Every other occupation, from driving a truck to performing surgery, requires months or years of training. Only for the job of raising children do we expect that love will be enough. But sometimes it isn’t. Parents also need skills. Here is the program that gives parents the know-how they need to be helpful to their children and helpful to themselves.
What topics are covered in the workshop?
The goal of the How To Talk So Kids Will Listen workshop is to help you and the members of your group communicate more effectively with children.
The How To Talk workshop covers the following topics:
Session I: Helping Children Deal with Negative Feelings
An exploration of what happens to children when their feelings are denied. Specific skills that help children to recognize and cope with their negative feelings: disappointment, envy, frustration, resentment, anger, etc. Ways to accept children’s feelings, limit unacceptable behavior, and still maintain goodwill.
Session II:Engaging Cooperation Without Threats, Bribes and Yelling
How children react to commonly used methods to get them to cooperate: threats, warnings, orders, name-calling, sarcasm, lecturing, etc. Five ways to invite cooperation that will leave parents and children feeling good about themselves and each other.
Session III: Problem Solving and other Alternatives to Punishment
How do children normally react to punishment? Is it necessary to rely on punishment as a means of discipline? Some alternatives to punishment that enable parents to express their strong disapproval as well as encourage children to assume responsibility for their behavior.
Session IV: Encouraging Responsibility and Autonomy
Ways to help children become separate, responsible people who can one day function on their own. Specific skills that help children to become more self-reliant.
Session V: Effective Ways to Praise
An exploration of the kinds of praise that build a positive and realistic self-image, and the kinds that are counter-productive. A variety of ways to help our children become aware of their strengths so that they can become confident and resilient.
Session VI: Freeing Children from Negative Roles
A look at how children are sometimes cast into roles (bully, whiner, dawdler, mischief-maker, etc.) and how we can free them from playing out these roles. Six skills that help children see themselves in a different and more positive light.
Session VII: Final Review
“Back-to-life” workshop session; a chance to consolidate what’s been learned by applying all the skills of the previous sessions to current problems with children.
What is included in the Workshop Kit?
- The Chairperson’s Guide (including Instructions for the leader and exercises for the participants)
- Downloadable audio file for each session
- Materials for exercises and role plays: puzzle, pipe cleaners, pocket cards
- 25 promotional brochures
- One 8-1/2 by 11 inch wall poster
- Reproducible Certificate of Completion
- Reproducible evaluation form
- Teen Supplement
What is not included in the kit?
Each participant will need one How To Talk So Kids Will Listen participant workbook. Workbooks can be purchased separately on this website.
In order to complete the reading assignments for the sessions, each participant will also need:
- Liberated Parents Liberated Children
- How To Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk
These books can be purchased on this website or obtained from your local library or the bookseller of your choice