happy childhoods bright futures

enabling parents to bring out the best in their children

© the parent practice 68 Thurleigh Road London SW12 8UDt: 0208 673 3444 e: team@theparentpractice.com w: www.theparentpractice.com

Get connected

parent practice centres

Clapham – head office

Barnes

Chelsea

Earlsfield

Wimbledon

Member of

32

We know how important children are to their parents. Here at The Parent Practice we have been helping parents give children the gift of a happy childhood and a bright future since we were established in London in 2004.

There’s no such thing as a perfect parent, but with the right toolkit parents can make family life the happy, nurturing and supportive environment they want. Our team have supported and empowered thousands of parents and carers, drawing on the latest thinking in psychology, our skills, training and our vast experience working with families with children of all ages from toddlers to teens.

We work with parents and carers through small group courses and workshops or we work with individuals or couples on a private basis. At schools and nurseries, we work with parents and the teaching staff. In the workplace, we are commissioned by corporate clients to give popular parenting seminars for their employees.

In our train the trainer programmes we train professionals who work with parents and with children to deliver our parenting programmes. Licences for our programmes are available.

Testimonials from attendees in our programmes illustrate how our services transform the lives of parents and children. The Parent Practice is a strong voice at the forefront of the parenting world. Our aim is first and foremost to help parents bring up children to be happy and successful adults.

We hope you’ll get in touch.

welcome from the parent practice

To find out more call 0208 673 3444 or email team@theparentpractice.com

Julia Bryden, Head of Parenting Network, BP

We wanted to extend our warmest thanks for an excellent

seminar today on emotional resilience attended by 120 people. You’ve left us with

very pragmatic tools and techniques and the case studies and real life examples really brought this to

life and made for a very enjoyable hour. You have certainly prompted lots of positive debate here

and we would warmly recommend this seminar to others.

Cathy, mother of three

Ed Rees, Headmaster, Hornsby House School, Balham

Thank you very much for visiting Hornsby House

again on Wednesday. You always deliver excellent sessions with plenty of food for thought and this one was

no exception. The feedback I have had has been very positive – not least

from my wife!

Melissa Hood and Elaine Halligan

contents

introduction 3

for parents 4 – 6 courses, consultations, workshops

for schools and nurseries 7 – 9 courses, seminars

for the workplace 10 – 12 courses, seminars

for professionals 13 – 15 training for trainers

for independent learning Real Parenting for

Real Kids book 16 – 17

How to Bring out the Best in your Children cards 17

Online parenting skills training 18 – 19

I just wanted to say a huge thank you for all the parenting

skills you taught me at the end of last year. The classes were excellent and I learnt so much.

Although I can’t yet claim to always be the happy calm mum I aspire to be I am definitely that person so much

more than I used to be. I no longer shout/threaten/moan as much as I did and family life is so much happier and calmer than it was. Friends have even commented on

how calm I am with my children and I attribute this all to my classes with The Parent

Practice. So thank you!

some of our top workshops

essential skills for encouraging cooperation and confidence

developing emotionally intelligent children

positive discipline – finding the balance

creating happy learners

staying calm, being positive

fostering harmony between siblings

bringing out the best in boys series

raising girls series

54

all courses

are delivered by trained, experienced facilitators who are also parents

draw on many advanced learning techniques and are supported by written materials

are confidential, fun, interactive, non-judgemental and, most of all, really effective

groups are kept small to allow for individual attention. Typical classes are between 6 and 12

consultations for parents and carers

These courses are in weekly two hour sessions during term times

courses for parents and carers

courses

positive parenting in a nutshell 1 day

encouraging cooperation, confidence and communication

morning

positive discipline afternoon

consultations

face to face or by telephone/Skype

private consultations 60 – 90 minutes

courses

the core skills course 5 weeks fixed start date

the positive parenting course 10 weeks rolling join at any time

courses, consultations, workshops

workshops for parents and carers

We offer an extensive and ever expanding range of topic based workshops in our centres. These in depth seminars are 2.5 hours long and are offered as morning or evening sessions. We also host workshops by guest professionals in parenting related areas.

attending a parenting class is not an indication of being a ‘bad’ parent – it is testimony to a parent’s commitment to their children and their role as a parent. We often beat ourselves up at the thought that we could do with some help raising our children.

After all, isn’t it meant to be instinctive? In fact parenting has never been down to instinct alone – those things we think are instincts are actually learnt behaviours.

Working clinically as a psychologist with adults, I was very aware of the importance of a secure childhood, and like a lot of mums I had a number of ‘how-to-parent-your-toddler’ books on my bookshelf once I had my own child. There is lots of support and advice for parents leading up to the birth (eg NCT etc), and the early weeks/months, but I was surprised how the task of nurturing a child into a healthy adulthood wasn’t seen to need much input.

The 10-week Parent Practice course I did was really first class – so informative and practically useful, and delivered in a very clear, non-judgemental and thoroughly engaging way. I also really liked the structure of weekly sessions, which meant you had a week to try out the ideas from the sessions, and it was nice to be able to share struggles and triumphs with other mums in the same position.

Ani Zavody, Mother and Chartered Counselling Psychologist

what we doThese classes won’t impose someone else’s beliefs on you but help you understand your child’s temperament, define your own values and give you tools for bringing up your children according to those values.

Our toolkit can be applied to suit any family and gives mums and dads a united front from which to work, making life as a parent both easier and more fulfilling. who attends

mums or dads with children up to age 18

couples with children up to age 18

nannies and foster parents

adults who have significant children in their lives such as grandchildren, godchildren, step children, nieces and nephews

parents of children with special needs

results for parents

improved communication and understanding between parents and children

improved self esteem, confidence, co-operation, independence and resilience

strong, happy and respectful relationships within the family

children interacting constructively with others, willing to try and do their best in nursery and school and in the wider world

7

bringing schools and parents together equals academic and social success for children which is why our successful parenting seminars are endorsed by schools and nurseries. Our seminars have been developed in conjunction with teachers experienced in early years learning, and draw on child behaviour and developmental research.

what we do

We deliver a range of parenting tools to parents within the familiar environment of the school community. With the strategies learned during the seminars, parents help children grow in confidence and resilience, try new things, persevere, and do well both academically and socially. Parents learn how to support children in academic, artistic and sporting endeavours without pressurising them.

We also offer seminars for school and nursery teachers. Teachers are dedicated, warm and empathetic professionals. However, it can be tiring stimulating a class, caring for children and managing behaviour at the same time as children absorb the learning tasks required of them and learn to interact with others. Teachers often find disciplining children difficult. We deliver techniques that bring out the best in children while ensuring discipline is positive and effective.

who attends

any mum or dad, with children in school or nursery, including parents of children with special needs

teachers who are parents themselves

teaching staff and assistants interested in developing further skills in the classroom

results for schools

shows commitment to teaching staff, parents and children

improves children’s communication, co-operation, respect and social skills

increases children’s focus, motivation and openness to learning

effective problem solving and teaching approaches to discipline

results for teachers

understanding temperament and stages of development in children

additional techniques to motivate and engage children

effective ways of re-directing and responding to challenging behaviour

results for parents and children

normalises parenting issues so that it does not feel like “I am the only one with these challenges” and increases sense of competence and well-being as a parent

lessens guilt, tiredness and stress

enables parents to bring out the best in children at school and creates transformation at home with happier, healthier and more confident children

strengthens parent networks

Christine and Steve, parents of a son and daughter

My husband and I highly recommend the 10 week

parenting course. The information and skills learnt were both

practical and useful and the changes we made to our own behaviour remain with us to this day.

Money and time well spent – 20 hours is a small price to pay for a lifetime of positive

parenting, bringing out the best in your children.

Leo, father of two girls

When we first signed-up for the course I was

curious but also concerned about giving up what felt like so much of my time. In the

event it wasn’t a huge imposition on my time and it was really worthwhile. We had specific issues to tackle and within weeks we found

that things were turning round. After the course I am pretty confident that I am a

better parent and that my kids are happier too.

Your parenting tips still steer our family ship. I don’t

always remember to respond the way I’d like on reflection but it’s like finding a £10

note at the bottom of your handbag... sometimes finding just the right words to smooth through family life. When my children were quite small I had a parent

practice top 10 tips printed out on the inside of our pantry cupboard. I could then whip out some skills

with the cereal and be sure of a good day. I was always amazed by the results! Happy

calm children. Bliss!

Pippa, mother of three children

To find out more call 0208 673 3444 or email team@theparentpractice.com

seminars in schools and nurseries

8 To find out more call 0208 673 3444 or email team@theparentpractice.com

Clarissa Farr, High Mistress, St Pauls Girls’ School, London

I wanted to thank you personally for a hugely

well received talk and discussion for parents last night on girls and their

emotions – a rich topic indeed. The attendance was at the highest level yet

for these evenings – clearly your reputation has spread!

Fulham Prep PTA parent

parent from St Albans’ HIgh School

Victoria Irwin, Headmistress, Rolfe’s Nursery School

Thank you very much for presenting such

a wonderful evening at Rolfe’s Nursery School. Your presentation

was fun, informative and has proved a big hit with our parents. I do hope that you will be able to come back

and present another event very soon.

We couldn’t believe how quickly the

evening sold out! Thank you so much, the feedback forms showed

it was an overwhelming ‘yes’ for more talks. Consider the

evening a great success.

I just wanted to thank you for arranging the

brilliant session this evening. I have returned home deep in thought digesting everything but determined to try harder

to put more consideration into how we encourage the right behaviours

in a more positive way.

seminars for schools and nurseries

schools

the primary years

bringing out the best in your children

positive discipline: finding the balance

raising emotionally intelligent children

staying calm, being positive

fostering harmony between siblings

never have to ask twice!

raising confident children

helping kids be resilient

developing happy, creative and motivated learners

homework: increasing motivation and reducing stress

bringing out the best in boys series

raising girls series

parenting in an age of entitlement

parenting in a digital age

the teenage years

preparing for the teenage years

communicating with your teen

teens and boundaries

the nursery years

bringing out the best in young children

getting children to follow instructions

moving away from the naughty step: positive discipline for the under 5s

dealing with toddler tantrums

helping children prepare for the transition to ‘big’ school

bringing out the best in little boys

Seminars are 90 minutes. Group size may be between 20 and 100. This is not a complete list of seminar titles, we develop new topics all the time. The Parent Practice can offer nursery staff two half day training seminars. Please get in touch if you have a specific workshop in mind.

1110

success at home significantly influences success at work which is why we’ve been supporting companies with parent employees for several years. We work with many of the UK’s top companies by giving seminars in the convenience of the workplace to working parents at all stages in their careers.

what we do

Through our skills based seminar programme and our topic based talks, we equip parents to do the best job that they can at home. With the knowledge and interaction gained during the seminars home life becomes calmer and happier as parents apply the skills learned. Parents feel less guilt, tiredness and stress and bring a better self to work.

Seminars are innovative for the workplace, an opportunity for employers to take the lead, acknowledging that home life and work life are intertwined and that success at home significantly influences success at work. Employees feel understood and build up support networks at work. Seminars combine presentations, discussions, use of videos, demonstrations and exercises.

who attends

any working mum or dad, with children of any age

other adults who have significant children in their lives such as grandchildren, godchildren, step children, nieces and nephews

parents of children with special needs

partners, spouses, of employees or their carers

clients and business partners visiting the workplace

results for employers

shows commitment to working parents, marking employers out as employers of choice (past clients have won awards such as Top Employers for Working Families, Mumsnet Family Friendly Awards and other ‘best companies to work for’ lists)

increases work focus, engagement, productivity and retention (thereby lowering costs) and the employer has a distinct competitive edge in recruitment (95% of those hired by one major advertising company said learning and development was a factor in their decision)

develops new motivational and communication skills for use in the workplace as well as at home

improves team cohesion and empathy

group format makes this a cost effective way to deliver support to parents

results for working parents

helps working parents feel supported and understood

normalises parenting issues so that it does not feel like “I am the only one with these challenges”

increases sense of competence and well-being as an employee and as a parent

lessens guilt, tiredness and stress and enables parents to make the most effective use of limited time with children

empowers working parents facing the challenges of bringing up children to deliver their best at work

many of the skills learnt are transferable to the workplace and are applicable to all social interactions

seminars in the workplace

seminars in the workplace

seminar series programme

bringing out the best in your children

positive discipline: finding the balance

developing emotionally intelligent children

what to do when your kids push your buttons

family values in the 21st century

fostering harmony between siblings

seminar series talks

parenting in an age of entitlement

helping kids be resilient

dealing with toddler tantrums

communicating with your teenager

teenagers and boundaries

navigating anxiety: spotting it, understanding it, teaching your child to deal with it

friendships

staying calm: being positive

creating problem-solvers: helping children think and act for themselves

preparing for parenthood

never have to ask twice

homework: making it stress free and motivating your child

A typical seminar series programme is 6 seminars over 12 months. The seminar series is designed to provide a full complement of parenting skills within one programme. Seminars range from 90 minutes – 120 minutes.

These talks are 60 minutes and often scheduled over breakfast meetings, lunch times, early evenings or at events.

13

training for trainers

some companies we’ve worked with:

ACCENTURE, AIMIA, BP, CAPITAL ONE, CITIGROUP, DEUTSCHE BANK, FRESHFIELDS, HERBERT SMITH, JP MORGAN CHASE, MERRILL LYNCH,

OSBORNE CLARKE, PWC, SOTHEBYS, STARCOM MEDIAVEST, STATE STREET, UBS

To find out more call 0208 673 3444 or email team@theparentpractice.com

the need for parenting training for professionals has grown so much over the past few years that we developed a certificated train the trainer course. We’ve been training many of the UK’s parenting professionals since 2008.

what we do

Our 5 session training programme trains professionals who want to add facilitation skills and parenting programmes to an existing professional repertoire, or you may want to start a career specialising in parenting. You may already be involved in work with families for which this training would provide a valuable contribution or you may want to commence a career in parenting.

Trainees learn the skills and strategies taught on our core skills course at an advanced level and will also be trained in specific facilitation skills, including accelerated learning techniques, non-verbal communication skills and group mastery techniques.

This is a certificated course. Satisfactory completion is by attendance, short written assignments and a brief practical presentation. A very personalised approach is taken to the assignments with considerable individualised feedback.

Licences to deliver the parent practice programmes may be available for those who are interested in running parenting programmes upon successful completion of the training for trainers programme.

Successful applicants designate themselves ‘parent practice certified educators’.Business support is also available.

who attends

professionals from the private sector and the public sector who work with children, teenagers and families

professionals who want to add parenting facilitation skills to a cv

professionals who want to move into running parenting programmes

professionals who want to refresh and extend parenting skills

results for trainers

deepen and broaden knowledge of positive parenting skills and strategies, current issues and thinking about parenting, children’s temperament and behaviour

develop understanding of, and ability to influence, group dynamics

develop presentation and accelerated learning skills, time management, facilitating each attendee’s learning – being aware of different learning styles and responding to them accordingly

results for employers

increases employee knowledge and skills for use at work

develops skills to motivate and communicate in the workplace

improves understanding of motivations, obstacles and challenges in the workplace

results for employers shows commitment to the development of employee skills and improves employee retention

group format makes this a cost effective way to finance continuing professional and personal development

You gave an excellent presentation providing the most

practical tips for dealing with tricky situations parents find themselves in and

dealt admirably with specific issues that affect all working parents. Skillfully stimulated discussion

between parents of children of all ages. As a partner in the family department of

a city law firm I regularly refer clients to the parent practice.

Charlotte Bradley, Partner at Kingsley Napley, solicitors, and Co-Chair of Association of Working Parents

Trying to juggle a full-time role with children is

tough and can sometimes become an impossibility, so to have advice, insight

and support from professional practitioners can only be helpful and at times a lifeline.

By redirecting your energies into your daily job a commercial output to

employers will definitely be delivered.

Linda Smith, Executive Chair, Radio Advertising Bureau I’ve just attended one

of the parent practice sessions and wanted to say what a truly wonderful thing

it was. Not just in terms of the commitment that the Group is showing to the mothers and fathers who

work in its various offices, but also for the course itself. Nothing is more important to me than my family and the things I have learned today, and look forward to learning in the coming sessions. This will be of more value to me

than probably any other form of training I have ever done. However, I left this morning feeling empowered,

enlightened and genuinely optimistic about things. I wonder how many training courses can lay

claim to affecting behaviour quite so dramatically.

Darren Thomas, Client Services Director, Leo Burnett

14

training for trainers

programme

training for trainers (extended) 5 weeks

training for trainers (intensive) 5 days

Group size may be between 5 and 15 or larger groups may be possible within one organisation.

No previous experience of our work is required to take this training, although if you have already taken one of our courses this will offer you the opportunity to take your understanding and skills to a profoundly deeper level.

becoming a licensee

After passing the course, you may become a parent practice certified educator, licensed to teach the parent practice methodology and to use the parent practice materials for either the 5 week core skills course or the 10 week positive parenting course.

Licensees are provided with facilitator’s notes and all supporting materials for the classes, as well as notes which accompany the classes for attendees.

Licensees are unable to trade as ‘the parent practice’ but trade under their own business name.

Licence arrangements offer different levels of ongoing business, admin and training support.

We offer promotional help to our licensees, placing links to our licensees’ websites on The Parent Practice website.

To find out more call 0208 673 3444 or email team@theparentpractice.com

Natasha, parent and prospective parenting facilitator

The course has been without doubt the best course I have

ever attended!! It has been huge. For so long I knew how I wanted to be but not how to do it. I now

have the techniques to deal with situations. That is an immense difference. The knowledge and confidence I now

have has put me back in control and the house can stay a fun place but with rules and boundaries firmly in place so that

it reflects our family values. My intention is to become confident and familiar with the techniques in my own

family and to continue to expand my knowledge and then I’d like to go out and give others

the same techniques.

Rachel, Licensee in North London

Sam, Outreach worker, Children and Family Centre

Since attending your course I have become

more aware of my own practice as a parent and as a professional but also the great strategies I am able to put in to practice and pass on to the families

I work with. Thank you again for the great teaching

and support.I am so happy to have met the parent practice.

I have found a means of earning some money, doing something I love and genuinely making a difference to people’s

lives. I am sure you are aware of what a wonderful thing you have done for thousands of families but I thought

I would just remind you!

I want to thank you again for 5 amazing weeks

which, apart from refreshing all the wonderful techniques and

learning new facilitation skills, made me realise once again that this

is the kind of work I’d love to be doing.

Serena, Nursery worker and nanny

16

attending a course is not always an optiondue to distance or time constraints. Or perhaps you have attended a course and you want to refresh and remind yourself of the skills.

There are three independent learning options available with The Parent Practice – our book, our cards and our online parenting skills training course (see overleaf). These options offer learning opportunities for those who want to keep the skills they’ve already learned at the forefront of their minds. Read more and buy online from our website.

Real Parenting for Real Kids

Melissa Hood’s book Real Parenting for Real Kids is based on science and tested in families.

There is plenty of research within the book, drawing on the latest thinking in parenting, psychology and neuroscience – blended with a multitude of practical parenting solutions for real families living real lives in the 21st century.

The tried and tested strategies in this book come from Melissa and The Parent Practice team’s vast experience of parenting – also from the thousands of parents who have shared their experiences over the years. Real Parenting is packed full of real life stories and examples. The book has exercises to get you into action and there is a resources page on our website which provides supplementary materials. 30 days to learn cards – How to bring out the best in your children

Elaine and Melissa developed the 30 daily lesson cards in conjunction with Fink Cards to help get parents get started and maintain positive parenting habits. With just one card each day covering a single skill or strategy this is a great way to introduce new skills – or to remind yourself of skills already learned.

independent learning

17

Steve, father of two

This book is a game changer.

Sir Anthony Seldon, Vice-Chancellor, The University of Buckingham (former Headmaster of Wellington College) and author of Beyond Happiness

I love this book. It’s easy to read; it shares simple strategies

that aren’t complicated and that really make sense. I love the case studies throughout. Even though I consider myself to be a good parent, I am learning so

much from the book that will really help me to boost my children’s self-esteem even further. I’d recommend this book to every parent and every grandparent. It’s not a book just for

crisis situations, it’s a book for every day parents who want their kids to grow up to be happy confident adults. Just

like it says on the cover – real parenting for real kids. Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. Thank you Melissa

for making my family life SO much less stressful.

Most people learn how to be the parents they want to be only

after their children have fled the nest. Parents say they are too busy with work, with getting by,

with coping, to reflect deeply on what they really want for their children, and the values they want to implant.

They unconsciously mimic the ways they themselves were brought up, or react strongly against it. This thoughtful

book will help parents savour and enjoy to the full the greatest job that life will confer on them –

bringing up the next generation.

Sherry, mother of two girls

1918

Learning online is so convenient – you can work through the modules of the Positive Parenting Academy Programme at your own pace – when and where you like. You can also learn online with your partner – and with anyone else involved in the care of your children. After all, you’ll have access to the parent training programme materials forever! The Academy consists of ten modules that cover the skills taught in our face to face programmes. Everything is presented via colourful and animated videos with supporting activity sheets and additional downloadable resources. There are lots of stories and examples used to help you apply all your new skills.

the ten video modules consist of:

Module 1 – Descriptive Praise: How to develop your child’s motivation, co-operation and confidence using Descriptive Praise.

Module 2 – Emotion Coaching: Improve your emotional bond with your children, encourage communication and good behaviour by understanding and helping children manage their emotions more effectively.

Module 3 – Setting up for Success: How to make home life more harmonious and reduce stressful moments.

Module 4 – Values, Rules and Rewards: How to formulate, communicate and follow through on rules consistently in ways that pass on the values you want for your children and encourage cooperation while preserving a child’s individuality.

Module 5 – Positive Discipline: How to respond constructively to unwanted behaviours in ways that teach children to take responsibility and learn from their mistakes without damaging self-esteem.

Module 6 – Knowing your child: Understanding temperament and stages of development.

Module 7 – Children’s relationships with siblings and friends: How to nurture positive relationships and help kids resolve conflicts.

Module 8 – Responsibility: Training children to take responsibility for themselves.

Module 9 – Being in charge: Positively without over-controlling.

Module 10 – Keeping calm: Understanding why your kids push your buttons and what you can do about it.

additional downloadable resources consist of:

Activity sheets

Reminder cards

Extra video resources

The full Parent Practice Parenting guide library

Positive Parenting Quick Top Tips sheets and videos

MP3 downloads ‘Harmony at Home’ and ‘Positive Discipline’

Access to our Positive Parenting Academy private facebook group

Victoria, mother of two teenagers, UAE

Anoush, mum of two, Jersey

The first module on Descriptive Praise is very informative

and helpful indeed. It is also amazing how quickly children respond and change. This week after Stanley

[aged 5 and a reluctant dresser] finally dressed himself, I said : “Stanley, thank you for getting dressed so promptly today while I was helping your younger brother. I know the buttons can be quite tricky but you did them all by yourself and that was a great example for Robert.” He looked at me

and said: “Now watch how quickly I can do my shoes”. The next day the whole process took less time

and no extra reminders were needed.

I live in the United Arab Emirates, a long way from friends and

family. Being able to access The Parent Practice Positive Parenting Academy has been incredibly helpful to

me as attending one of their courses is not an option. Far from being a static lecture, the module is well thought out and moves

at a good pace, with video clips, worksheet exercises and animation varying the presentational format. There have been number of lightbulb moments (the exercise involving how not to motivate

your child made me squirm)! However the most wonderful aspect of the presentation is the focus on positive parenting. This

was a very good reminder that we are raising the next generation and have a role to play in ensuring

they are raised with self-esteem.

I have read some parenting books but they are no

comparison to this course with its interactivity of the very helpful videos, worksheets, missions,

course notes and reminder postcards that I stuck on my fridge. The practical content on so many problem areas has meant that I have been able to obtain real results in a very

short time. It is so reassuring to know that I have top parenting experts on hand to help me with any problems I may have.

My family is the most important thing to me and I am so pleased that this course has been made available to

me so that I can follow all of this brilliant advice and have a happy, loving, successful and

fulfilled family.

Suzanne, mother of two, UK

positive parenting academy