Effective Parenting

What is Effective Parenting?

Effective Parenting is learning to parent the child you have, not the child you wish you had. It's not about being a perfect parent—it's about being a “good enough” parent.

Effective parenting techniques focus on holding your child accountable for misbehavior and on developing better problem solving skills.

Here are some parenting tips to help you start being a more effective parent:

Parent the Child You Have, Not the Child You Wish You Had

It's Never Too Late: 7 Ways to Start Parenting More Effectively

6 Major Parenting Mistakes to Avoid

Disrespectful Child or Teen? 5 Things Not to Do as a Parent

By Megan Devine, LCPC

104 Comments

Eye–rolling, curses and insults, backtalk, name calling, ignored requests, snide comments: disrespect from your child or teen comes in many different forms. If you’re struggling with disrespectful behavior from your kids, you’re definitely not alone: this is one of the biggest topics of conversation between parents and our online parent coaches. The truth is, disrespectful behavior... Read more »

Grieving Your Child Who’s “Gone Wrong”

By Megan Devine, LCPC

95 Comments

Here at Empowering Parents, we’ve received many messages from parents sharing sadness and disappointment over the way their kids have turned out. It’s a subject we don’t talk about very often, but it’s one that really deserves some attention. In The Total Transformation Program, James Lehman talks about parenting the child you have rather than the... Read more »

How to Respond to Disrespectful Children and Teens

By Kim Abraham, LMSW & Marney Studaker-Cordner, LMSW

58 Comments

A child’s disrespectful behavior can be a parent’s greatest “button-pusher.” A dad recently shared his frustration about his 14-year-old daughter’s disrespect: “I told her she couldn’t go to a party until her room was picked up – it’s an absolute mess – and she just exploded. She yelled, told me she hated me and slammed... Read more »

Defiant Young Children and Toddlers: 5 Things Not to Do

By Dr. Joan Simeo Munson

48 Comments

“I won’t do it!” “You can’t make me!” “I’m not going!” Do you ever find yourself wondering, “When will this child stop defying me and start doing what I ask?” It can be incredibly frustrating, not to mention exhausting, dealing with a young child or toddler who finds it necessary to challenge your every request, act in a... Read more »

Anger, Rage and Explosive Outbursts: How to Respond to Your Child or Teen’s Anger

By Kim Abraham, LMSW & Marney Studaker-Cordner, LMSW

36 Comments

Everyone gets mad sometimes, children and adults alike. Anger is an emotion that can range from slightly irritated to moderately angry, all the way to full-blown rage. A child’s anger often makes us feel uncomfortable, so there can be a natural tendency to try and change the situation for your child, so the anger will... Read more »

Hope for Parents of Defiant Teens: 6 Ways to Parent More Effectively

By Janet Lehman, MSW

29 Comments

“I feel alone,” a mom of an out-of-control teen said to me recently. “I don’t go out much anymore, and to be honest, my family isn’t really invited to things because of my son’s behavior.” If you have an acting-out child or teen, you probably feel isolated. You’ve gotten tired of hearing... Read more »

Disrespectful Kids: How to Get Your Child or Teen to Behave with Respect

By Debbie Pincus, MS LMHC

28 Comments

We all know that kids can act in many disrespectful and rude ways to parents: they can slam doors, roll their eyes, and tell you they hate you, to name a few. It’s natural to get very worried and frustrated and wonder if these types of behaviors constitute out-and-out abuse, or just “rudeness and mild... Read more »

When Parents Disagree: 10 Ways to Parent as a Team

By Debbie Pincus, MS LMHC

26 Comments

Most couples have experienced this situation at one time or another—you think you should discipline your child a certain way, and your spouse wants to handle it differently. You each become entrenched in your position, and that’s when the fighting starts. At some point, most couples will argue over how to discipline their children. After all,... Read more »

How to Stop Yelling at Your Kids: Use These 10 Tips

By Debbie Pincus, MS LMHC

24 Comments

Calm Parenting—most of us aspire to it, desire it, and even promise ourselves we’re going to do it—but it’s so difficult to sustain. We know how important it is to parent from our principles rather than from our fears, but despite our best intentions we lose it and end up yelling at those we love... Read more »

Does Your Child Have a Victim Mentality? 4 Steps to Turn It Around

By Janet Lehman, MSW

24 Comments

“It’s not fair! You’re always yelling at me, even when it’s not my fault!” Sound familiar? The minute you say no, or set limits, or try to enforce the rules, your child immediately says that you’re not being fair and that you always pick on him. He overreacts constantly to routine requests and takes no responsibility... Read more »