My name is Dr. Randy Boardman, a former school administrator, teacher, trainer, speaker, author and educational consultant for over 45 years. I am also a parent and grandparent. In my experience, parenting is one of the most critical roles any of us will ever undertake in our life. Parenting is also a role that we are least prepared to embark upon the day we become one. I have been known to suggest that it may take only moments to conceive a child, but it takes a lifetime to be a parent.
It is not uncommon for ineffective parents to subscribe to the “Large and in charge” or “Because I said so” or “How many times have I told you” themes to parenting. As Dr. Phil would ask, “And how did that work for you?” Effective parenting is purposeful and intentional. Effective parents provide young people a structure, boundaries and some parameters within their life. Effective parenting of a child requires a plan, practice, consistency, and skill sets that can be learned. Effective parenting can help young people feel respected, valued, loved, and even serve as a model for the day in their lives when they too become a parent.
“Parenting the Challenging Child” will help you become a more intentional parent. Whitson provides a structured four-step model for parents and caregivers to provide a consistent protocol for talking to a stressed-out young person navigating childhood and adolescence. Understanding the basics of The Conflict Cycle will help each of us change our behavior, our response to the child in stress. Life Space Crisis Intervention, LSCI, had roots in the therapist office as a process to uncover more deep-seeded issues. Long took these core components out of the therapy setting and provided educators a pathway to apply LSCI daily to our life space, classrooms and schools. Whitson has taken the LSCI process and skill sets even further, as she has distilled a very practical, user-friendly structure for parents and caregivers. Listening skills, affirming skills, relational skills, and problem-solving skills that empower youth to make more productive decisions for next time. These approaches are intentional, powerful and practical.
Whitson’s book continued to remind me of one of my favorite quotes by Postman, “Children are the living messages we send, to a time we will not see.” If you believe being a parent is about asserting you power and authority, or purport “I had a tough life and so will you,” or your approach is to make-it-up as you go along, that is on you. If you believe that young people need significant adult role models who can positively matter though parenting, I recommend this resource. For anyone looking for effective strategies to assist with your own children, or parents you support, “Parenting the Challenging Child” by Whitson is a must read.
Dr. Randy Boardman
Educational Trainer, Speaker and Consultant
[email protected]
randyspeaks2u.com