Common Sense Parenting

Common Sense Parenting (CSP) provides parents and caregivers with logical strategies and easy-to-learn techniques to address issues of communication, discipline, decision-making, relationships, self-control and school success. These classes incorporate research-proven childcare methods that are derived directly from the Boys Town Family Program and adapted for use in the home by parents. Each skill and technique parents learn can be applied in any home environment and can help build and reinforce healthy family relationships.

A six-session CSP workshop (12 hours total) helps parents learn, practice and demonstrate new parenting skills in a neutral setting. These skills enable them to nurture their children’s development and combine affection and discipline to decrease negative behaviors while increasing positive ones.

CSP program components involve instruction, videotaped modeling, skill practice with role-playing, feedback and review. The program is designed for parents of children ages 6 to 16. CSP can be used alone or as a component of a more intensive family-based intervention. CSP is in widespread use, annually serving more than 1,500 children and 1,000 families at Boys Town sites across the United States. It is also disseminated through other agencies in 47 states and 14 counties.

CSP teaches valuable skills, such as how to:

Communicate effectively
Avoid power struggles
Praise their children’s good behavior
Reduce their children’s problem behavior
Control their emotions
Balance discipline with affection
 

Results from CSP studies have shown:

Improvements in parent attitudes, problem -solving ability, satisfaction and efficacy
Decreases in child behavior problems and improvements in child emotion regulation skills
Improvements in family satisfaction and relationships
Decreased parental stress and the potential for child abuse
 

More information: https://www.parenting.org/Pages/csp-classes.aspx