When they have a feeling of belonging and significance, children and all family members
are more likely to contribute to the well being of the whole group:

• family
• classroom
• school
• community

Positive Discipline in the classroom is a process involving teachers and students in true
dialogue and problem-solving on issues that are of real and practical concern to them.
As an example, by implementing class meetings, students look for win/win solutions and
move toward developing competency, accountability and self worth through responsible
decision-making while helping each other. Through Positive Discipline in the Classroom,
schools can empower young people with courage, confidence, and life skills. Positive
Discipline invites children to do the right thing even when no one is looking.

You helped teach me the tools that have now allowed me to start the process of finding solutions to any situation on my own There has been so much kindness and respect in my home since I have been back and it is just amazing how smoothly things run. Monday morning I decided to just slow life down. Lawson made his own cup of milk... then he even made us our coffee from start to finish. (taking time to teach). I could go on and on about all the small changes we have already made and how empowered he seems to feel. Thank you again for everything." - mom of 2 boys ages 3 and 10 months.

What a great learning opportunity, second only to the education I get from my children! I am amazed at the positive impact you have on so many people and the community. Thank you for making our children, parents and families better communicators. What an honor it was to be in your class! - Special Education teacher and mom of 2 teenagers.

I want to express my sincere appreciation for designing an outstanding Workshop in Positive Discipline for Parenting in Recovery. I love it! The course has taught and allowed me to parent in a more respectful manner. It was an enjoyable experience. I DO recommend this course to anyone who is a parent, in recovery or not. As you probably know I could go on and on about the course. Just leaning the differences between praise and encouragement has been a Godsend. But there was much more I learned and apply in raising my daughter that is invaluable.

You know how you read parenting books, and go to parenting workshops, and there is always a personal story how one day someone reads the book or attends the workshop and that evening during the meltdown portion of the daily routine they suddenly find salvation.  And you think to yourself, “well good for them, would that my family and my life was so simple.”  Well, it happened to me today, and I was not even trying.  I had attended a 2 hour Positive Discipline workshop last night, and when I woke up this morning I told myself “Okay, no shouting.  No shame and humiliation today.” 

So there I was in the kitchen getting breakfast and lunch ready, and I see my 7-year old, Sean, head for the toy box in the corner.

  Dad, from the kichen: “What time is it?”
Sean: “I don’t know”
D: “Well look at the clock”
S: “I can’t tell if it is 6, or 7, or 8.”
D: “Well look at the Microwave.”
S: “I can’t see it from here.”
D: “Well look at the stereo.”
S: “It is not showing the time.”
Sean, finally getting the display up on the stereo “7:15”
D: “Do you have time to play before getting ready?”
Sean, no response.  Just heads back to the toy corner.
Dad, to himself: “Okay, no fight. We can be late for school, but no fight.”

  I have no plan at this point, just an objective – No fight.  I search for something to say to engage him.

  D: “I saw Margaret at school last night.”
S:  “What was she doing there?”
D: “She was there for the Postive Discipline workshop.”
S: “What’s that?”
D: “It is something about not shouting at your kids to get them to do what you want.”
S: “How?”
D: “Well, you get them to take responsibility for something they agreed to do, and then you help them to do it.  But you don’t tell them to do it.”

  By this time I’m tying myself in knots – the instructor made it all so simple, but I can’t summarize it for myself, let alone a 7-year old.  So I grab the handout and go to the sitting room and read out the “Five criteria for Effective Discipline.”  Yes, I just read it straight as it was written. 

  I get to #5, which says “Invites children to discover how capable they are.”    Flash of a 60-watt light bulb – nothing brilliant, but I have something to work with now. 

  Dad, heading back to the kitchen “So what that would mean is that if you and I had agreed that in order to get to school on time that you would to be ready by 8:00, then you take responsibility for being ready.  I don’t tell you to get ready, and I don’t remind you to get ready, but I can help you get ready if you ask me.”

  Silence in the sitting room.  I poke my head in there.  He’s not there!! I poke my head in his bedroom, and he’s half dressed.

  I head back to the kitchen, and bump into my wife.  “It works!!” I say.  “What works?” she asks, as if something had been broken.  “This positive thing…, it works.”  And then she was off to work, and I had to get the little one off the toilet, and get them fed, etc, etc.

  Sean was ready before 8:00, and even used his ‘choice’ time to go down and scrape the ice off the car (the first time he has done that). 

  Of course, we were late in the end.  But it was not his fault.”