The school year has kicked off. Leaving kids and families scrambling for school supplies, and running from one event to another. Whether you are a parent or a professional who works with children or teens, you probably receive magazines, flyers, pamphlets, handouts, and other informational tidbits on how to parent or guide development in children and teens.
How do you know which approach is the best? Before you seek out an approach to use with children or teens, determine your own strengths. For example, if you have a sense of humor it often helps to use this in working with or parenting youth. What comes naturally to a person and feels most comfortable is going to work the best. Sure you can learn number of different approaches, but will they work for you?
You are more than likely using a number of different techniques in working with and/or parenting youth without realizing it. Sit down and make a list for yourself of what you do well and how you parent or work with children or teens.
After you know what you do well, build on this and do more of it. It is also important to emphasis the strengths in children and teens, which can often promote more of the positive behaviors.
Now, as far as all the parenting approaches or approaches to use with children and teens out there...do some research. Take two or three approaches and educate yourself about them. If none of these seem to match your strengths and how you approach situations, then move on to some others and start the process of researching over again.
Three approaches to start with, for example, could be the Love and Logic Approach, the Asset Approach, and the STEP (Systematic Training for Effective Parenting) Approach. Briefly, the Love and Logic Approach is a philosophy of raising and teaching children which allows adults to be happier, empowered, and more skilled in the interactions with children. More information is available at www.loveandlogic.com, or you can call 1-800-424-3630.
The Asset approach is a positive method used to nurture young people’s healthy development through an emphasis upon 40 developmental assets, which assist young people in making wise decisions, choose positive paths, and grow up competent, caring , and responsible. More information is available at www.search-institute.org, or you can call 1-800-424-3630.
The third approach that we mentioned, the STEP Approach provides a practical, do-able approach to raising children and teens. The approach serves to guide parents on child training and rearing no matter what age, with an emphasis upon the principles of equality, valuing human worth, and treating people with dignity and respect. More information is available through Believing in Kids & Families, just call (303) 794-7008.
Once you’ve found an approach that fits your style as a parent or professional working with children or teen, then put it into practice. Practicing the approach allows you to become more familiar with the approach before you know it you’ll be using the approach without even realizing it!
Does it need to be more scientific than that? Not really. Ask as many questions as possible when learning about an approach. You’re the one who needs to feel comfortable in how you parent or guide children or teens, so make sure you understand the information. Anyone who teaches a parenting class should be open to your questions.
Which approach do we use at Believing in Kids & Families? We incorporate information from as many resources as possible because we believe the more information and experiences you have, the more you have to draw from when working with children, teens, and their families. We do primarily use the Systematic Training for Effective parenting (STEP) and the Asset Approaches because they match how we approach human beings with dignity and respect.

WE CARE.

FALL NEWSLETTER

Believing in Kids & Families COUNSELING AND
PSYCHO-EDUCATIONAL SERVICES

October 2002

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Much of the content you put in your newsletter can also be used for your Web site. Microsoft Publisher offers a simple way to convert your newsletter to a Web publication. So, when you’re finished writing your newsletter, convert it to a Web site and post it.

The Believing in Kids & Families office moved recently. We are having an open house on November 1st at 8:30 A.M. Please come and see our new space and meet the therapists of Believing in Kids & Families. Contact 303.794.7008 for more information.

This story can fit 100-150 words.
The subject matter that appears in newsletters is virtually endless. You can include stories that focus on current technologies or innovations in your field.
You may also want to note business or economic trends, or make predictions for your customers or clients.
If the newsletter is distributed internally, you might comment upon new procedures or improvements to the business. Sales figures or earnings will show how your business is growing.
Some newsletters include a column that is updated every issue, for instance, an advice column, a book review, a letter from the president, or an editorial. You can also profile new employees or top customers or vendors.

This story can fit 150-200 words.
One benefit of using your newsletter as a promotional tool is that you can reuse content from other marketing materials, such as press releases, market studies, and reports.
While your main goal of distributing a newsletter might be to sell your product or service, the key to a successful newsletter is making it useful to your readers.
A great way to add useful content to your newsletter is to develop and write your own articles, or include a calendar of upcoming events or a special offer that promotes a new product.
You can also research articles or find “filler” articles by accessing the World Wide Web. You can write about a variety of topics but try to keep your articles short.
Much of the content you put in your newsletter can also be used for your Web site. Microsoft Publisher offers a simple way to convert your newsletter to a Web publication. So, when you’re finished writing your newsletter, convert it to a Web site and post it.

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Selecting pictures or graphics is an important part of adding content to your newsletter.
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P.O. Box 784
Littleton, CO 80160

Believing in Kids & Families offers counseling and psycho~educational classes with the vision of helping individuals and families rediscover their strengths for peaceful living and improved personal relationships. Believing in Kids & Families works with children, teens, adults and families to:
* Enhance personal relationships,
* Resolve traumatic experiences,
* Increase peaceful living environments for
families and couples,
* Make parent-child relationships more
enjoyable,
* Reduce anxiety and stress,
* Address learning and behavioral issues,
* Resolve grief and loss issues,
* and address substance
abuse issues.
Believing in Kids and Families also offers a free initial educational class or workshop to adults and professionals around a variety of relationship enhancement areas. We are available to organizations, church groups, childcare professionals, pediatrician offices, PTA’s, and anyone who works with children, teens, and their families.
If you are interested in something and are unsure whether we offer it– give us a call.
It is hard to believe it has been a year since the tragic events of September 11, 2001. We at Believing in Kids & Families are continually amazed at the human spirit and resiliency that children, teens, and adults display in the face of adversity. It renews our sense of belief in those we serve.
Believing in Kids & Families would like to thank those of you in the community who continue to support our mission of providing strength-based, therapeutic and educational services to children, teens, and their families.
Our new mailing address is P.O. Box 784, Littleton, CO 80160. We have gone to a post office box for the privacy of those we serve.
******************************************************
“Humankind has not woven the web of life.
We are but one thread within it.
Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.
All things are bound together.
All things connect.”
Chief Seattle

A Little About Believing in Kids & Families...

Phone: 303.794.7008

OPEN HOUSE
November 1, 2002
8:30 AM
Call to RSVP and for directions.

Organization

Organization