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Need help? Parenting programs here to support

Parenting programs address a variety of skills including positive interactions, communication, and discipline and offer parents help dealing with life challenges such as “divorce, bereavement, poverty, racism, and parental depression. In turn, kids benefit from these programs, too.

How many times have you had a rough day at work and unconsciously raised your voice at your child for a minor indiscretion? We've all been there and there are resources available to help. A stress management parenting program can teach parents techniques for those stressful days.  As James M. Perrin, former president of the American Academy of Pediatrics stated, "helping parents deal with the stress in their own lives and then be able to deal with the stress in the lives of their children is an effective strategy."

Parenting programs go beyond managing stress and can do it well, too.  A recently released review of randomized trials for 22 parenting programs showed a positive effect across all child age groups.

They address a variety of skills including: "positive interactions, communication, and discipline" and offer parents help dealing with life challenges such as "divorce, bereavement, poverty, racism, and parental depression," said Irwin N. Sandler, Regents' Professor Emeritus and Research Professor, REACH Institute and Department of Psychology (Clinical), Arizona State University, one of the study's authors in a release.

Parenting programs strengthen skills and capacities so parents can be engaged and supportive despite the various challenges they face daily. This aids in the well-being and development of all kids, but especially those who are regularly exposed to toxic stress and adverse child experiences. An evidence-based parenting program can help prevent adverse child experiences, which in turn minimizes behavior and risk factors that lead to early death as that child grows into adulthood.

In this review, the researchers found the outcomes for children ranged from less aggressive behavior, fewer depressive symptoms and improved school grades to enhanced self-esteem and better concentration.

Furthermore, Sandler's review shows positive family interactions have a long-lasting positive impact. The Parenting Gap, a 2013 report by the Brookings Institution, shows all too well that good parenting has an effect on social mobility. Other research shows that obesity, behavioral problems, educational attainment, as well as social and emotional skills all can be improved by helping parents directly. The most effective programs, like Triple P parenting, work cooperatively with parents giving them support, encouragement and advice when they need it, at convenient times and locations, through internet, video and live sessions. This program originated in Australia and is now used in over 17 countries and in seven states.

What Frederick Douglas wrote in 1855 still holds true today "it is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men."  With the recent renewed emphasis on prevention, good parenting programs must be included in health care, early education programs, community programs, and other settings where parents and families gather. I think we should not forget that building a collaborative effort into our culture to help parents, to improve parenting not simply supplement it, empowers parents to raise well-adjusted healthier kids and benefits us all.

Here are some parenting tips on common parenting concerns.

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