Strengthen Family Relationships Solving Parent-Child Problems

Our memories from childhood fade quickly and we may not always be able to relate to, or to see ourselves in the feelings and behaviors of our children. And it just may be that the problems that your child is now having is a similar expression of what you yourself went through years ago when you were growing up. With hard work and with favorable opportunities you’ve probably outgrown that phase, and now, you find yourself trying really hard to understand what your child is going through.

When you and your partner face the challenges of an oppositional and defiant child, you actually face two problems: the problem of what is going within the emotional and behavioral life of your child and the challenge of communicating about your child’s needs in an effective and honest way that leads to getting your child help.

Managing and correcting parent-child problems is an important part of couples counseling because of the stressful effects these problems have, not only on your child and the family but also, on the strength and integrity of the marital relationship between you and your partner.

Signs and symptoms of an oppositional child

• Loses temper

• Argues with adults

• Actively defies and refuses to comply with adult rules and requests

• Deliberately annoys others

• Blames others for his/her mistakes or misbehaviors

• Angry and resentful at home and at school

• Failing at school

• Depressed and using alcohol and drugs

• Is spiteful and vindictive toward others

Helping your child through counseling

In counseling, parents learn that the child is not the only problem. They learn:

• That child/parent conflicts are sometimes a reflection of parental and marital conflict;

• That the child’s manipulation comes from having no sense of personal power to fulfill “wants and needs”;

• That empowering the child reduces manipulation and improves behavior;

• That parents can empower themselves by responding to manipulation in more skillful and thoughtful ways;

When you and your partner and child go through counseling, you can expect and learn new ideas and develop social, psychological and developmental insights that underline the behaviors, motivation and internal mood states of your child.

To know more about Sherwood Couples Counseling and how counseling can restore a sense of balance and direction to your child’s behavior, visit us to schedule a free initial confidential consultation.