For what age child is the Collaborative Problem Solving approach best suited?
The Collaborative Problem Solving approach is recommended for parents with a child at least 3 years old. Parents of children younger than 3 can still benefit tremendously from the shift in mindset from conventional wisdom to the CPS philosophy, but engaging in the Collaborative Problem Solving conversation will harder for younger children. As the child matures and his/her skills develop, the child will be able to increasingly engage in the CPS conversation.
My child is challenging in the typical way kids are challenging – e.g., won't do chores, won't stop playing video games, won't brush teeth, etc. Is the CPS approach a good fit for that kind of child or is it more geared toward very challenging/explosive kids?
While Think:Kids is known for its effectiveness with very challenging kids (because so many other approaches fail with these kids), the Collaborative Problem Solving approach is for parents of any and all children – from mildly challenging to very challenging...and even not challenging at all. CPS is a compassionate and effective parenting approach that pursues and accomplishes core, mainstream parenting goals, including getting your expectations met, reducing challenging behavior, building a child's skills, and strengthening the parent-child relationship.
Should I have coaching/take the workshop with my spouse?
Because CPS introduces an entirely new philosophy and approach to parenting, it is ideal if both parents learn CPS. When both parents know and use CPS, children benefit tremendously from the consistency practiced at home, and the parents have a shared language and framework when discussing issues that arise. If both spouses learn CPS together - through coaching or a workshop - they can fill out the child assessment worksheets together as well as practice and support each other for the duration of the coaching/workshop and beyond.
How is the weekly format advantageous in learning the CPS approach?
The weekly format has the following advantages:
The Collaborative Problem Solving approach is recommended for parents with a child at least 3 years old. Parents of children younger than 3 can still benefit tremendously from the shift in mindset from conventional wisdom to the CPS philosophy, but engaging in the Collaborative Problem Solving conversation will harder for younger children. As the child matures and his/her skills develop, the child will be able to increasingly engage in the CPS conversation.
My child is challenging in the typical way kids are challenging – e.g., won't do chores, won't stop playing video games, won't brush teeth, etc. Is the CPS approach a good fit for that kind of child or is it more geared toward very challenging/explosive kids?
While Think:Kids is known for its effectiveness with very challenging kids (because so many other approaches fail with these kids), the Collaborative Problem Solving approach is for parents of any and all children – from mildly challenging to very challenging...and even not challenging at all. CPS is a compassionate and effective parenting approach that pursues and accomplishes core, mainstream parenting goals, including getting your expectations met, reducing challenging behavior, building a child's skills, and strengthening the parent-child relationship.
Should I have coaching/take the workshop with my spouse?
Because CPS introduces an entirely new philosophy and approach to parenting, it is ideal if both parents learn CPS. When both parents know and use CPS, children benefit tremendously from the consistency practiced at home, and the parents have a shared language and framework when discussing issues that arise. If both spouses learn CPS together - through coaching or a workshop - they can fill out the child assessment worksheets together as well as practice and support each other for the duration of the coaching/workshop and beyond.
How is the weekly format advantageous in learning the CPS approach?
The weekly format has the following advantages:
- It's an iterative learning process, which results in a deeper understanding of the philosophy and approach;
- Parents have the opportunity to practice applying the approach between sessions and return to the group for feedback and problem-solving; and
- Parents in workshops benefit from the realization that they are not alone in their parenting struggles as well as the support of other parents in the group.