The importance of educating parents to be as effective as possible in raising children
has been recognized in the United States since at least 1815, when the first parent
group meetings were reported. These and other early efforts allowed groups of parents
to gain emotional and social support from each other and to learn about child
In the early 1970's, a new approach to educating and training parents emerged - the
creation and use of carefully constructed parenting skill-building programs.
These programs are designed to improve parental effectiveness by providing a clear
parenting philosophy and a set of positive parenting skills and strategies that can be
used immediately to address a variety of child-rearing challenges and problems.
Research has shown that these programs
- Increase parental confidence
- Reduce parental stress and anxiety
- Improve parenting skills
- Reduce or eliminate spanking and hitting
- Improve parent-child relations
- Reduce child behavior problems
- Improve child cooperation
- Improve child self-esteem
- Improve child adjustment
- Improve child academic performance
- Strengthen families
The vast majority of programs are taught by professional instructors who have received
specialized training in how best to teach them
(See Training for Professionals).
The programs are taught in different communities as:
- Multiple-session parenting classes that meet once or twice a week for several
weeks, where all of the program’s parenting skills are presented,
- One-Day Seminars where many of the skills are presented,
- One-Session Meetings, such as Lunch-And-Learn meetings in work settings,
where one or two skills are taught, or where a specific topic is covered.
Parents who participate in these classes, seminars or meetings receive handbooks or
guidebooks to help them learn and to use for future reference
A variety of excellent parenting skill-building programs now exist, which you can bring
to your community.
Below you will find a list of many of the better known and widely used programs.
Some were created by the Center for the Improvement of Child Caring (CICC), and all
were carefully reviewed by Dr. Alvy and the other professional staff of CICC to ensure
that what is taught in the programs is consistent with what the research on child-parent
relations indicates is best for raising healthy and confident children and youth.
Some of the programs have been designed for use by all parents. Others have been
designed for use with parents whose children are at the same stage of development,
such as for parents of infants and toddlers, or parents of elementary school age
children, teenagers, etc.
Other programs focus on one specific parenting challenge, such as dealing with sibling
rivalry or finding alternatives to spanking and yelling.
Click on the programs that you would like to learn more about. In addition to
descriptions of the programs, you will also learn how you can bring them to your
organization or community. Information on ordering the program’s handbooks and
instructor materials is also provided.
So click away and enjoy the largest and finest selection of programs to promote parent
effectiveness and child development!
CICC’s Trio of National Model Programs
The Systematic Training for Effective Parenting Programs (STEP)
- Confident Parenting
- Effective Black Parenting
- Los Niños Bien Educados
The Active Parenting Video-Based Programs
- Early Childhood STEP
- STEP for Parents of Elementary School Children
The Nurturing Programs
- 1,2,3,4 Parents! Program for Parents of Infants and Toddlers
- Active Parenting Now – For Parents of Children 5-12
- Active Parenting of Teens
- Active Parenting Today for Jewish Families
School Readiness and Parent Involvement Programs
- Prenatal Program
- Parents and Their Infants, Toddlers and Preschoolers (also in Spanish)
- The ABC’s for Parents – Children 4 - 5 years (Assuring Better Children)
- Crianza con Cariño para Padres y Niños (Spanish version of the program for
Parents and Their Infants, Toddlers and Preschoolers)
- Parents and Children, 5 - 11 years
- Crianza con Cariño para Padres y Hijos (Spanish version of the program for
Parents and Their Children, 5 - 11 years)
- Parents and Adolescents
- Teenage Parents and Their Families
- Nurturing Skills for Parents
- Program Evaluation Tool
- School Success from the Start School Readiness Program
- Parents on Board – Building Academic Success Through Parent Involvement
Shaking, Hitting, Spanking: What To Do Instead
Yelling, Threatening, Putting Down: What To Do Instead
Siblings Without Rivalry
Parenting in a TV Age
Understanding and Managing Child Defiance
The Southeast Asian Parenting Program
Self-Esteem: A Family Affair
How To Talk So Kids Will Listen
Platica de Auto-Estima
Stop & Think Program for Parents
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