Even I can count to 3!

I can count to 3. This means I can be a parent. I can even be an effective parent when it comes to discipline. So can you!

Basic Training for Parents
I am trained as a Marriage and Family therapist and I work daily with parents of troubled and/or troubling children. One question I am asked constantly is, What can I do to get this kid to mind?! For the elementary school children and younger children I inevitably say, "Use 1-2-3 Magic.

Start Early!
If you start this program early, at age 2 for instance, then you have a basis for the rest of your time with your child. Many children start out easy so many parents do not feel like they have much to do with discipline. (Others of you want to know who these lucky parents are.) Discipline is actually teaching and in many cases this means teaching your child that there are consequences, either positive or negative, to your actions. 1-2-3 Magic is discipline that works!

But you don't know my kid!
You are right, I don't. So let me give you a brief description of the type of children with whom I have used this program. I have used this program with mild children who occasionally don't do what their parents want or misbehave mildly. I have used this program with children in "the terrible two's," through twelve years of age. I have used this program in a psychiatric hospital and in the home with children just released from the same hospital. I have seen parents implement this program with an 8 year old child who attacked the parents with boards and within 10 days the child was behaving like a "normal" 8 year old.

I don't have a Ph.D.
Neither do I. I bet you can count to three. If you can do this and follow 2 rules you can do the program. The two rules are no talking and no emotion. This simply means once you start counting you say nothing else and you leave the emotion out of it. Remember, you are teaching your children more appropriate ways to behave. The big benefit is that if you as the parent follow the above 2 rules, and you can, then you interrupt many of the cycles that can become negative and contribute to problems later on.

What's the catch?
None that I know of. The book is very easy to read and follow. It is often humorous and has incorporated the experience of hundreds of parents from a variety of situations. It tells you how to get your child to stop behaviors you want stopped and start behaviors you want them to do. What more can you ask for? The book is often available at the public library so you don't even have to buy it. Don't like to read. See the video which is often available at your library as well or you can order it by calling 1-800-442-4453. (No, I don't make anything from this except the satisfaction of parents and children enjoying themselves together. Well, I do get the 1-3 pennies for you reading it but no kickbacks.)

This book and the video are great basic training for all parents. I have used it with many clinical cases and found it effective. And yes, I use it with my own children and it works. Read the book, watch the video, or both and start today!

What if my child is really tough or over 12?
This does work like magic but it is not 100% guaranteed. Keep checking Epinions for later opinions from me regarding discipline (I will be doing one for adolescents soon) or email me at jimrmaxwell@hotmail.com. I can probably point you to some resources or let you know where to get additional help.