Last month I wrote about my experience attending a parenting seminar. I feel like we could all do with a few extra parenting tools or skills. There are times when my children's behaviour has caught me by surprise and it's a good idea, where possible, to be prepared. 

I have just completed the first four modules of the Triple P Parenting Online course. The first four modules include What is Positive Parenting, Encouraging Behaviour You Like, Teaching New Skills, and Managing Misbehaviour. I'd love to hear if you have completed this course. 

I've been parenting for a few years now (my eldest is eight) so I found some components of the course a little too basic, cover basic parenting skills. For experienced parents, you might be less interested in making your home safe (because you already know this) and more interested in the other areas. The parents I know would be most interested in Managing Misbehaviour!  

There are some suggestions in the course that are not in line with my parenting philosophy including discussion around praise, reward charts and time out. However, I know that I don't need to take these suggestions on board. I think it's important to respect how other people parent. I support the majority of suggestions around independence, teaching children new skills and problem solving and believe there are plenty of good reminders in these sections. I enjoyed the sections on directed discussion, clear calm communications and helping children comply with ground rules. It's so important these ground rules are established from birth! 

I want to share a little about my experience of the Triple P Parenting Online course.

• The course is entirely free. I felt like I had nothing to lose (other than my time) and possibly a lot to gain. To improve my parenting skills it's worth the risk. 

• The course is online. I could do the course at home, in my own time. I could stop and start. While I don't always have time to attend a seminar or a parent education course, an online course is possible for me. Being online it is easier to incorporate the other parent/s or other caregivers.

• The course allowed me time to think about and focus on my parenting and my children's behaviours. It allowed me time to concentrate on what is working well and what might need improvement. I feel like we all need to take some time to think about these things without any distractions. The course offers opportunities to make notes and checklists. 

• Triple P don't tell parents how to parent but rather help them set their own goals according to their own beliefs. I will continue to parent in my own style however I have picked up ideas and suggestions to deal with future or potential problems. 

• Even if you don't have any specific parenting concerns this course allows you to think about ways you would like to improve your parenting.   

Thankfully I haven't had to deal with most of the scenarios in the course. I am reminded how important these strategies are and perhaps other parents might find these suggestions useful. Would I do anything differently? Probably not, however, I am reminded about the importance of consistency and perhaps I could improve in that area. I am also more aware of some parenting traps which I hadn't considered before. Overall the experience of working through the course is empowering and positive. I believe there are many parents who would benefit from doing the course.  

As a reminder there are four ways for parents (carers and grandparents) can access Triple P for free in Queensland;

1. By telephone. Call Parentline on 1300 30 1300 (for the cost of a local call) and ask to speak to a Triple P provider. 
2. In a group. Go to a seminar, a one-off workshop (discussion group) or group course.
3. In private. Visit a provider for a one-on-one session.
4. Online. Triple P Online Course.

Triple P is one of the world's most respected parenting programs. It has been extensively trialled, tested and researched. It has been proven to work for most families, time and time again. This post is sponsored by Triple P - Positive Parenting Program and the Queensland Government. 

Triple P Online is currently free in Queensland, Australia, because it's being offered as part of a family support initiative funded by the Queensland Government. It's also free in some other places around the world (such as a few areas in South Australia, in North Carolina, USA, and Alberta, Canada).