Children don't come with instructions
People are trained to be bankers, teachers, mechanics, geologists, carpenters, pianists, accountants, etc. Yet, although being a parent may be the most important and at times the most difficult job, very few people have the skills to get children to cooperate without nagging, yelling, bribing or punishing.
Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (STEP)
has answered this need.
Offered throughout the United States since 1976, more than four million parents and educators have participated in STEP training. STEP is credited with aiding families in the prevention of depression, chemical abuse and suicide in young people.
Click the links below to learn more:
- Take STEPs to Handle Misbehaviors
Raising independent, responsible, happy children. Article by Gloria Smith. - STEP Background and Goals
- Getting Kids to Cooperate
A discipline fairy tale by Aviva Schwab (interactive exercise at the end)
The recordings are recommended by the authors of the STEP program:
Hi Aviva,
We are so pleased that you have shared your materials with us! They are clearly a labor of love and will certainly help parents in their learning journey.
It's a good thing that our car is a hybrid because Deb, my wife, keeps making excuses to go on errands so that she can listen to the CDs.
Again, thanks!
- Don Dinkmeyer, Jr., Ph.D.
Co-author of Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (STEP)
STEP preview. For the examples below, think in adult terms.
| Behavior | Punishment | Logical Consequence |
| If you forgot to put the milk in the refrigerator, |
would somebody punish you by giving you a time out? |
or would you experience the consequence of going without milk in your cereal? |
| If you spent money frivolously, | would somebody punish you by telling you that you couldn't hang out with your friend, Jeff? |
or would you experience the consequence of not having enough money when you really needed it? |
| If you ate too little for dinner, | would somebody punish you by taking away your phone? |
or would you experience the consequence of feeling hungry? |
Similarly, when children experience the consequences of their actions, they learn to make good choices.