PARENTS
Parenting grows you.It’s challenging, rewarding, and often overwhelming. We are here to help you in this journey.
Asking for help is a sign of strength.
If you’re here chances are you have a lot of hard questions.
Perhaps your child has been a victim of abuse. Or perhaps you’re a parent with a generational history of parenting habits that you want to change.
Learning, changing, and growing can be hard. Facing the difficult road ahead with knowledge and a desire to help your child be the best human they can be is a huge step in a positive direction. We can help.
Below are topics to explore and resources for you to find your way forward. You are not alone.
We Have Some Featured Topics You Can Check Out…
Where do I start?
Featured Topics – Parents
Maybe you have some questions…
We’ve compiled a list of FAQ’s based on the interactions we have with parents just like you.
We have found that the questions parents have for us are mutli-faceted and often more complex than a simple FAQ section can offer. We encourage you to reach out to us for more in-depth information and answers to your toughest questions.
Who do I report child abuse to?
If I report my partner for abusing our children, will Child Protective Services (CPS) take my kids away from me?
Is spanking considered abuse?
This is a difficult question to answer. Spanking that does not cause a physical injury to the child is typically not considered abuse under state laws/guidelines. However, research indicates that the use of physical discipline often has more negative outcomes than positive ones which is why the American Academy of Pediatrics and Childhelp advocate for healthy forms of discipline over punishments that are physically and emotionally harmful. Some great ways to learn effective discipline techniques are to enroll in local parenting classes or find educational books that are based in child development and brain science.
How can I keep my children safe from sexual abuse?
Teaching your child healthy and safe boundaries is an effective way to prevent abuse. These boundaries include areas of their body that are private, the right to say “no” to anyone, and encouragement that they always tell a safe adult if they ever feel uncomfortable/unsafe. There are many books and guides to help with these conversations! Reach out to the hotline and a counselor can help you find additional resources.
My child just told me they were touched by someone - now what do I do?
First step is to believe your child. Then you can begin to plan how to keep your child safe and the proper agencies to contact. This can be a scary, upsetting, and overwhelming experience. We can help you with this process – reach out anytime to connect with a Childhelp counselor.
I want to learn more.
Additional Resources Available
Parenting Apps
Digital media and technology are great tools parents can use. There has been an increase in the number of digital health tools available, particularly related to parenting and child development. While none of these are designed to replace professional or medical advice, here are some apps that could be useful tools for parents seeking additional support using available technology.
Disclaimer:
The apps here are not affiliated with or specifically endorsed by Childhelp. This list is an example of the various options that are available publicly; please use your discretion to determine the app that best meets your needs.
Price: Free
Link: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/milestones-app
Description: Milestones matter! Track your child’s milestones from age 2 months to 5 years with easy-to-use illustrated checklists; get tips for encouraging child development; and find out what to do if you are ever concerned about how your child is developing.
Price: Free
Link: https://www.humanimprovement.org/the-happy-child-app
Description: The Happy Child – Parenting App grants you access to cutting-edge research and tips that will help you raise a happy, well-adjusted child. Years of ground-breaking research and findings in Psychology, Neuroscience and Pediatrics have been curated into one easy-to-use app for free.
Price: Free – (In-App Purchases)
Link: https://babysparks.com/
Description: This app helps you support and monitor your child’s development with daily play activities, milestones, tracking tools, articles, tips and much more—all created by experts and personalized for your child’s unique needs. Focus is on the first 3 years of a child’s development.
Price: Free (In-App Purchases)
Link: https://nighp.com/babytracker/
Description: Designed by parents for parents, Baby Tracker offers a simple, streamlined way to track your baby’s daily habits, health, and exciting “firsts” in the early months of life.
Price: Free (In-App Purchases)
Link: https://www.kinedu.com/
Description: Kinedu helps to empower parents with creative and age-appropriate activities that support baby’s development and encourage positive bonding experiences from pregnancy to 6 years old.
Price: Free (In-App Purchases)
Link: https://www.playfullyapp.com/
Description: Created for parents of children 0-3, Playfully partners with developmental experts to bring parents quick, fun and easy activities that can be done daily in order to help nurture children’s growth and development.
Price: Free
Link: https://theparentcue.org/
Description: This app is designed for parents of babies through high schoolers and gives thoughtful and practical prompts that encourage connection and developmental understanding, while also highlighting moments of faith-building.
Parenting Websites
Digital media and technology are great tools parents can use. There has been an increase in the number of digital health tools available, particularly related to parenting and child development. While none of these are designed to replace professional or medical advice, here are some websites that could be useful tools for parents seeking additional support using available technology.
Disclaimer:
The websites listed here are not affiliated with or specifically endorsed by Childhelp. This list is an example of the various options that are available publicly; please use your discretion to determine which websites best meet your needs.
Link: https://www.zerotothree.org/
Description: Mindfulness can reduce stress and positively support your physical and mental health. Use our resources to practice mindfulness at home and work.
Link: https://healthychildren.org/
Description: HealthyChildren.org is an American Academy of Pediatrics website for parents and caregivers that is dedicated to the health of all children. Here you can find a wide range of parenting and caregiver resources.
Link: https://www.parenting.com/
Description: From pregnancy to potty training to the best baby walking shoes, discover advice, tips, and tricks from the Parenting editors to make family life easier.
Link: https://numberstory.org/
Description: The story of your number is the story of your ACE history. ACEs are Adverse Childhood Experiences. But that number does not define us. It is simply an entry point to our own personal story. Where it leads is up to you.
Link: https://pgcpsfamily.org/
Description: The Parent Toolkit is a one-stop resource designed to help parents and caregivers navigate their child’s growth and development from Pre-K through 12th grade.
Link: https://childmind.org/
Description: The Child Mind Institute is an independent, national nonprofit dedicated to transforming the lives of children and families struggling with mental health and learning disorders.
Link: https://www.pbs.org/parents
Description: Explore parent resources to help you raise kind, curious and resilient children. Find parenting tips and advice on PBS KIDS for Parents! Explore articles written by parents and experts to help raise kids who thrive at every age.
Parenting Books
The publications listed below can be great tools and are meant to be sources of valuable information. There is a large number of publications, particularly related to parenting and child development. While none of these are designed to replace professional or medical advice, here are some evidence-based books that could be useful tools for parents seeking additional support using available technology.
Disclaimer:
The books listed here are not affiliated with or specifically endorsed by Childhelp. This list is an example of the various options that are available publicly; please use your discretion to determine the book(s) that best meet your needs.
Author: Daniel J. Siegel & Mary Hartzell
Description: In Parenting from the Inside Out, child psychiatrist Daniel J. Siegel, M.D., and early childhood expert Mary Hartzell, M.Ed., explore the extent to which our childhood experiences shape the way we parent. Drawing on stunning new findings in neurobiology and attachment research, they explain how interpersonal relationships directly impact the development of the brain, and offer parents a step-by-step approach to forming a deeper understanding of their own life stories, which will help them raise compassionate and resilient children.
Author: Jane Nelsen, Lynn Lott & H. Stephen Glenn
Description: As a parent, you face one of the most challenging—and rewarding—roles of your life. No matter how much you love your child, there will still be moments filled with anger, frustration, and, at times, desperation. What do you do? Over the years, millions of parents just like you have come to trust the Positive Discipline series for its consistent, commonsense approach to child rearing.
Author: Margot Sunderland
Description: Backed by the most up-to-date scientific research, The Science of Parenting, 2nd Edition provides evidence-based parenting advice about how you should care for your child, with practical strategies from birth to 12 years of age. Child psychotherapist Dr. Margot Sunderland has more than 30 years’ experience that she brings to this internationally-acclaimed guide, and she provides numerous case studies to relate the science to real life.
Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids: How to Stop Yelling and Start Connecting
Author: Dr. Laura Markham
Description: Based on the latest research on brain development and extensive clinical experience with parents, Dr. Laura Markham’s approach is as simple as it is effective. Her message: Fostering emotional connection with your child creates real and lasting change. When you have that vital connection, you don’t need to threaten, nag, plead, bribe – or even punish.
Unconditional Parenting: Moving from Rewards and Punishments to Love and Reason
Author: Alfie Kohn
Description: More than just another book about discipline, Unconditional Parenting addresses the ways parents think about, feel about, and act with their children. It invites them to question their most basic assumptions about raising kids while offering a wealth of practical strategies for shifting from “doing to” to “working with” parenting—including how to replace praise with the unconditional support that children need to grow into healthy, caring, responsible people. This is an eye-opening, paradigm-shattering book that will reconnect readers to their own best instincts and inspire them to become better parents.
How to Talk so Kids Will Listen… And Listen So Kids Will Talk
Author: Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish
Description: Enthusiastically praised by parents and professionals around the world, Faber and Mazlish’s down-to-earth, respectful approach to communication makes relationships with children of all ages less stressful and more rewarding.
No-Drama Discipline: The Whole-Brain Way to Calm the Chaos and Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind
Author: Daniel JJ Siegel & Tina Payne Bryson
Description: Highlighting the fascinating link between a child’s neurological development and the way a parent reacts to misbehavior, No-Drama Discipline provides an effective, compassionate road map for dealing with tantrums, tensions, and tears—without causing a scene. Complete with candid stories and playful illustrations that bring the authors’ suggestions to life, No-Drama Discipline shows you how to work with your child’s developing mind, peacefully resolve conflicts, and inspire happiness and strengthen resilience in everyone in the family.
Author: Mona Delahooke
Description: In Beyond Behaviors, internationally known pediatric psychologist, Dr. Mona Delahooke describes behaviors as the tip of the iceberg, important signals that we should address by seeking to understand a child’s individual differences in the context of relational safety. Featuring impactful worksheets and charts, this accessible book offers professionals, educators and parents tools and techniques to reduce behavioral challenges and promote psychological resilience and satisfying, secure relationships.