Recommend a Great ~6 mos. - 3 years (toddler) Parenting Course!
August 2, 2020 6:42 AM Subscribe
Now that our little one is about to hit 7 months old, my partner and I realized we'll probably have to start REALLY parenting soon! We're in search of an online course to help us through. Details inside.
When I say "really" parenting, I mean that we'll have to try to teach things like discipline and do a lot more teaching aloud and guidance now that she's wanting to walk everywhere and already babbling. Basically, I can see that in two seconds, she's going to become a toddler, and we don't feel super prepared to know the things we need to do to handle a tantrum, encourage her to not touch the stove, determine how to protect her from falling when trying to walk without stifling her, etc.
We loved infant courses that pair what's happening development-wise with techniques to be open-minded, encouraging, non-dictatorial, independence-teaching parents. We really enjoyed tips like, "talk all the time and narrate everything," "respond to her coos like you're having a conversation," etc. So we're looking for recommendations for online courses that are similar. Paid or unpaid is fine!
I think "positive parenting" is probably along the lines of where we lean, but I'd love to hear from the liberal-minded parents of ask metafilter as to courses or keywords that can help me find what we're looking for, and avoid what we don't want (for example, we'd prefer a course that is woke enough to gender neutrality, instead of saying, "encourage your little girl, who is most assuredly wearing pink and interested in princesses, to do blah blah blah").
Again, would prefer online course recommendations first and foremost -- but please recommend blogs or articles or anything else along these lines, too.
Thanks in advance!
When I say "really" parenting, I mean that we'll have to try to teach things like discipline and do a lot more teaching aloud and guidance now that she's wanting to walk everywhere and already babbling. Basically, I can see that in two seconds, she's going to become a toddler, and we don't feel super prepared to know the things we need to do to handle a tantrum, encourage her to not touch the stove, determine how to protect her from falling when trying to walk without stifling her, etc.
We loved infant courses that pair what's happening development-wise with techniques to be open-minded, encouraging, non-dictatorial, independence-teaching parents. We really enjoyed tips like, "talk all the time and narrate everything," "respond to her coos like you're having a conversation," etc. So we're looking for recommendations for online courses that are similar. Paid or unpaid is fine!
I think "positive parenting" is probably along the lines of where we lean, but I'd love to hear from the liberal-minded parents of ask metafilter as to courses or keywords that can help me find what we're looking for, and avoid what we don't want (for example, we'd prefer a course that is woke enough to gender neutrality, instead of saying, "encourage your little girl, who is most assuredly wearing pink and interested in princesses, to do blah blah blah").
Again, would prefer online course recommendations first and foremost -- but please recommend blogs or articles or anything else along these lines, too.
Thanks in advance!
Best answer: This is not a parenting course per se, it’s a blog, but Janet Lansbury is my favorite toddler parenting resource. Her advice actually works for bigger kids as well.
posted by mai at 7:31 AM on August 2, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by mai at 7:31 AM on August 2, 2020 [4 favorites]
Two books that I just read that are very much in the positive parenting mode
The Montessori Toddler by Simone Davies
ParentSpeak by Jennifer Lehr
posted by spamandkimchi at 7:53 AM on August 2, 2020 [2 favorites]
The Montessori Toddler by Simone Davies
ParentSpeak by Jennifer Lehr
posted by spamandkimchi at 7:53 AM on August 2, 2020 [2 favorites]
I read a lot of Janet Lansbury as well. I’ve also been reading “How to talk so little kids will listen” (same authors as “how to talk so kids will listen” but for younger kids, age 2-7) and that’s been pretty good so far.
posted by like_neon at 8:12 AM on August 2, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by like_neon at 8:12 AM on August 2, 2020 [3 favorites]
Best answer: I really like @ourmamavillage on Instagram for gentle/conscious/positive parenting. She has a course called “How to Parent Little Kids With Big Feelings” - I haven’t taken the class but I love her posts and suspect her course would be equally awesome.
posted by bananacabana at 9:01 AM on August 2, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by bananacabana at 9:01 AM on August 2, 2020 [2 favorites]
We are taking an online Conscious Discipline class right now and like it a lot. It's hosted by a therapist local to our community.
posted by notjustthefish at 12:20 PM on August 2, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by notjustthefish at 12:20 PM on August 2, 2020 [1 favorite]
You might look to see if you have a co-op preschool in your area. In Seattle, they’re run in partnership with the community colleges and they have a parent education component to them. I’ve been doing them with my toddler since he was about a year old and have learned a lot about parenting both through the parent education and from hanging out with other parents on a regular basis. Obviously this was mostly pre-pandemic, but they transitioned to being online pretty easily when things shut down. Most things will probably be online this fall, so you might have an opportunity to take a class that might otherwise be in person.
posted by Maeve at 12:27 PM on August 2, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Maeve at 12:27 PM on August 2, 2020 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I'd like to recommend Aha! Parenting by Dr. Laura Markham - Here's the page for the articles about Positive Parenting Your Growing Toddler to give you a taste of her style. She has a book called Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids and does online courses as well. Her website has a TON of articles on a lot of different topics that I've found useful over the years, like a script for leaving the park, handling your own anger, and what to do when your child hits you.
What I really like about her method is that it's a lot of empathizing with children and naming emotions, and really laying the groundwork for a strong parent-child relationship so your kid WANTS to cooperate and not disappoint you.
posted by meggan at 6:29 PM on August 2, 2020 [1 favorite]
What I really like about her method is that it's a lot of empathizing with children and naming emotions, and really laying the groundwork for a strong parent-child relationship so your kid WANTS to cooperate and not disappoint you.
posted by meggan at 6:29 PM on August 2, 2020 [1 favorite]
+1 for watching Supernanny! A couple of places where you can watch her videos:
here and here
posted by dlwr300 at 9:45 AM on August 3, 2020 [1 favorite]
here and here
posted by dlwr300 at 9:45 AM on August 3, 2020 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
Her discipline and bed time techniques really work, if you follow them precisely and dont give up half way (very tempting in the moment!)
Be prepared to fail sometimes. It's ok. But aim for as much consistency as you possibly can with whatever structure and ground rules you set.
posted by ananci at 7:25 AM on August 2, 2020 [2 favorites]