The Positive Parent: Raising Healthy, Happy, and Successful Children from Birth-Adolescence Book

Acknowledgments     xi
Introduction     1
Parenting in the 21st Century     5
Relational Contexts for Raising Children     5
Economics     7
Parenting-on-the-Run     10
Childhood Obesity and Other Eating Disorders     11
Cultural Diversity     13
The Media and Technology     15
Autistic and Other Special Needs Children     19
Tobacco, Alcohol, and Other Drugs     20
HIV/AIDS and Other STDs     24
Gangs and Violence     25
Child Maltreatment     26
The Job of Parenting     30
Motivations for Parenting     30
Parental Functions and Responsibilities     31
Good Parenting     37
Parental Influence Processes     43
Bad Parenting     47
Parenting Guidelines     52
Give Children Warmth, Acceptance, and Respect     54
Enjoy Your Children's Development and Be Alert to Special Needs     60
Use Fair and Firm Leadership     63
Avoid Corporal Punishment and Verbal Aggression     72
Start Early in Preparing Children for School     77
Create a Home Environment That Supports Education     80
Be an Active Partner with Your Children's School     87
Manage Your Child's Obesity and Eating-Related Problems     90
Teach Your Children About Their Own and Other Cultures     94
Teach Children About Substance Abuse     96
Teach Children About Sexuality     100
Teach Children to Be Financially Successful and Giving     109
Manage Your Children's Media and Technology Exposure     114
Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle     119
Nurture the Relationship in Which You Are Raising Your Children     120
Set a Good Example of Life-Long Learning     124
Parenting Children with Special Needs     127
What Is a Special Need?     128
Professional Definitions     134
Types of Childhood Disabilities and Other Special Needs     140
Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASDs)     141
Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders (AD/HD)     143
Learning Disabilities     145
Importance of Early Identification and Early Intervention     147
Managing a Child with Special Needs     155
Skill-Building Programs and Services     159
Parenting and Family Skill-Building Programs     159
Individualized Parenting Education and Support     166
Program Descriptions     170
Parent Effectiveness Training (P.E.T.)     170
CICC's Trio of Parenting Programs     175
Confident Parenting: Survival Skill Training     75
Effective Black Parenting     178
Los Ninos Bien Educados     184
Positive Indian Parenting     186
Siblings Without Rivalry: A Topic-Centered Program     188
The Nurturing Programs     190
Steps to Independence     193
Stop and Think Social Skills Training Program     194
Parents on Board     196
Active Parenting     198
Children in the Middle     198
Families and Schools Together (FAST)     199
Guiding Good Choices     199
Parenting Wisely     199
Strengthening Families     199
Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (STEP)     200
The Incredible Years     200
More Parenting Resources     201
2-1-1 and Community Services     201
Television     202
Parenting Magazines and Newspapers     203
Using the Internet     204
Conclusions     207
The National Effective Parenting Initiative (NEPI)     210
The CICC Discovery Tool-Sample Version     213
Notes     227
References     233
Index     241
About the Author     252