1-2-3 Magic is our ideal discipline book for children ages 2-12.  It has removed the emotional ranting and ravings in our house over issues and prevented our children from the gratification of seeing us upset.  It has put us back in control.

Tom Phelan’s 1-2-3 Magic approach is distinct from other parent programmes in the following ways:

• It promotes less talk (therefore, hopefully less arguments), not more talk;
• It does not require parents to attend a lengthy parenting programme;
• The programme gives kids training in self-responsibility and it demonstrates to them that their behaviour has consequences;
• It empowers parents with authority and the child with the freedom to choose.

Essentially, the 1-2-3 Magic approach is based on the principle that children need to know what behaviour they need to stop and start. It’s based on a signalling system that doesn’t make the child vulnerable to verbal overload and it promotes self responsibility in children by increasing their ability to exercise emotional control.

Calmness and rational thinking, are often the first things to go in the sometimes-heated emotional exchanges between parents and children.

In answering the question: What’s a parent to do?, it has been my experience that parents want practical solutions that can be applied in the heat of battle. The 1-2-3 Magic programme - coupled with emotional coaching – is easy to learn and it provides parents with the skills to help their kids become strong and to know themselves better. 1-2-3 Magic is easy and it works.