New Positive Discipline Parenting Programs Offered in Santa Cruz County!

NEW POSITIVE DISCIPLINE PROGRAMS ANNOUNCED FOR WINTER AND SPRING!

Parents, Grandparents and all Kid-Serving Professionals welcome to learn and exchange... Positive Discipline invites children to do the right thing even when no one is looking! ...

Positive Discipline Community Resources has released registration for all of its classes coming up and open to the community:

PARENTING YOUNGER CHILDREN

PD for Parents of Children 2-5 Years Old, 8-week Series, Tuesdays, Jan. 27-March 17, 6:30-8:30 PM, $80, Live Oak FRC, 831-476-7284 x 107 or register at pdcrsantacruz.org. Childcare available.

All Together Now!, for parents and children 9 to 30 months old, Tuesdays, 9:30-11:30 AM, $3-7 sliding scale, no one turned away, Live Oak FRC, 831-476-7284 x. 105.
Navigating the School Years with Positive Discipline, 5-12 Year Olds, Tuesdays, April 7-May 26, 6:30-8:30 PM, $80, Live Oak, 831-476-7284 x 107 or register at pdcrsantacruz.org. Scholarships/Childcare available!

PARENTING TEENS

Parenting Teens Topical, Sat., Jan. 24, 10AM-noon, $20, Live Oak FRC, 831-476-7284 x 107 or register at pdcrsantacruz.org. Childcare available.

Navigating the Teen Years, 8-week Series, Thurs., Feb. 5-March 26, 7-9 PM, $80 + $20 materials, SC Adult School, email tamrosas@gmail.com
Parent Support Group: For Parents of Teens, monthly, last Wednesdays, 6:30-8 PM, January 28, 840 N. Branciforte Ave., Branciforte Small Schools Library, no cost and drop-in, email tamrosas@gmail.com

Prepare Your Teen for the Future, Saturdays, April 11, April 25 and May 9, 10AM-1PM, one session is $24 before or $28 after Feb. 23 or ALL 3 sessions $65 before or $75 Feb. 23, Cabrillo College, register at http://www.cabrillo.edu/services/extension/parenting.html

PARENTING WITH SPECIAL FOCUS
Family Meetings, 3-week Series, Mon., Feb. 9, 16 and 23, 6:30-8:30PM, $30, Live Oak FRC, 831-476-7284 x 107 or register at pdcrsantacruz.org. Childcare available.
PD for Parenting in Recovery Topical, Sat., Feb. 28, 10-noon, $20, Live Oak FRC, 831-476-7284 x 107 or register at pdcrsantacruz.org. Childcare available.

Punishment/Rewards vs. Solutions Topical, Sat., March 7, 10AM-noon, $20, Live Oak FRC, 831-476-7284 x 107 or register at pdcrsantacruz.org. Scholarships/Childcare available!
Raising Kind and Compassionate Children, 3-week Series, Mon., March 9, 16 and 23, 6:30-8:30PM, $30, Live Oak FRC, 831-476-7284 x 107 or register at pdcrsantacruz.org. Childcare available.

PD for LGBTQI Families Topical, Sat., March 14, 9AM-noon, $20, Live Oak FRC, 831-476-7284 x 107 or register at pdcrsantacruz.org. Childcare available.

Keeping the Connection Topical, Sat., April 4, 10AM-noon, $20, Live Oak FRC, 831-476-7284 x 107 or register at pdcrsantacruz.org. Scholarships/Childcare available!
Positive Discipline and Special Needs, 6-week Series, Sat., April 18-May 23, 10AM-noon except first class 9-11 AM, Live Oak FRC, 831-476-7284 x 107 or register at pdcrsantacruz.org. Childcare available.

SPANISH SPEAKING PARENTS

Topicals are 10AM-noon, take place every other Saturday at Live Oak FRC, and $20/each, scholarships and childcare available. Call 831-476-2784 x 107.

Starting with Feb. 7 - Intro to PD; Feb. 21 - Punishment vs Discipline; March 7 - Tantrums; March 21 - Order of Birth; April 5 - Family Meetings; April 19 - Empowering vs Enabling; May 2 - Positive Timeouts; May 16 - Labels and their Impacts; May 30 - Mealtimes; June 13 – Routines; and June 27 – Encouragement vs. Praise!

¡El Patio de mi Casa!, for parents and children 0-5 years old, Wednesdays, 10AM-noon, $3-7 sliding scale, no one turned away, Live Oak FRC, 831-476-7284 x. 105.

PROGRAMS FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Mentor’s Group for PD Facilitators, monthly, second Saturdays, Jan. 10, 2-4 PM, no cost and drop-in, SC Adult School, call 831-239-5543.

Teaching Parenting the PD Way, Fri. & Sat., March 6 & 7, 8:30AM-4:30PM, $375 before or $400 after Feb. 6, Encompass Community Services, Watsonville, information at positivediscipline.com.

These programs are organized by Positive Discipline Community Resources (PDCR) is a social change nonprofit that supports parents, professionals and community members in creating healthy relationships with children. We promote a model of connection and interaction that teaches respect and dignity; fosters a sense of belonging and significance; and brings more joy and compassion to families.

We offer instructional classes, support groups, one-on-one coaching, and training resources. PDCR helps parents, teachers, caregivers, administrators, supervisors and managers in homes, schools, offices and businesses to create safe and positive learning and work environments. Using research-based methods and experientials, PDCR teaches social and emotional awareness skills that promote initiative, responsibility, resilience and capability.

What is Positive Discipline?

Positive Discipline is based on the theories of Alfred Adler and Rudolf Dreikurs who believed that human behavior is motivated by the core need to feel a sense of belonging and significance. Positive Discipline offers parents, teachers, and caregivers the opportunity to learn through an experiential approach about the child’s world so as to better understand thoughts, feelings and decisions children make. Rather than relying on punishment to motivate children to do better, Positive Discipline stresses the need for kindness and firmness at the same time: adults model firmness by respecting themselves and the needs of the situation and kindness by respecting the needs of the child and themselves. Positive Discipline emphasizes that mistakes are viewed as opportunities for learning and that we learn best in the context of a caring relationship where effort is made to connect before correction. Key skills taught to parents are: effective communication techniques, collaborative problem solving skills, focusing on solutions instead of punishment, and focusing on encouragement instead of praise. Children then exhibit greater emotional regulation, response flexibility, and receptivity.

How is Positive Discipline different than traditional parenting models?

Basically, there are two schools of thought on human behavior: Behaviorist and Adlerian. The dominant and traditional practice of the last several generations has been Behaviorist, believing people respond to rewards and punishments in their environment. Adlerian theory, on which Positive Discipline is based, believes people seek a sense of belonging (connection) and significance (meaning) in their social context within which they can collaborate and explore mutually respectful and effective solutions. Behaviorists believe that we have the most influence at the moment of response to a specific behavior; I catch you doing ‘right’ and I reward you, or I catch you doing ‘wrong’ and I punish you. This approach works really well with pets and show animals. It often invites resistance and rebellion or unhealthy pleasing with children, because the love of the parents feels conditional and requires obedience. Adlerian and Positive Discipline practitioners feel the best way to influence behavior is in an ongoing relationship founded on mutual respect and dignity.

Is Positive Discipline applicable to all cultures?

Because building relationships based on respect and dignity increases a sense of belonging and significance, this theory and the skills and tools associated with it foster a greater sense of family and shared community. Positive Discipline is being taught in many different countries whose languages include Spanish, French, Hindi, Chinese, Hungarian, Greek, Filipino, indigenous dialects of Oaxaca, in Mexico, Arabic and English. Alfred Adler talked about separate realities and our own private logic, which is created by our unique set of experiences and the perceptions and interpretations we make of those experiences. Because PD is taught using experiential exercises, each individual learns what they need to, given their own experiences and the ”lens” through which they see life.

Is Positive Discipline consistent with current research on brain function and is it trauma informed?

We know children are visual learners and will do what is modeled. This, combined with the contagious effects of mirror neurons, means that we do our best problem solving when we are rational and not in our emotionally reactive, limbic brains. This requires calming down and doing something that helps us re-gather our prefrontal cortex or rational brain. Positive Discipline calls this Positive Time Out, instead of punitive time out -a forced isolation with conditions for re-admittance into the adult world. Adlerians promote an internal locus of control, self-regulation, understanding other’s perspectives and collaborative problem solving.

How does Positive Discipline create an optimal social/emotional learning environment in schools and classrooms?
Implementing Positive Discipline in the Classroom is a process that involves teachers and students in true dialogue and problem solving on issues that are of real and practical concern to them. When students and teachers work together to solve problems, they learn to appreciate each other, to understand and respect
differences, and to develop social interest by helping each other.

By implementing Positive Discipline in the Classroom using class meetings, students look for win/win solutions
and move toward developing competency and self worth through responsibility in making decisions and helping each other. Students run class meetings, gaining facilitation skills and building confidence in their ability to make decisions democratically. Through Positive Discipline in the Classroom, schools can empower young people with courage, confidence, and life skills.

Websites and links for additional information:
Positive Discipline Community Resources -www.pdcrsantacruz.org
Positive Discipline Association -www.positivediscipline.org
PD Social networking site -www.positivediscipline.ning.com