Easy to follow parenting skills for the difficult task of parenting There is so much information out there that sometimes it's hard to determine what works and what doesn't. If you search the internet for "How to cook a turkey," you'll find more ways to cook a turkey than there are turkeys to cook. The same goes for parenting skills. Our aim for this book was to cut through all of the glitter and glam, all the internet and TV sensationalism, and create a menu of core parenting skills, based on the research and many years of experience in the field. In our practice, we have seen a diverse array of families, including families with children with autism, addictions issues, conduct and oppositional defiance disorders, depression, and other special needs. We have also met families that just needed a little help getting back on track. With all families, there are a few core skills that must be used and honed and rehoned before any other issues can be addressed. There is so much information on TV and the internet - a lot of it is merely fluff to sell books - but there are really only a few skills that parents actually need. Those are the skills that are in this book - guided solutions for you as a parent. Skill Boxes and Scripts There are three core skills based on the way people communicate, the way people are motivated, and the way children respond to parents as leaders of the household. There are also supporting skills that parents should pay attention to in order to help the family system as a whole function as well as possible. These skills are easy to learn, but parents should constantly hone the skills and sub-skills - we even are constantly honing these skills for use in our own homes. What we've tried to do in this book is provide specific, practical, and guided information that provide solutions to most parenting problems. Throughout the book, you'll find boxes that describe the core skills and sub-skills, and some have scripted examples of proper usage. As a matter of fact, every skill that we believe is core to parenting is described in Chapter 1. The rest of the book describes those skills in detail and provides background information. Some of the skills are scripted, because we've found that it helps to have the situation in your head before you encounter the situation with your child. Every situation will be different, but the scripts outline the basic direction of the conversation. You may want to use the script as you hone the skill, and eventually you'll find your own voice.