6.13 – Action plan
Finally we would like to leave you with an ‘action plan’ activity. The action plan is like a checklist so you can think about the behaviour that is still difficult in your family and plan which techniques to use to improve it.
This checklist will enable you to deal with anything that is still a problem or that arises in the near future. Parenting is something you have to work hard at every day – new behaviours will occur and you will need to be on the ball and constantly think about what you have learned and what will work with your children. The following examples will help you to fill in your own Action Plan.
In your worksheet, write down some things you want to improve, and an action plan to deal with it.
Example 1: Your scenario may be “Having a drama every morning about eating breakfast.” In the plan of action box you could write what you plan to do about it, such as: “Offer Choices, Negotiation, Star Chart and Praise.”
Example 2: Your scenario could be “The kids wanting to stay out late.” Your plan of action could include: “Listening, Family Rules, Negotiation, Contracts, Avoiding Arguments and Praise.”
A final word from us
With your revision completed and your Action Plan sorted you are ready to say goodbye to us and work on improving and feeling more confident about your parenting. Remember to use friends, family and community resources for support.
Don’t worry if the process of improving your parenting takes a long time. Just stick to what you think will work out in the long run. Also we did say that children may regress or rebel when you firm up on the rules and discipline techniques. This is perfectly natural so keep at it and they’ll adjust.