spends managing misbehavior and increasing teaching time, thereby facilitating learning.

4. Teachers and parents can more effectively collaborate on improving a child’s behavior and school performance.

5. With the fees from the program the PTA can support other school projects.

Larry F. Waldman, Ph.D., ABPP is a licensed psychologist who has practiced in the Paradise Valley area of Phoenix for over 40 years.  He works with children, adolescents, parents, adults, and couples.  He also provides forensic consultations in the areas of family law, personal injury, and estate planning.  He speaks professionally to laypersons, educators, corporations, and fellow mental health professionals.  He teaches graduate courses for the Educational Psychology Department for Northern Arizona University.  He is the author of “Who’s Raising Whom?  A Parent’s Guide to Effective Child Discipline;” “Coping with Your Adolescent;” “How Come I Love Him But Can’t Live with Him?  Making Your Marriage Work Better;”  “The Graduate Course You Never Had:  How to Develop, Manage, Market a Flourishing Private Practice—With and Without Managed Care;” and  “Too Busy Earning a Living to Make Your Fortune?  Discover the Psychology of Achieving Your Life Goals.”   His contact information is:  602-418-8161; Scottsdale, Arizona  85254; email: LarryWaldmanPhD@cox.net;  website:  TopPhoenixPsychologist.com.

Originally Published on https://topphoenixpsychologist.com/

Dr. Larry F. Waldman Psychologist-Retired

Dr. Waldman is a recently semi-retired licensed clinical, forensic psychologist in Phoenix, Arizona. He conducted a highly successful private practice of 45 years working with children, teens, parents, couples, and adults in a solution-focused manner. He also consulted with family, personal injury, immigration and estate planning attorneys. His BS in Education/Psychology was from the University of Wisconsin; his MS in School Psychology was at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; his Ph.D. in Educational/School Psychology was earned at Arizona State University; and his Diplomate (ABPP) was received in 2003.

Waldman was the past president of the Maricopa Psychological Society, the Director of Psychological Services for Charter Psychiatric Hospital of Glendale, an “Official Guide” (top expert) on Parenting for SelfGrowth.com and was a Medical Consultant for the Social Security Office in Phoenix. He continues as an adjunct graduate professor in counseling and serves on the professional advisory board of Stepping Stones of Hope, a charitable organization serving children whom have lost a parent. Waldman also was the co-chair of the Early Career Psychologists Committee with the Arizona Psychological Association (AzPA) for five years. He is certified by the American Council on Exercise (ACE) as a (senior) fitness specialist and is a yoga instructor, certification in process, offering “yoga for seniors.”

In addition to numerous articles which have been published in the local Phoenix media and in the national press, Waldman has (thus far) written seven books: Who’s Raising Whom? Coping with Your Adolescent; How Come I Love Him But Can’t Live with Him? The Graduate Course You Never Had, 2nd Edition; Too Busy Earning a Living to Make Your Fortune? Overcoming Your Negotiaphobia: Negotiating Through Your Life; and Love Your Child More Than You Hate your Ex.

Dr. Waldman trained as a public speaker and has presented for PESI. His signature presentations are: The Business of Private Practice—The Graduate Course You Never Had and Teaching Parents to Parent. He has made over 150 paid presentations in his career to attorneys, chiropractors, psychologists, family therapists, counselors, social workers, school psychologists and school counselors. To the community Waldman speaks on parenting, marriage, stress, depression and anxiety, wellness, grand parenting and psychotherapy. He also is a seasoned podcast guest. His seminars are organized, practical and entertaining—offering “edutainment.”