All parents or those in a parenting role want their children to be confident, to be resilient, and to make healthy choices. Parents or those in a parenting role can grow these important skills in their children and address common parenting issues like establishing routines, listening, and doing chores by using a parenting process.

The parenting process is a way of interacting with your child that creates an environment for learning. The parenting process equips you with a step-by-step process for dealing with simple and challenging parenting issues, and it allows you to purposefully develop social and emotional skills in your child so that your child is able to manage their emotions and make better decisions. Using the parenting process is a way to intentionally grow these important life skills in your child.

The parenting process includes five steps that parents or those in a parenting role can use with their child/teen at every age. The five steps are: Input, Teach, Practice, Support, and Recognize. Through the five-step process, you are interacting with your child/teen, teaching them skills, allowing them to practice, supporting their learning, and recognizing their effort. And most importantly, you are intentionally building a positive relationship with your child/teen.  

The parenting process is fluid, and revisiting steps multiple times is normal and expected. Keep in mind, you are successful when you engage in the parenting process with your child/teen regardless of the outcome. Engaging in the parenting process with your child/teen might not lead to immediate results or the exact outcome you desire, but every time you engage in the process, you are building your child’s/teen’s skills to be successful. You are creating an environment for learning where your child/teen is able to practice and grow their social and emotional skills.  

Begin slowly by choosing one issue or task to practice using this process. Print out the tool and use it as a guide to work through each step with the chosen issue. Print the tool summary and put it on your refrigerator as a reminder. As you become more familiar with the process, your confidence will build. 

For many, using the parenting process is a new way of interacting. Be patient with yourself and keep practicing. This way of interacting with your child/teen takes practice. It is through practice that skills are learned and strengthened. 

This document describes each of the five steps (Input, Teach, Practice, Support, and Recognize) in the parenting process and provides details about 

●      what each step is, 

●      why each step is important, and 

●      how to actively engage in each step with your child at every age.