POCKET PCIT ONLINE
  • Welcome to Pocket PCIT
    • Welcome
      • Acknowledgements and Contributors
    • What is PCIT?
    • Common Questions about Parenting and Child Behavior
    • Why Should I Change the Way I Parent
    • How Do I Know PCIT Will Actually Help?
    • How can you influence your child's behavior?
    • Completing Pocket PCIT Online
      • Getting Started
  • Pocket PCIT: CDI
    • Child-Directed Interaction: The PRIDE Skills
      • Praising the Positive
        • Labeled Praise Mixer
        • Praise Quiz
      • Reflections
        • Reflect Quiz
      • Imitate
      • Describe
        • Describe Quiz
      • Enjoyment
    • Special Time Don'ts
      • Avoid Commands
      • Avoid Questions
      • Avoid criticism
    • Ignoring
    • Using your PRIDE Skills All Together
      • Using Your PRIDE Skills Throughout the Day
      • Parent's Points on Using the PRIDE Skills
    • Special Time Daily Skill Practice
      • Setting Up Special Time in Your Home
      • Picking Out Toys for Special Time
      • Troubleshooting Special Time
      • Child-Directed Interaction Skills Review
    • Graduating From Child-Directed Interaction to Parent-Directed Interaction
    • Additional Parenting Resources
      • Parent-Child Interaction
      • Parents Are Models for their Children Handout
      • Kids and Stress
      • Getting Support
      • Additional Discipline Tools
      • Concerns Other Than Behavior Problems
      • Child Development
      • Health
  • Pocket PCIT: PDI
    • Welcome to PDI
      • Overview of PDI
    • Giving Effective Commands
      • Make Commands Direct
      • Give Positively Stated Commands
      • Give Specific Commands
      • Give Commands One at a Time
      • Give Developmentally Appropriate Commands
      • Give Commands in a Normal Tone of Voice
      • Use Commands Only When Necessary
      • Explanations should be given before the Command or After the Child Obeys
    • Examples of Giving Real Life Effective Commands
    • So I Gave My Child a Command. Now What?
      • My Child Obeyed My Command
      • My Child Disobeyed My Command
    • Time Out
      • Reasons for Using the Same Language Everytime
      • Parents' Emotional Reactions to TIme Out
      • Tips for Surviving Time Out
      • Helpful Thoughts During Time Out
    • The Command and Effective Follow Through Sequence
    • Daily PDI Practice at Home
      • Structuring the Environment
      • Introducing PDI practice to your child
      • Practicing Play-Based Commands
      • Practicing Clean-Up Commands
      • Practicing Running Commands
    • Setting Up House Rules
    • Managing Behaviors in Public Settings
      • Prepare Before You Leave the House
      • Praising Your Child in Public
      • Planning Timeout in Public
    • Managing Future Behaviors
    • Graduating from Pocket PCIT Online
  • Parent Club
    • Provider Map
    • Podcast
  • Welcome to Pocket PCIT
    • Welcome
      • Acknowledgements and Contributors
    • What is PCIT?
    • Common Questions about Parenting and Child Behavior
    • Why Should I Change the Way I Parent
    • How Do I Know PCIT Will Actually Help?
    • How can you influence your child's behavior?
    • Completing Pocket PCIT Online
      • Getting Started
  • Pocket PCIT: CDI
    • Child-Directed Interaction: The PRIDE Skills
      • Praising the Positive
        • Labeled Praise Mixer
        • Praise Quiz
      • Reflections
        • Reflect Quiz
      • Imitate
      • Describe
        • Describe Quiz
      • Enjoyment
    • Special Time Don'ts
      • Avoid Commands
      • Avoid Questions
      • Avoid criticism
    • Ignoring
    • Using your PRIDE Skills All Together
      • Using Your PRIDE Skills Throughout the Day
      • Parent's Points on Using the PRIDE Skills
    • Special Time Daily Skill Practice
      • Setting Up Special Time in Your Home
      • Picking Out Toys for Special Time
      • Troubleshooting Special Time
      • Child-Directed Interaction Skills Review
    • Graduating From Child-Directed Interaction to Parent-Directed Interaction
    • Additional Parenting Resources
      • Parent-Child Interaction
      • Parents Are Models for their Children Handout
      • Kids and Stress
      • Getting Support
      • Additional Discipline Tools
      • Concerns Other Than Behavior Problems
      • Child Development
      • Health
  • Pocket PCIT: PDI
    • Welcome to PDI
      • Overview of PDI
    • Giving Effective Commands
      • Make Commands Direct
      • Give Positively Stated Commands
      • Give Specific Commands
      • Give Commands One at a Time
      • Give Developmentally Appropriate Commands
      • Give Commands in a Normal Tone of Voice
      • Use Commands Only When Necessary
      • Explanations should be given before the Command or After the Child Obeys
    • Examples of Giving Real Life Effective Commands
    • So I Gave My Child a Command. Now What?
      • My Child Obeyed My Command
      • My Child Disobeyed My Command
    • Time Out
      • Reasons for Using the Same Language Everytime
      • Parents' Emotional Reactions to TIme Out
      • Tips for Surviving Time Out
      • Helpful Thoughts During Time Out
    • The Command and Effective Follow Through Sequence
    • Daily PDI Practice at Home
      • Structuring the Environment
      • Introducing PDI practice to your child
      • Practicing Play-Based Commands
      • Practicing Clean-Up Commands
      • Practicing Running Commands
    • Setting Up House Rules
    • Managing Behaviors in Public Settings
      • Prepare Before You Leave the House
      • Praising Your Child in Public
      • Planning Timeout in Public
    • Managing Future Behaviors
    • Graduating from Pocket PCIT Online
  • Parent Club
    • Provider Map
    • Podcast
Search

Why Should I Change the Way I Parent?

Parent's Point: How I Decided That My Child Needed Additional Help

Parents often ask why they must change their behaviors for their child’s behavior to improve. The reality is improving parenting skills is the best way to improve children’s behavior problems. The take home message here is that YOU, the parent, are the most important ingredient to your child’s success. While it may not feel like it at times, you are the most important and influential person in your child’s life. We just want you to take a moment to think about how amazing it is that you are so important in someone’s life. It is an incredible honor and you have a unique opportunity to help mold your child’s future.

PCIT teaches parents relationship-building skills that are like those used by a play therapist. What differs in PCIT is that we teach you, the parent, to use these skills with your own child. While a play therapist would only be with your child for about an hour a week, you are with your child far more often than that. This gives you, the parent, many chances to practice these skills with your child! If a therapist was to work with just your child for one hour a week without you present, the therapist could improve your child’s behavior for that one hour. However, this would not result in big improvements in your child’s behavior once the therapist returned your child to you. Within Pocket PCIT, you will learn skills to improve your child’s behaviors at home and in public places (e.g., restaurants, grocery stores).

Most parents that try out PCIT have already tried out several strategies to improve their child’s behavior. They rely on how they were raised by their own parents. They read parenting books. They get advice from other parents, doctors, religious organizations, blogs, and the internet. Quite frankly, there are tons of great ideas and strategies out there about how to raise your children. In fact, many of the things you will learn during Pocket PCIT may look a lot like parenting skills you have already tried or heard about.

You will learn to work together with your child in new and wonderful ways. As you begin to practice these skills, you will naturally begin to use these skills as part of your daily routines with your child. In this way, we have seen many families make positive life-changes through our PCIT program.

Get Started With Pocket PCIT Online

1. Welcome to Pocket PCIT Online
2. What is PCIT?
3. Common Questions and Concerns
4. Why Should I Change the Way I Parent?
5. How Do I Know PCIT Will Actually Help?
6. How Can You Influence Your Child's Behavior?
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  • Welcome to Pocket PCIT
    • Welcome
      • Acknowledgements and Contributors
    • What is PCIT?
    • Common Questions about Parenting and Child Behavior
    • Why Should I Change the Way I Parent
    • How Do I Know PCIT Will Actually Help?
    • How can you influence your child's behavior?
    • Completing Pocket PCIT Online
      • Getting Started
  • Pocket PCIT: CDI
    • Child-Directed Interaction: The PRIDE Skills
      • Praising the Positive
        • Labeled Praise Mixer
        • Praise Quiz
      • Reflections
        • Reflect Quiz
      • Imitate
      • Describe
        • Describe Quiz
      • Enjoyment
    • Special Time Don'ts
      • Avoid Commands
      • Avoid Questions
      • Avoid criticism
    • Ignoring
    • Using your PRIDE Skills All Together
      • Using Your PRIDE Skills Throughout the Day
      • Parent's Points on Using the PRIDE Skills
    • Special Time Daily Skill Practice
      • Setting Up Special Time in Your Home
      • Picking Out Toys for Special Time
      • Troubleshooting Special Time
      • Child-Directed Interaction Skills Review
    • Graduating From Child-Directed Interaction to Parent-Directed Interaction
    • Additional Parenting Resources
      • Parent-Child Interaction
      • Parents Are Models for their Children Handout
      • Kids and Stress
      • Getting Support
      • Additional Discipline Tools
      • Concerns Other Than Behavior Problems
      • Child Development
      • Health
  • Pocket PCIT: PDI
    • Welcome to PDI
      • Overview of PDI
    • Giving Effective Commands
      • Make Commands Direct
      • Give Positively Stated Commands
      • Give Specific Commands
      • Give Commands One at a Time
      • Give Developmentally Appropriate Commands
      • Give Commands in a Normal Tone of Voice
      • Use Commands Only When Necessary
      • Explanations should be given before the Command or After the Child Obeys
    • Examples of Giving Real Life Effective Commands
    • So I Gave My Child a Command. Now What?
      • My Child Obeyed My Command
      • My Child Disobeyed My Command
    • Time Out
      • Reasons for Using the Same Language Everytime
      • Parents' Emotional Reactions to TIme Out
      • Tips for Surviving Time Out
      • Helpful Thoughts During Time Out
    • The Command and Effective Follow Through Sequence
    • Daily PDI Practice at Home
      • Structuring the Environment
      • Introducing PDI practice to your child
      • Practicing Play-Based Commands
      • Practicing Clean-Up Commands
      • Practicing Running Commands
    • Setting Up House Rules
    • Managing Behaviors in Public Settings
      • Prepare Before You Leave the House
      • Praising Your Child in Public
      • Planning Timeout in Public
    • Managing Future Behaviors
    • Graduating from Pocket PCIT Online
  • Parent Club
    • Provider Map
    • Podcast