Articles and Handouts for Parents

Carolyn Webster-Stratton, PhD., the developer of The Incredible Years® programs has authored many articles and research studies. Here are articles written especially for parents.

Special Download – How to Help Children Who Are Anxious

Prior to the Covid pandemic, about one in five children have struggled with feelings of fear, hopelessness, and sadness at some time during their development. When children feel anxious, their brains are flooded with feelings of danger or future threat. These powerful feelings and anxious thoughts can lead to emotional dysregulation with physical and behavioral outcomes. For many children these fears or worries won’t last. However, when the symptoms are intense or persist longer than 1-2 months, they can interfere with the child’s ability to attend school, to be away from parents, to focus and concentrate, to get adequate sleep, or to make friends and engage in social activities.  How can we help these children and promote their “protective factors”, their strengths and resilience?

How Parents Can Build Emotional Resilience in Young Children (3-8 years) Who are Anxious

Special Download – Keeping Calm and Providing Supportive Parenting During the Coronavirus

These are challenging and unexpected times for families struggling with a growing list of major life issues including job loss, illness, financial loss, cancellations, school closures, and figuring out how to provide child care while working, or trying to work from home with children in the house. The goal is to stay safe and calm and figure out how to deal with this new life that will be anything but normal for a while. Here are a few tips for parents to consider with regards to keeping their children physically and mentally secure.

Keeping Calm and Providing Supportive Parenting During the Coronavirus
Spanish version Keeping Calm and Providing Supportive Parenting During the Coronavirus
Refrigerator Notes for Parents - Tips for Coping with Social Distancing
Refrigerator Notes for Parents - Tips to Help Children Cope with Social Distancing
Refrigerator Notes for Parents - Tips to Help Children Cope with Social Distancing - Spanish
A Letter from Dina to Kids During the Coronavirus
A Letter from Dina to Kids During the Coronavirus - Spanish
Home Activities for Young Children During the Coronavirus
Home Activities for Young Children During the Coronavirus - Spanish

Special Download – Tips for Grandparents Reaching Out to Children Remotely

Tips and activities for grandparents and other special friends and family members to reach out to children remotely.

Tips For Grandparents Reaching Out To Children Remotely
Tips for Grandparents - Spanish

Downloadable Handouts for Parents

Play and Coaching Handouts from Preschool Basic Program
Play and Coaching Handouts in Spanish
Praise, Encouragement and Incentives Handouts from Preschool Basic Program
Praise, Encouragement and Incentives Handouts in Spanish
Rules, Routines and Limit-Setting Handouts from Preschool Basic Program
Rules, Routines and Limit-Setting Handouts in Spanish
Positive Discipline Strategies Handouts from Preschool Basic Program
Positive Discipline Strategies Handouts in Spanish
Self-Regulation and Problem-Solving Handouts from Preschool Basic Program
Self-Regulation and Problem-Solving Handouts in Spanish
Tips for Teaching Children Emotional Regulation Skills
Puppet Play (Tips and Examples)
Encourage Child Learning
Reading with CARE with Babies
Reading with CARE with Toddlers
Reading with CARE with Preschoolers
Reading with Extra CARE with Children on the Autism Spectrum

Parents and Children Together, Let’s Play

There is a widespread belief among adults in our society that the free and easy play times between parents and children are frivolous and nonproductive.

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Emotional Regulation

Emotional regulation is the ability to control responses to arousing situations. Just as walking, talking and toilet training are developmental steps, emotional regulation is a developmental achievement. It is not present at birth.

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Coping With Peer Problems and Teaching Friendship Skills

Parents can teach social skills by role playing with their children. Games, such as the conversation card game can help parents teach children these skills.

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Helping Children Learn to Regulate Their Emotions

Emotions are responses to stimuli or situations that affect a person strongly. Children differ strikingly in their emotional responses and they also vary widely in their understanding of emotions, both their own and in others.

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Responding to Dysregulation and Teaching Self-Regulation

When children are angry and dysregulated, parents may also feel angry and out-of-control and may respond by yelling, criticizing, or spanking. At these times, Time Out can provide time and space for the parent, as well as the child, to self-regulate. Children can learn that taking a Time Out can be a safe and secure place to calm down.

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Time Out is One of Many Tools

Time Out to Calm Down is a non-punitive discipline strategy used strategically and sparingly in IY programs for parents, teachers, and children to promote and build children’s emotional self-regulation skills. This building tool is reserved for times when a child is too physically angry or emotionally dysregulated to be able to respond rationally to other evidence-based behavior management approaches.

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Rewards Can Give Children an Extra Boost

Good parents support their children with encouragement and praise, but occasionally kids need a little extra incentive to learn a particularly difficult behavior. That’s where rewards can be helpful.

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Responsive and Nurturing Parenting Sets the Stage

Did you know that one out of four social interactions with another child in preschool is aggressive? You can foster your children’s social, emotional and academic development.

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Don’t Be Afraid to Praise

The purpose of praise is to increase positive behavior with the child’s knowledge, to communicate that certain behaviors are desirable.

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Lying

What to do; first, don’t panic. Respond calmly. Like any other problem, lying represents another opportunity to help children learn.

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Special Holiday Downloads – Free printable tips cards for Reducing Holiday Stress!

Tip #1: Remember to play!
Tip #2: Praise Positive Behaviors
Tip #3: Spontaneous Rewards
Tip #4: Use Persistence, Social and Emotion Coaching
Tip #5: "Unplug the Christmas Tree"