Managing Parent/Child Behavior

Managing Parent/Child Behavior

by Sarah Logue -
Number of replies: 2

We are currently working with families in a variety of settings, where the parents have responsibility for their children during sessions.  

I am looking for suitable strategies aimed at dealing with parents who let their children

  • cause disruption within the sessions
  • over parent 
  • inappropriately chastise their child 

I would like to be able to support and guide the parents without the parent feeling singled out or incompetent.  I am able to bring parent and child together again without disruption but feel the incidents reoccur as we are not tackling the issues.  Within sessions there are many families who notice the disruption and are relieved when the disruption stops without conflict, however it reoccurs as we have not tackled appropriate parenting.

Has anyone had issues like this within their sessions or advice on how to approach without the parent feeling targeted or a bad parent?  


Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated.


Sarah

In reply to Sarah Logue

Re: Managing Parent/Child Behavior

by Angie Wilson -

Hi Sarah, not sure about the over parenting / chastising unless there's a way to talk to them privately outside of group?

re: disruption - ground rules perhaps? developed/agreed by the group if possible.

Good luck!

- Angie

In reply to Angie Wilson

Re: Managing Parent/Child Behavior

by Sarah Logue -

Thank you for the reply Angie.  Getting the group to agree ground rules would be a good way of reminding people of what the group agreed.  I am thinking that it would be good for groups to discuss things that could happen during the sessions as part of group rules, for example a child wondering/not participating/on sitting the way a parent would like etc. The group deciding appropriate parenting methods.  My only concern would be how time consuming this could be, it could be a session in on its own so not as appropriate for short delivery.