Using anecdotes, humor, and sample dialogue, the audience will be introduced to the Connected Parenting model. Both theory and practice will be explained step-by-step. Participants will leave inspired with practical and useful strategies to try as soon as they get home.

The introductory course can be held over one or two evenings. The Connected Parenting series can be adapted for both parents and teachers.

This workshop is for parents and teachers who have attended the introductory course. It will focus on mastery of the various techniques emphasizing use of self and fluency, as well as the speed and ease of these communication skills.

Do you notice the judgmental glances from other parents when you drop your child off at school or birthday parties? Can you sense the teacher is frustrated and fed up with your child? Do you hold your breath as you approach the playground crossing your fingers hoping that your child behaves? It is heartbreaking when you know your child is struggling.

You know that he can be loving, sensitive and well meaning but others don’t always see this side of him. She can be maddening and frustrating at home at times but seeing her so misunderstood is hard to bear.

This workshop will help you to learn powerful strategies that will help your child learn to be part of the team at home, at school and out in the community. By helping your child to understand the context of their behaviour they will learn better coping strategies and build success and resilience.

With warmth and humour, this workshop will explore the delicate bond between teens and their parents. Using many of the skills therapists use in their work with clients, parents will learn to balance empathy with limit setting to strengthen and deepen their relationships with their teens. Connected Parenting will offer parents effective strategies to avoid power struggles, help their kids make safe choices and instill in their kids the confidence and resilience to say ‘No’ to their peers.

Developmental experiences have a profound impact on how a mature brain functions. The more pleasant experiences a child’s brain has, the more the brain specializes for positive emotion-meaning that later in life he or she may cope better with stress, become more resilient, and be more positive in general. This means that parents have the ability to affect their child’s brain function.

As a parent, you want to do everything possible to give your child the tools for a successful life. But what if a few small adjustments in how you interact with your child could actually impact their brain function?

It is not enough just to love them, investing in your relationship with your child will have an effect on their future success and happiness.

Most parents agree that the ‘good cop, bad cop’ approach to parenting rarely works. Unfortunately, many parents fall into the routine with one parent who becomes the limit-setter and disciplinarian and the other taking on the softer, lenient and nurturing role. Compounding this issue further is a tendency for each parent to overcompensate for what they perceive is a weakness in the other’s parenting style.Not only does this leave each parent feeling alone and unsupported, but when the kids see what’s going on they often take advantage.

In this workshop you will learn strategies to find a common ground for you and your partner. By introducing the principals of Connected Parenting empathy, compassion and containment into your individual parenting style, parents will be able to come closer together and learn to support each others parenting decisions and work together bringing out the best in each other and their children.

Are you tired of hearing ‘No’ from your child? Are you exhausted from fighting daily battles that never seem to go anywhere? For some children, the sensible consequences and strategies that sound great and work with other children-even your own other children – don’t always work on them.In this workshop, parents will learn how the principals of Connected Parenting can help to reduce the daily battles you might be having with your child, making the home a happier, less stressful place for the entire family.

Whether it’s a big transition like a new addition to the family, starting a new school, or moving to a new city, or small transitions like turning off video games or going to bed, all kids will be faced with transitions. Some children handle them well and others struggle. These times can be frustrating and nerve-racking for any child or parent.In this workshop you will learn strategies to help your children move through transitions smoothly and become more compliant and flexible. Easier transitions make the experiences go better and entire days run smoother.

We are all born hardwired for how we handle anxiety, some of us are not anxious at all-some of us are very anxious. Life events and experiences can push us up or down the continuum. Some anxiety is good-it allows us to make good, safe choices but we want to make sure that our children control their anxiety so it doesn’t control them. We don’t want their worries and fears to get in the way of enjoying and participating fully in their lives.

Children don’t always show the typical or obvious signs of anxiety that we might think of, sometimes demanding behaviour, extreme bossiness, temper tantrums and sleep disturbances can all be symptoms of anxiety.

In this workshop, you will learn about kids and anxiety, how to spot the warning signs, and what you as a parent can do to ease your child’s anxiety.

While we may not always notice it, our kids are very perceptive. When mom and dad are worried about something, the kids can usually pick up on it. In the midst of a prolific economic crisis, many of us have a lot on our minds, the least of which is how to talk to our kids about the economy and what the recession will mean in our own family.

Many families may be in a position where they are forced to say ‘No’ more often. While we all want our kids to have everything to make them happy, it’s a good time to teach them about value and setting limits.

In this workshop, you will learn how to talk to your kids about sensitive issues, such as the recession, in a way that makes them still feel safe and connected.

Some kids are extremely sensitive and react emotionally to events or frustrations a less emotional child would handle quite easily. These children could be happy and laughing one moment and sullen, sad, or furious the next. Some children seem hardwired to react more emotionally than others.

As parents of sensitive kids it’s easy to become frustrated with the constant mood swings and unpredictable reactions. In these situations, the bond between parent and child can often become frayed.

In this workshop, Connected Parenting will teach you strategies to help your child develop a thicker skin and learn to be more flexible. They will get upset less often and recover faster when they do. Through mirroring and empathy, parents will learn to help their sensitive child to become a happy, resilient and confident child.

Connected Parenting workshops can be adapted to address kids with special issues including giftedness, learning disabilities, A.D.H.D and Asperger’s Syndrome.