As parents, we want to make sure that everything we are as ready as possible for the job of raising our children and doing it well. A lot of new parents are torn between doing what their parents did, doing the opposite of what their parents did, following the latest books, and trying to figure out which parenting leader is right. Dr. Renee Clauselle of Child and Family Psychology, in Franklin Square, NY, would like to offer insights as to when to consider parent training/coaching.
What Is Parent Training/Coaching?
Parental instincts come from what nature tells us to do to keep our babies alive. These instincts are based on our hunter-gatherer lifestyles where our lives and threats to them were very different. These instincts can be good when keeping safe in an emergency. They are useless when responding to our children’s behavior, no matter how much we would like this to be to the contrary.
In many cases, our children will be enough like one parent that either parent can know what to expect when interacting with that child, even at different stages of life. However, our children are not little clones of ourselves, and can end up having personalities unlike either parent. Many parents will want to try to coach their child into becoming more like the parent, which usually leads to a strain in the relationship and the child acting out.
With parent training/coaching, Dr. Clauselle will assess the relationship dynamic, determine the needs of the individuals and the child, observe communication styles, and help guide the parents into better understanding their children well enough to work with differences, rather than try to power over them.
This is especially useful for parents of defiant children or teenagers. The parental desire for control often leads to creating environments that spurn the natural rebellion of adolescent hormones. By better learning how your child or teen responds to you can give you ideas for alternate ways to approach a situation.
Contact Us Today
If you are in the Franklin Square, NY, area and would like to know if parent training/coaching could benefit you, look no further. Call Child and Family Psychology at (516) 750-4841 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Renee Clauselle today.