Did you ever think about hiring a personal trainer? Maybe take lessons to learn how to play golf or how to play the guitar? I certainly did, and I know many people do so! Many of us feel like we need an expert to teach them those complex skills, right?
When I became a Dad back in July 2015 I started to wonder: We hire all these coaches and experts who we pay to teach us all these different skills, but then we somehow take it for granted that we are born as “good parents”. That we don’t need any training on that matter? Even though it’s probably the biggest (yet most rewarding) challenge in our lives!? I certainly felt that way. But deep down I also felt that I could do better…
Today, I want to invite you to join me on my Review of Positive Parenting Solutions, which is an online course that promises to fill that gap. By teaching you “How to Get Kids to Listen Without Nagging, Reminding or Yelling”. Let’s take a look at it together and answer the following questions:
- How does the course keep up with that promise?
- Is the course good and is right for YOU?
- And finally: Is it worth your hard-earned money?
Pro-Tip for the busy parent: If you are less of a reader, make sure to AT LEAST check out my “Video Review And Digital Unboxing Of Positive Parenting Solutions” below to get an idea what the course is about and if it is right for YOU.
Moms. Dads. Let’s be honest: You and I, we have the best job in the world!
We have the best colleagues to work with (our partners and kids), the best office we can think of (in my case, that would be my son’s room with all the toys in it), and tons of responsibilities, which is awesome. Yes, for sure: We certainly have the greatest job on earth!
Yet sometimes (like with any other job in the world) this job drives us crazy, right?
No matter how much we love our kids: Sometimes, we as parents, happen to tilt. We start yelling. Or giving our kids timeouts – Stuff, that’s totally unnecessary and not helpful in any meaningful way.
It certainly happened to me: I happened to do these things. Things that I knew would not really help me, nor would they help my son! At the end of the day, I felt guilty, my son was sad and I would start to wonder: What if there would be an “elementary school” for us parents? What if there was someone who could effectively prepare us? And teach us strategies and tools to successfully handle these situations? Someone who would be able to help us to contribute to a better, more relaxed, and more peaceful family life on a day-to-day basis?
Introducing Positive Parenting Solutions: Learn How To Be A Calm And Confident Parent
Since you’ve made it to this blog post here, I am going to assume that you have asked yourself similar questions and I want to tell you: Fear not! There is help out there!!!
In this blog post, I want to introduce to you an online course that I came across recently called “Positive Parenting Solutions”. I want to provide an honest review of Positive Parenting Solutions to you:
- What I think of the program,
- what is inside,
- why I purchased it and
- if I would recommend it to other parents or not.
Without revealing too much upfront, let me say that I am genuinely EXCITED about Positive Parenting Solutions. It’s an OUTSTANDING online course and a brilliant resource for us Moms and Dads and worth every single penny. Let’s see why…
Positive Parenting Solutions: The Hard Facts
Let’s get a few “hard facts” about Positive Parenting Solutions out of the way before we dig any deeper. Here we go:
- Name: Positive Parenting Solutions
- Product-Type: Online Course and Community
- Website: PositiveParentingSolutions.com
- Price: From $199 (Silver Membership, instead of
$276.77) to $249 (Gold Membership, instead of$350), installments available as well - Owners: Parent Educator and TODAY Show Contributor Amy McCready
- Overall Rank: 97 out of 100
Positive Parenting Solutions: A Product Overview
Positive Parenting Solutions is an online video course created by parenting educator and TODAY Show contributor Amy McCready. In 7 individual sessions, Amy teaches us, Moms and Dads, why our kids behave the way they do, how to decode that behavior, and how to stay calm and confident in the situation.
The course starts with an introduction to the basics that help us parents understand our children’s hidden needs. Afterward, Amy unleashes an entire toolbox of actionable concepts and means that we can use to raise, educate and support our kids, while avoiding power struggles, staying calm, and contributing to a peaceful family atmosphere. That sounds abstract, but in a nutshell, it all boils down to literally learning how you can get your kids to listen without nagging, reminding, or yelling; just as promised.
Each session offers an average of 7 individual lessons (49 lessons overall). And each lesson comes with a 5- to 25-minute video and, in many cases, with additional articles and interactive content (like the “Parenting Personality Assessment”, for example).
Finally, the course offers so-called “Specialty Modules” and “Expert Series” that focus on specific topics (like “Bedtime Blues”, “Technology Battles” or “No-Strings Attached Allowance”).
The entire course is accompanied by a “Workbook”, which is really high quality and of great help. I’ll get back to this later, but I can only recommend that you check out the “unboxing” video below to see the workbook in action!
In addition to that Amy offers so-called “Ask Amy” calls, where course members can submit their questions and then get them answered in a weekly webinar. These calls are also being recorded and available to Gold members in an archive inside the member’s area, which is an incredible resource!
Finally, the Gold membership of Positive Parenting Solutions includes access to the “Gold Members Exclusive Facebook Page”, where you’ll be able to meet almost 15.000(!!!) other parents; people who are in the same boat as you are, and who are just as committed to being the best parent for their kids they can be – which is incredible.
I’ll go into each of these in the paragraph titled “What’s inside?” below. So stay tuned!
If you feel like this program could be something for you, please do yourself a favor and sign up for Amy’s FREE workshop here. Here, Amy offers tons of useful information and even if you do not end up buying the course, I promise you that this free webinar alone is worthwhile watching!
Who is Positive Parenting Solutions For? Is it right for YOU?
Now that we have the hard facts out of the way, allow me to introduce myself:
Hi, I am Chris, I am a Stay At Home Dad of my (at the time of writing) three-year-old son Benjamin. And I am a recovering yeller!
I’m not proud of it, but I want to be as transparent as possible with you: In moments of weakness, I have been yelling at my son. As I said before: Our kids are really good at driving us crazy, and they sure know which buttons to push. I certainly never wanted to yell. It never made me feel any better! It never solved a problem! And certainly, it is something that does not help our kids in ANY way. It doesn’t contribute to a peaceful atmosphere at home, and it causes stress for everyone involved.
If you’ve ever felt like this yourself (and if you’re a parent, I’d put my shirt on a horse that you have) AND you want to put an end to that to live a more fulfilled life, stay calm as a parent, and just enjoy better family life, then “Positive Parenting Solutions” is right for YOU!
I’ll go so far as to say that even the most experienced mom or dad will find something in the course that will contribute to a better family life.
Let’s Talk About Self Esteem Real Quick
I know one thing for sure: It is always hard to admit that you need or better yet want help with something. It’s HARD to ask for help! Especially for us as parents! We are the ones supposed to give guidance to our kids. How can WE ask for help without losing face?
Well, here is the thing: I didn’t feel that I NEED to ask for anything. I felt that I WANTED to do better! And I knew that I would need some reference and guidance. There is no shame in it. If you’ve made it here and you are reading this review, then I bet we’re in the same boat here.
I like to think of it this way: People hire instructors for almost everything. Want to learn how to play golf? Your first thought would probably be to hire an instructor! Want to learn how to fly an airplane? Hire a flight instructor. Even with things like money or insurance, we take this approach: Many of us hire specialists to help us with our everyday issues. Why are many of us so scared to do the same thing when it comes down to hiring someone who teaches us to be a better mom or dad?
There is NO shame in it!
I’m gonna say it is quite the contrary: The fact that you are thinking about getting help on this topic proofs that you have taken the first step of being a better parent to your kids. No matter how good you already are: Like with any other skill, there is always room for improvement and to become even better than you already are today. So CONGRATULATIONS, you are among the most dedicated moms and dads in the world. That alone makes you an amazing parent already. Be proud of yourself!
What’s Inside? The Tools And Training Revealed
Great, so let’s take a look at what is inside Positive Parenting Solutions. I have reached out to Amy recently and asked her if she is fine with me recording a “backstage” video; a “digital unboxing” where I take you inside the member’s area and show you around a bit. She was fine with it, so I’d like to present to you my “Unboxing of Positive Parenting Solutions” video below. If you consider purchasing the program, please take the time to join me on this walkthrough so that you know what you are getting well before paying just a single cent! Here we go…
Watched the video? Great! Welcome back. I hope you enjoyed the tour and you got something out of it. Now, let’s take a deeper look at what is inside Positive Parenting Solutions:
The Tools
“Learn the Tools” is the main module of Positive Parenting Solutions. It’s the main online course, and it consists of seven sessions that you should really take in this order: They built on top of each other, starting with the basics and teaching you all the concepts you need to know about in order to put the tools that Amy teaches in place.
The cool thing here is that this main course is VERY, VERY actionable. Each session consists of a series of very well-produced, high-quality video lessons with complementary material such as interactive material and additional reads (articles, interviews, etc.).
At the end of session 1, Amy “hands out” the first tool that you can put in your parenting toolbox. And it blew my mind! Since I’ve learned about it, I use this PARTICULAR first tool every, single day! The interesting part is that the idea of this first tool goes very well with the mission statement and idea of this blog and my general parenting philosophy as a “playful dad”. However, I learned exactly what mistakes I have made in the past and how I can make my number one, “go-to parenting tool” so, so much more efficient! With ease!!! Impressive, really!
The One Problem With Online Courses
One problem with online courses is that you are learning all by yourself: On your own schedule and without any feedback. Now, with Positive Parenting Solutions, this problem exists as well, but Amy and her team had a very good idea to approach this problem: Whenever it makes sense, Amy introduces group situations and role-playing.
You will see other parents play out and discuss daily situations in their families, which is so helpful. I found myself sitting there quite a few times, thinking: “Hey, how do these guys know exactly what is going on in my family? And how I feel?” – And that’s when you realize: “Yeah, I’m sitting here on my computer all by myself (or with my partner, which I HIGHLY recommend), but I am obviously NOT alone! All these other parents have similar (or even the same) problems. It’s just that in real life, people don’t dare to admit it.”
And THAT is eye-opening! Well played, Amy 🙂
The Workbook
As mentioned before, the main course comes with a workbook, which is really, really well-designed. It has a lot of additional information, and it is so much more than “just a note-taking guide”. It’s really a very comprehensive reference handbook that you can (and should) print out so that you can browse it whenever you need to handle a certain situation.
My only concern is that each page has a lot of background color. That makes it really beautiful, but if you want to print it on your home printer, it is a bit wasteful in terms of using too much paint. It’s 93 pages, all color! If you really want to print it, my suggestion is to visit a local copy shop and have it printed there, just because it is much cheaper.
It’s also worth mentioning that each and every “Specialty Module” and module from the “Expert Series” (see below) comes with its very own workbook of equal quality, which is also great!
I love these workbooks and I really enjoyed working on them. It makes watching the videos feel so valuable because it helps you take the most important points with you to keep. You can always go back to the videos, but you don’t have to!
Specialty Modules and Expert Series
The “Specialty Modules” and “Expert Series” are 25 individual modules that cover specific, critical issues that we as parents may (and most likely will) encounter.
So, if you notice your kid has problems in school, focus on the module “School Success”. On the other hand, if you have only one child, for example, you may consider skipping the modules that are specifically targeted at parents of siblings. If your kid falls asleep easily, then you may skip the “Bedtime Blues” module. The idea here is to pick a module that covers YOUR most pressing problem and help you fix it.
It’s important to note, though, that Amy and her team suggest to AT LEAST complete sessions 1 through 4 of the “Learn The Tools” series first, because these modules provide specific information on how to use and customize the tools that you’ve learned there in those very particular situations.
Here’s an overview of the Specialty Modules included in the course:
- Allowance
- Bedtime Blues
- Chores & Summer Contract
- Consequences That Work!
- Entitlement Epidemic
- Family Systems
- Homework Hassles
- Mealtime/Eating Battles
- Mind, Body & Soul Time
- Morning Mania
- Say NO to Rewards & Praise
- School Success
- Sibling Squabbles
- Technology Battles
- Tweens and Teens
And finally, let’s take a look at the included Expert Modules:
- ADHD 101
- Anxiety
- Bedwetting and Potty Accidents
- Bullying
- Bullying (Siblings)
- Divorce & Parenting
- Get Your Partner on the Same Parenting Page
- Helping Your Struggling Student
- Potty Training 101
- Sex Talks
Ask Amy Calls
The Ask Amy calls are calls that you can submit questions to and then join Amy when she answers them. The calls are being recorded and then made available in the member’s area. The archive lists the individual episodes with a “table of content” of the questions asked so that you can pick individual episodes that fit your particular needs (see screenshot below).
Facebook Group
If you choose to purchase the Gold Membership of Positive Parenting Solutions you also get access to the Gold Member’s Facebook group which is also an incredible resource. There almost 15,000 members here. All of them are parents who share your problems and concerns, who know what you are going through and who also want to be better parents for their kids. It’s really a community of positivity where your parenthood can thrive. It’s an incredible resource, and it makes learning online (see my comment about that above) so much easier.
The App
Now, this is really cool: Amy’s course comes with a fully loaded App for both iOS and Android devices. You can download it today (even without being a course member), but only really use it when you’ve purchased either the Silver or Gold membership.
Just this app alone made the Gold membership a no-brainer for me: The app gives you access to the entire course material.
And besides, the videos, reads, etc. it also offers you to download (yes, DOWNLOAD) each video’s audio track locally to your device (this feature requires a Gold membership, though). That way, you can learn while you’re commuting on the train or on the car, all without using your mobile data or being dependent on your mobile internet connection. It’s the perfect addition for the busy parent! Please make sure to watch my “unboxing” video above to see the app in action.
That’s a lot. Don’t let it overwhelm you!
So, I can literally see your main concern in your eyes. That’s overwhelming. You probably don’t know where to start, how to make time for this, and how to memorize all this content, all the tools, and how to process all this information. I understand that and that’s why it’s important to say: Don’t let it overwhelm you!
The course is very well structured, and it’s not designed for you to rush through. Becoming better at something always takes time and practice (which is the same for golf; or flying an airplane, just to get back to these examples). Allow yourself to grow. And allow yourself to take this time!
Taking this course does not mean that you’re watching a video and will never ever make any mistakes anymore. You will still make mistakes. BUT:
The course gives you the knowledge to identify these mistakes.
It enables you to reflect on your behavior and to better understand your child.
And it helps you to develop a mindset of forgiveness: To forgive yourself and your children.
Need Help? Let’s Talk About Support
Now: What if you need specific help? What if you don’t find an answer to YOUR family’s most important problem? Well, you can always contact the Positive Parenting Solutions helpdesk. You simply create a ticket within the member’s area and would get a response within 24 hours. If you decided to purchase a Gold membership, then your best bet would certainly be to join one of Ask Amy Coaching Calls, to get your individual questions answered.
And what about more general problems? Like billing or making use of Amy’s 30 Day Money Back Guarantee? In the member’s area, you find a whole tab dedicated specifically to support. Both regarding content-related questions, as well as for technical issues. They even offer a customer service phone, which you can call Mondays through Fridays 8 AM to 9 PM Eastern Time.
Personally, I reached out to the Positive Parenting Solutions Support because I wanted to request approval for my unboxing video (because it shows stuff that’s usually hidden behind a paywall and I wanted to make sure that I do not infringe any kind of intellectual property). I was surprised to see that within just 24 hours (!) Amy personally (!!) came back to me with a very personal and kind response. That’s what I call amazing customer service!
And finally, there is always the Facebook community. Even though I do not want to count that as “official support”, because my feeling is that there is already a way too many companies out there that try to establish this kind of “community support” instead of providing proper support themselves (which is NOT true for the team behind Positive Parenting Solutions), but the group is there, and there is no reason not to use it.
Let’s Talk About Money: The Price Tag(s) Of Positive Parenting Solutions
Okay, now that you know what is inside, let’s talk about pricing. Positive Parenting Solutions comes in three tiers: Bronze, Silver, and Gold. While Bronze is a very basic access to the course for a limited time (one year) both Silver and Gold will grant you lifetime access to the entire content.
If you asked me, I would always recommend going for Gold: It offers the best value when looking at the fact that it includes
- access to the app (including offline course access, which is great for commuters)
- access to the Ask Amy Coaching calls (for one year)
- access to the entire history of recorded Ask Amy Coaching calls
- access to the Facebook group
No matter what tier you decide to go with: You can always upgrade later.
So let’s take a look at the regular price tags:
- Bronze: $221.11 (or 12 × $22.21)
- Silver: $276.77 (or 12 × $27.77)
- Gold: $350,- (or 12 × $35)
BUT: If you follow the link below and join Amy on her webinar, you’ll get a FREE upgrade from silver to gold or from bronze to silver RIGHT AWAY! That leaves us with:
- Bronze: (Forget about bronze 🙂 the free upgrade makes it a silver membership)
- Silver: $199,- (or 12 × $19.99) instead of
$276.77 (or 12 × $27.77)
- Gold: $249,- (or 12 × $24.99) instead of
$350,- (or 12 × $35)
What About Upsells?
That’s a great question. If you’ve ever bought an online course before, you were probably surprised by how many upsells there can be when you log in to a members area for the first time, right? Some authors are really shameless here. They sell you a course for 50 bucks and then want to upsell you for another 200 dollars. I’ve been there, I’ve seen courses like that! It really sucks!
Positive Parenting Solutions is different. I could NOT find a single upsell. All I could find was that Amy here and there mentions her two books, which you can order from Amazon. Sometimes you’ll find an “If you want to learn more, please read Chapter XY of my book…” – Something like that. I’m fine with that. First of all, the books are bestsellers and written very, very well. They are basically must-haves for any parent anyway. And personally, I never felt I was missing something. They are really just an additional offer, but not required at all!
The course is self-contained. I felt it offers everything I need. Hence, I don’t consider the books mentioned an upsell, and I am fine with Amy mentioning them here and there. It never felt like a sales pitch to me! And the videos are really “ads-free”. So that’s perfectly fine.
The Good & The Bad
Great! So now that we have the money talk out of the way, let’s talk about the pros and cons. Here’s what I found to be good and bad about the course. Let’s get started…
The Good:
- Amy is a very good and charismatic instructor
- App with local download capabilities (gold membership required)
- Great, well-designed, and comprehensive workbooks
- NO upsells
- Amy believes in her course so much that she offers you a full, no-questions-asked money-back guarantee
- REALLY Good Follow Up Mails with MANY tips to get you started (which you can obviously opt-out from)
- Video Quality is great!
- Recorded Role Play is really cool as it really helps with this online course (which you would usually consume alone, or with your partner)
- Change of Perspective: The course puts you in the child’s perspective, which is a heartbreaking and eye-opening moment
- The course introduces many counter-intuitive techniques (like not praising); and also offers solutions, like what you want to do instead
- Amy also addresses the question: “How do I get my partner on board?” If you’re wondering, Amy has solutions for that as well!
The Bad:
- The three membership options can be a bit confusing at first.
- The workbook is well-designed but expensive to print at home (Tip: Have it printed at a copy shop)
- The video quality of the course is really good; the audio quality, however, could be just slightly better here and there. It’s not a big deal, but sometimes I noticed volume drops in those group situations or a low-frequency humming (Tip: If you have a subwoofer, just turn down the bass and you’ll be fine. If you don’t have a subwoofer, there’s a good chance you won’t hear that humming anyway.)
- The sheer amount of content can feel overwhelming. Remember though: You do not have to implement all the tools at once. Do it step by step, and take the time to really understand the ideas Amy is teaching. Just like raising your kids, this course is a marathon, not a sprint!
My Final Opinion of Positive Parenting Solutions
Time to wrap things up: If you’ve read my review to this point and paid attention to my pros and cons, you probably already have an idea of how I feel about the course. It’s amazing! It is the best parenting course out there I could find, and I learned so much from it. After just implementing the tools from the first three sessions, the relationship between me and my son has developed so, so much.
We already had a good relationship before, but we had all these occasional meltdowns. That’s when I, as a dad, felt overwhelmed. I sometimes just didn’t know what to do. And then, all of a sudden your kid grows gets more independent and suddenly starts simply saying “No!” when you ask him something – “Huh!? What do I do now?” Amy has provided me with simple tools, that just work. Sometimes, it feels like magic, but with Amy’s explanations I understand why things suddenly work out and that is so, SO great!!!
Our family life is more peaceful, I am more relaxed and I can literally see how my son grows now that we understand each other so much better than before! I can’t wait to see the long-term payoff of the course. The short-term value is already AMAZING.
From the bottom of my heart: I recommend this course to you, whether your a mom or a dad. Purchase it now, thank me later. It’s great, you’ll love it. Promise! And if, for whatever reason you do not, Amy offers you a full, no-questions-asked money-back guarantee. There is no reason not to AT LEAST give Positive Parenting Solutions a try.
I love it, and so will you!
All the best to you and your family,
And thanks for reading,
chris
Positive Parenting Solution
Starting At $199
Pros
- Highly actionable - I could see first results after just three days(!)
- Very good and charismatic instructor
- High video quality
- Great and well-designed workbooks
- NO upsells
Cons
- Printing the workbook at home is probably somewhat wasteful (Tip: See if you can print it at a copy shop)
- The different membership options can be a bit confusing at first
- The sheer amount of content can feel overwhelming! Remember: It's a marathon, not a sprint!
What a great breakdown of everything that is offered with the program, Thank you for taking the time to lay it all out.
I liked the way it works on different age groups. I also loved the video as too often with online courses they want you to pay a pretty penny but do not give you any real useful information to make an informed decision.
I totally agree with your point that the program suits different age groups: The central idea behind the course is to give parents tools to contribute to their kids’ need of belonging and significance. And those needs NEVER change, they are even true for adults. In fact, many of the tools you learn that will help you prevent power struggles with your kids can ALSO help to prevent power struggles with your partner!
You cover the topic of “Positive Parenting” very thoroughly and what a great topic it is. So many parents these days seem to be so busy with other things. I think the politically correct world we are living in now makes it very hard for parents as kids have so many rights now. As a parent, foster parent, and grandparent, the love and trust you build with kids is time well spent. Very good article. I know that each child is different. But education is never a waste when you receive it from the right teacher.
I have learned more and more here and I am willing to come back for more, thanks.
Hey Nathan.
Thanks a bunch for your kind and elaborate comment. I’m happy to read that you enjoyed my article and that it was time well-spent reading it and watching my video.
However, I would like to elaborate on one sentence that you wrote above and that stood out to me. You wrote:
“i think the politically correct world we are living in now makes it very hard for parents as kids have so many rights now”
and I have to disagree on this one. I’m not quite sure how you meant this particular sentence and if I am misinterpreting it, but I would like to make one thing very clear because it is very important to me:
In my opinion, it’s a very, very good thing that we live in a time where kids are being recognized as human beings and that adults are finally coming to the conclusion that they must be treated with the same respect as they treat any other, grown-up adult. Personally, I think that it is a great and very important step in the right direction.
I agree, though, that living this mindset every single day and always comply with it can be hard living the turbulent life of a parent myself 🙂 And that is exactly why I think it so important to learn about positive parenting: Because it enables you to be that respectful parent with ease. Having this toolset makes it much easier for me to live up to my own standards and treat my kids with the respect they deserve!
I wish you all the best, Nathan!
Stay safe!
chris
Yes, i definitely agree with you that we all need trainers in all aspects of life. Even on the WA platform, the classes, lessons, community, all have trainers or personal training.
Yep, you’ve hit it on the head, we all need the ‘experts’ who can teach what we don’t know!
I’m not a parent myself, so i probably don’t relate, but saying that, i can still understand having baby sitted for friends and family or voluntarily served in the children’s ministry in the local community. It’s not exactly the same though.
The course sounds wonderful especially the role playing, group situations, videos, expert modules, equal equality workbook, ‘Amy calls’ and apps. I thought the price was going to be more. The price is therefore very reasonable.
Do you have such things as specific module cards for instance, as each family will have different issues and not need all the modules?
Saying that each culture does bring up children in different ways though.
Does the course come in different languages?
Really glad that the course has helped you overcome parent to child melt down, giving you peace and understanding in your father-son relationship!
If i were a parent, i would definitely start the course, but only where it’s needed specifically in the relationship. The other modules i would skip until the right time.
What’s the saying, enjoy your children, while they’re young!
Hey Dayo. Thanks for reading my review and taking the time to share your thoughts. Excellent questions, by the way.
Question 1: “Do you have such things as specific module cards for instance, as each family will have different issues and not need all the modules?”
I’m not exactly sure what you mean by “module cards”. Do you mean to ask if you can purchase individual modules instead of purchasing the course as a whole? As far as I am aware, that it not possible. And from my experience with the concept of positive parenting and the way the course deals with the topic, it wouldn’t make much sense, either. Because the individual modules are somewhat based on what you’ve learned in the previous ones, hence it wouldn’t make much sense to only purchased one of the “advanced modules” or rather “specialized modules” if you don’t have the basics of positive parenting down 🙂 Hope that makes sense 🙂
Question 2: “Does the course come in different languages?”
No, the course is only available in English. However, Amy is a well-trained speaker and talks very clearly and slowly. Also, the recording quality of the audio itself is very good. I myself am not a native speaker. However, I had no issues following Amy’s course and understanding pretty much everything.
I hope that answers your questions, Dayo. I wish you all the best.
Stay healthy!
chris
Hi Chris, thanks for sharing this detailed review on Positive Parenting Solutions by Amy McCready. I chance upon this many months back but didn’t do anything about it. But lately, I’m having issues with my 2 daughters. 2 nights back, I actually had to scream at them for not listening to keep their toys… I felt really bad after that. Maybe it is a good idea for me to try out the solution here. Thanks again.
Hey Richard.
Thanks for being so open and sharing what happened with your daughter the other day. Situations like these happen, and it’s somewhat human to behave like you did. However, it is a pretty great first step to realize that you felt bad about it and want to do something about it.
You came to the right place! Positive Parenting Solutions is an amazing resource and pretty much all you need (plus some practice, of course) to get you started… I hope you go for it. If you have any questions, please reach out and I’ll get you the answers you need!
Cheers,
chris
Hello Chris. I read through your post and want to tell you how right you are for promoting this training. I have been a parent now for 37 years and have 1 grandchild. Yes, parenting can be very overwhelming at first and just like you said, where are the instructions? Everything else comes with instruction, lol. I commend you for all your efforts and agree 100% that parenting skills take time to learn and dedication is a must! Thank you for writing a well-written post and I am hopeful that many new parents will read this and join.
Hi Evelyn.
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts.
Yeah, parenting can be tough, for sure. However, I know that there are many people out there who claim that “you will learn everything you need to know along the way”. That’s certainly true to some degree.
But my personal take is that if I get a chance to avoid making mistakes, especially with the people that I love most, it’s certainly worth the investment.
Today, roughly two years after writing the above review in the first place, Benni is 5 and our second son Fabian just turned 1, I still learn a lot from every session of this course that I keep revisiting every now and then.
That being said: I’m not trying to imply that one should always strive to be the perfect mom or dad. That would make me crazy, I guess 🙂 But I’m sure that Positive Parenting Solutions made me a better dad much faster than I would be without it… And that makes it a worthwhile investment!
All the best to you and your family, Evelyn.
chris
Lift your hand on the off chance that you’ve never shouted at your youngsters!
Lift your hand on the off chance that you have companions who never holler at their kids!
On the off chance that your hand is up… I am challenging your false front.
However, in the event that you genuinely accept that there are guardians out there who never lose their cool… I have a unicorn available to be purchased.
Intrigued?
Tune in, I’d bet that each and every parent on this planet has become upset with their kid at some point.
Hi TECH RVL. I couldn’t agree more! Very well spoken… Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts! I wish you and family all the best. Here’s to you and Positive Parenting Solution that you can raise your hand to the above made statements in the future 🙂 chris
Hello there! Wow, this is a really detailed review article on positive parenting solutions. Seems like very beneficial tool and perhaps I might get it one day when I become parent. I cannot even begin to imagine the stress one would have as a parent and how easy it is for one to just vent and yell. But this can be harmful for the children. Thanks for this informative post!
Hi Mike and thanks for taking the time to leave a comment! Being a parent is certainly stressful at times, but also very rewarding. Especially in times like these, where parents are facing even more challenges like homeschooling etc., having a fully loaded “toolbox” of parenting tips can be very, very helpful… I’m glad to read you enjoyed my post. Cheers, chris
Wow! Nice article and really really inspiring, I am not a patent yet but I can already see how stressful, annoying and exciting it can be, it requires understanding to understand your children, know their needs and wants. Even during tough times you need to have patience with your kids. I certainly did learn a lot from this.
Hi Dorinda. Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to leave a comment. Being a dad is certainly stressful every now and then and also exciting, but I wouldn’t use the term “annoying”. Yes, kids can freak us parents out, no doubt, but I wouldn’t describe them as “annoying”; I guess I love them too much!? It’s hard to explain. Once you have kids of your own you’ll understand what I mean, I guess 🙂 Hope that you moms and dads who read this will agree with me. Join the discussion and let me know!
Hi there Chris,
What a pretty nice review you did on Positive Parenting Solutions. Seems very much like the perfect help a lot of parents out there need. I have bookmarked this, And although I am not a dad yet, I would take this course for future purposes, Wanna be the best dad ever. I remember back then My father yelled a lot, it always made me pissed than I was before. Yelling would never be the solution. The more you yell, the more kids get used to it
Hi Josh! Thanks for checking out my review. Glad you liked it and it’s worth a bookmark for you 🙂 I really appreciate it. In all honesty: Being a dad can be a really, really tough “job” every now and then; but your “salary” of being unconditionally loved by your kids can not compare to any other job in the world! Go for it!!!
Hello there, Positive parenting means taking an approach that is sensitive to children’s individual needs and addressing the typical challenges that arise in early childhood with empathy and respect. Thanks a lot for sharing this awesome article I know it would be of great help to the public as it has helped me.
Thanks Nelson. I’m glad to read you found some good use in my article. That’s very uplifting 🙂 I wish all the best to you and your family! chris
Thank you Chris for this article, you did not leave any stone unturned. Taking permission from Amy to do the video showing us an inside view is highly thoughtful of you. I am not a fan of online courses, but since there is a Facebook group where I can interact with others and there will be an opportunity to interact with Amy through the ask Amy calls. I think I seriously need this to help me give my three boys the best
Hey Parameter, thank you so much for your thoughtful comment. I highly appreciate it! I am super excited to read how you enjoyed the video I made for you guys. Glad it helped you with making your decision. I wish you and your family all the best. Enjoy the course, it’s a well-made investment that’ll pay off very quickly! All the best, chris
Will you get the same information if you only read the book and not sign up for the online course?
Hi Rachel. Thanks for reaching out! I have to admit that I don’t own the book myself and thus can only talk about the online course itself and the included workbook. I bet the book is great, but I doubt that it can really compete with what the course covers and especially HOW it is delivered. Reading a book is one thing, but seeing other parents acting it out is something completely different. Make sure to watch my video review / course tour on
Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hx-WPqvcvus) and you’ll see what I mean by that. Finally, you can also sign up to Amy’s free webinar and see if the course is for you or not (https://www.positiveparentingsolutions.com/amember/aff/go/christian_hoffmann?i=2). All the best to you and your family, chris
Hey Chris,
It’s been several months now and I’m wondering if you’re still using PPS?
If so, how is it going?
I’m struggling with this mom thing and wondering about a long term review of PPS and if it’s still having a positive effect on you family.
Hey Michelle, thanks for visiting my blog and taking the time to ask your question!
Yes, I am still using it and I feel that I and my family benefit from it day in and day out. The topics that are covered in this course touch on so many topics that I believe I will benefit from this course for years to come: There’s something for every parent, whether your kids are toddlers or teens! Hence I can only highly recommend it!
At the end of the day, the course comes with a 30-day money back guarantee. So at the end of the day my suggestion would be to at least give it shot; especially since you feel like your struggling. I’m sure this course can help you with some concepts and ideas to improve your relationship with your kids and be more relaxed. Just give it a shot!
There’s really nothing to lose!
All the best,
chris
Great post! I am really interested in trying the Positive Parenting Solutions product. You gave a great run down of the product and I too would like to be a “recovered yeller.” The different modules are very inclusive and the Ask Amy Calls is really cool. I like that there is an app too. It is a little pricey, but a happy family life is priceless.
Hey Morgan,
thank you so much for your comment. I’m super happy I could help with my review. You are right that it seems a bit pricey at first, but when you compare the amount (and quality) of the content with oh so many other online courses, you’ll see that this price is actually quite reasonable. At the end of the day, it’s up to you, obviously. I can only tell that the way Positive Parenting Solutions has improved our family life is, as you said, priceless. Just check out the webinar, get to know Amy and see if it makes sense to you. Even if you decide to purchase and don’t like it down the road you’ll always have that 30 day money back guarantee 🙂
All the best,
chris
What a nicely drafted review. I am going to research more about it. Shame that we are pass those years for educating children but many of my relatives could benefit from such a course. It seems that its been well documented and clearly organize in a very nice format. Thank you!!!
Glad you liked it Jackie. Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment. I’d appreciate if you’d share my review with your relatives. Please let me know what they think, will you? That would be awesome. Thanks, chris
Hi Chris, thanks for the really good perspective as you talk through this review. If nothing else, I feel calmer after reading it and more reassured as a parent! I appreciate the ideas of ‘getting past shame’ at times we fall short. And I agree that a calm and positive atmosphere is within our grasps to cultivate–if we have the will (and a few tips on best practices)! Again really appreciate the perspective you bring. In looking at the different chapters for the course, the one titled “Say NO to rewards & praise” seems unexpected! But I’m intrigued!
Hi balletdad.
Thank you so much for leaving a comment. I’m glad I could intrigue you 🙂 It’s true that “Say NO to rewards & praise” sounds somewhat surprising. Actually, the couse offers quite a few counter-intuitive techniques that sound strange at first; but once Amy introduces you to the fundamentals it gets pretty clear why THAT is the way to go. For this particular example, one of the major motivators would be that you do not want to raise “praise junkies” or “reward junkies”. I certainly do not want my kid to grow up as a person who will only do things for the reason of external motivation. Instead, I would like Benni to learn how great it is to actually contribute to our family’s life in a meaningful way. But in order to do that, you need a plan that goes beyond immediate gratification in terms of praise and reward! And that is what this module is all about 🙂
All the best and thanks again,
chris
Chris,
Great article and write up for Positive Parenting Solutions. This looks like a high quality product with a great supporting community behind it. Honestly I can’t think of a better spend for the money for a little advice on raising kids.
My daughters are 15 & 18 right now so a bit passed a lot of the content here. For the most part they are both good girls (and it’s not easy being a dad of teenage girls) although I’ll tell you the 15 year old has been more of a challenge lately. I’ll have to check out what the Positive Parenting Solutions says about teenage daughters. That should be “fun” but anyway I’m sure it will provide solid quality advice.
Here’s to parents!
Mat A.
Hi Mat!
Hey, cool that you read my article and took the time to leave a comment. Thank you so much. I guess you are right about what you said about being a Dad of teens! Benni is just 3 years old, and the teenage years are still ahead of us. I bet it’s gonna be challenging, but I’m also looking forward to it. We have this one neighbor who told me just after Benni was born (and me and my wife were so tired) that it would get “harder” over time. That scared me. Looking back, though, I have to say that things didn’t get harder; they just changed: Parenting a three year old doesn’t feel harder to me! It feels different! And I hope that holds true for the time when Benni will be a teen as well 🙂
Regarding your “question”: From what I have seen in the course, I bet there is a lot you can take advantage of, even if your kid isn’t a toddler or child any more, but rather a teen. Amy even mentions that every now and then: She gives specific advice how you can introduce new concepts and ideas into your family life and how you can deal with resistance in the process of doing so. I really liked that!
Hope that helps 🙂
All the best to you and your family, Mat
Cheers,
chris
l recommend this wonderful article to every parent to learn and build. l have two wonderful kids, age 7 and 8, it was a handful watching them grow to different life stages.
The positive insight you gave on this topic is very reassuring and helpful.
Thanks and am recommending this post to my women group.
Hi there and thank you so much for your kind comment. 7 and 8 years must be an interesting age, I guess! I will find out in 4 years 😀 Thank you so much for sharing my review. If your friends have ANY questions about, please tell them I’m here to help! Just ask them to leave a comment or email me!
All the best to you and your family,
chris
This is a very detailed and helpful review. I really do think many parents these days could benefit from this program. I don’t have kids yet, but plan to have some in the next couple of years, so reading your post is a great way to prepare me for the future. I know some of my relative’s kids are so out of control, they definitely could benefit from this program. Thank you so much for sharing this program with us.
Hi Hong,
thank you so much for spending time on my blog, reading my article and taking the time to comment on it! I really appreciate it, and I am super happy I could help. If you happen to return some day and become a member of Positive Parenting Solutions, please reach out and let me know how well it worked for you, will you?
All the best to you and your (future) family 🙂
chris
Wow, what a great course! I have 3 boys, one of which who just graduated. So all grown now. I can tell you that if I had a course like this, I would have signed up in a heartbeat. Parenting is a tough job. Of course we all love being a parent, but to be able to be the best parent and know how to handle tough situations, it can get hit or miss sometimes. More like a trial and error. If I could have skipped some of the trials and known what to do….wow that would be great! Great information !
Hey Matts Mom,
thank you so much for stopping by and taking the time to comment. I really appreciate it. Wow: Three boys! That is impressive 🙂 You can really be proud of yourself and your family. Please say hello to your kids and forward my congratulations to your one boy’s graduation. Well done!
If you like the idea of Positive Parenting Solutions (it sounds like you do) please make sure to tell your friends (or your three sons 🙂 ) about it. From the bottom of my heart: I can really only recommend it! It makes our life as parents so much easier.
All the best to your and your family,
chris
Hi Chris,
A very nice article that detailed a program I wish I had known about long ago. My wife and I got involved with foster parenting and then decided to adopt a brother/sister pair of elementary school-age children. We knew what we were getting into, just not what we were getting into, you know? A lot of love, a lot of problems and a whole lot of money spent on different parenting courses. The problem was not us (me, wife, kids) it was more that the courses seemed designed for traditional families, not adoptive. Not for slightly special needs, but for the “normal” kids (whatever they are). Maybe you can include this type of information in future reviews?
Hey Sanders.
Thank you so much for taking the time to comment on my post and sharing your story! That is an excellent point! You know what I’m gonna do: I am going to reach out to Amy and ask her about this particular topic. Maybe she can bring some additional information to the table! Maybe I can interview her or so. Let’s see. I’ll ask her and let you know!!!
Thanks again,
chris
Please bring foster parenting into this course if possible. These children need so much help and many suffer from trauma. Thank you. ?
Hello Sanders!
Thank you for being foster parents!!! And adoptive parents!!
In my opinion, the course is perfectly suited for foster/adopting parents. When you dig into the material – the cornerstone of the course is fostering a sense of belonging and significance for each child within the family. Those needs are the same for traditional and non-traditional families. The tools in the course teach parents exactly how to do that. I pray the program serves all types of families! All the best to you and your gang!
Warmly, Amy McCready – Positive Parenting Solutions
Hi Amy! Hi Sanders!
Amy, thank you so much for checking out my email (Sanders, I promised you I would reach out and ask, right? 🙂 ) and responding directly here on the blog. I really appreciate that.
Sanders, I hope that answers your question regarding the program and foster parenting. If you (or any of you other Moms and Dads) have further questions, please feel free to reach out so that I can help you with it 🙂
All the best to you guys,
Thanks,
chris
Hi Chris, and thank you so much for this amazing review. What I wouldn’t have done to have something like this when I first had my kids. I’m a grandma now, and I guess I didn’t do too bad since both my kids are married and successful lol. I definitely want to send this post to my daughter though. Her kids are 2.5 and 8 months. She’s a great mom and chose to stay home to raise them. But some extra help never hurts and this sounds like an amazing program.
Blessings,
Suzanne
Hi Suzanne,
how nice it is that you stopped by and took the time to leave a comment. I am sure your daughter would love the course. If she happens to read this blog as well and has any questions, please ask her to send me a message. I am more than happy to assist if she has any questions regarding Positive Parenting Solutions 🙂
All the best to you guys,
chris
Hi Chris,
Amazing post. You cover this topic so thoroughly and what a great topic it is. positive parenting. So many parents these days seem to be in another world. I think the politically correct world will live in now makes it very hard for parents as kids have so many rights now.
Well done on a massive undertaking here. Sharing with my son who I think really needs this!
Cheers, Kev
Hey Kevin!
Cool to have another dad around here. You are right: Kids have many rights, but I will say that I personally believe that this is a good thing. Kids have the same rights as we have, and they should: They aren’t less of a human being than we adults are, right? In many ways, kids are probably even “ahead” of us…
I agree that this, combined with many other things (multimedia, video games, smart devices etc.), has the potential to make parenting harder than it was in the good old days. But I will say that if you know the right tools then this is not a problem; it’s just a challenge that we as parents should be happy to accept.
Positive parenting as a concept works! And this course is ONE way to learn the tools required to succeed 🙂
Cheers,
chris
This looks like it could be very effective. I will recommend this product to my sister, who has four boys! She definitely needs some tips on remaining calm around them.
Hi Melinda,
thanks for checking out my review and leaving a comment. Much appreciated 🙂 Please ask your sister to reach out and let me know what she thinks about the program. If she has any questions: I’m here to help 🙂
All the best,
chris
Hi Chris, I’m going to start by saying that I LOVE this post. When people become parents for the first time, unless you’ve been around kids a lot, first time parents typically don’t know what the hell they’re doing! And throw extreme into the equation, uncertainty, fears that you never even knew existed, together with a baby – wow. It’s tough! And if you’ve been blessed with multiples like we were, well I wish this product was around then. I would have paid double for that gold membership let me tell you!!
Parents can always use help and reassurance to help them build positive relationships with their kids. Being a parent, in my opinion, is the most important thing we’ll ever do in our lives, and it’s so important that we’re equipped with great tools to help us on our journey to becoming good role models and positive influences to the little people who need us the most. We don’t just magically know what to do and how to handle situations that are difficult, whilst juggling what feels like a million other things too.
Chris, well done on this post, I think it’s fabulous. I will share it within my networks as I think many people can benefit from this.
Hey Melissa,
thank you sooo much for your kind comment and sorry for my late response.
When I read “first time parents typically don’t know what the hell they’re doing” I had to laugh hard. Thanks, you made my day! Because I have been right THERE!
I still believe that a big part of learning how “to parent” is about intuition, but there are still so many pitfalls. Like with any other skill, learning and mastering something is so much easier when you have someone who points you in the right direction: You can try and learn things the good old way via trial and error, but it’s so much easier when you can skip the “failing” part of the equation. And then there is one major difference to all the other skills out there: If you fail on something else, you usually only hurt yourself. But being a parent is not just about oneself. It’s about family, and ultimately ALL about your kid.
Thanks for contributing with your comment and sharing this post with your networks! I really appreciate it!
All the best to you and your loved ones.
chris
This is a great breakdown of everything that is offered with the program, Thank you for taking the time to lay it all out. I liked the way it works on different age groups as my daughter is 8,its never to late to try to turn things around! I loved the video as too often with online courses they want you to pay a pretty penny but do not give you any real useful information to make a informed decision.
Hey Christina,
thank you so much for your comment. I’m really glad I could help you with my review. Also: Thank you so much for watching my “unboxing” video and sharing your thoughts about it. A lot of work went into that video, and it makes me really happy to hear that it was helpful to you!
I totally agree with your point that the program suits different age groups: The central idea behind the course is to give parents tool to contribute to their kids’ need of belonging and significance. And those needs NEVER change, they are even true for adults. In fact, many of the tools you learn that will help you prevent power struggles with your kids can ALSO help preventing power struggles with your partner! Think about that!!!
🙂
All the best to you and your loved ones!
Cheers,
chris
Hi Chris. As a parent, foster parent and grandparent the love and trust you build with kids is time well spent. Very good article. I know that each child is different. But education is never a waste when you receive it from the right teacher. After reading your post I was reminded of parenting groups we belonged to. They are a place where you can get great advice and not feel alone.
Hey Granny Blogger!
Cool to have you back. Thanks for leaving another comment on my blog. I really appreciate it. Sorry for the late response! Being a parent, a foster parent and a grandparent, you can and should be very proud of yourself. I admire you for your experience! And thank you so much for being a foster parent. That is so amazing and beatiful! Sanders, who commented above, was also a foster (and adoptive) parent. Maybe you want to read his comment as well and reach out!? I bet you guys have a lot to share!
All the best to you and your family,
chris