Giving effective instructions for improved compliance

Just by making a few little changes in how we give instructions, parents can often achieve improved child or teen compliance. Here are some suggestions: Reduce all distractions before giving instructions. Don’t expect your child to attend to you when something more entertaining is going on in the room. Turn off distractions – television, computer,…

Parenting: Loving Your Determined Child or Teen

After many years of working with children and teens with determined temperaments (including my own child), I have learned that once your determined child is convinced of the strength of your love for her, she is more motivated to protect her relationship with you through obedience.

Ten Steps to Better Behavior

To increase desired behaviors, try letting your child earn what she wants to do by doing what she needs to do.

The Power of Positive Attention

In the absence of positive attention, your child or teen will seek negative attention. Try these strategies to break out of this negative cycle.

Time Out!

Time out gets a “bad rap” largely because it is misused for every form of disobedience under the sun.  Time out is called “Time Out from Reinforcement” meaning that it is a time to be apart from others and activities. Here, time out is designed to be only one part of the process previously described…

How to Understand Research

Dr. Davenport details what to look for as you research treatment options in order to make the best decisions for your loved ones.

Setting Goals for Your Success!

Striving for success in life without established goals is like trying to climb a mountain without a well thought out plan and the necessary gear. It’s overwhelming! Where do you start? How will you ever reach the top? It’s hard to imagine. In this set of articles, Dr. Davenport outlines ways adults and students can develop improved goal directed effort.

Five Action Steps for Planning Projects and Achieving Goals

As you are setting goals, it is important to make a plan to achieve those goals.  This project planner is designed to help students and adults have a tool to break projects and goals into major action steps and smaller tasks.   In the following article, Dr. Davenport explains how to use this tool. Download the…

Achieving Goals: Eight Steps to Taking Daily Action

Just as the golfer goes to the driving range and plays often in order to improve his or her game, you must take daily action to achieve your goals. Setting a goal but not taking action is the same as not even setting a goal. To help yourself take action, try these suggestions: