Which Parenting Resources Do Psychologists Recommend?

Family Counseling Insights brought to you by California Psychotherapeutic Resources, Inc.

Google is great for general searches, and for searching specialized subjects if you’re wiling to take the time to research the results. But there’s always that nagging feeling about whether you should trust the results of an online search.

Father reading to son

Fortunately, the American Psychological Association (APA) has done the hard work of evaluating resources for parenting and developed a list of six outstanding sources of information for a broad spectrum of topics. Check out these organizations and bookmark their websites — it will give you some peace of mind knowing you can turn to trusted groups for invaluable information.

See the full APA article here for more background on each resource.

InfoAboutKids.org The Consortium for Science-Based Information on Children, Youth and Families developed this resource to be a clearinghouse of information for parents about children and adolescents. The website contains a wealth of links to other trustworthy websites, and features monthly blog posts on a wide range of topics.

EffectiveChildTherapy.org The APA has created a partnership with the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies to provide information on symptoms of behavioral and mental health problems in children and adolescents, and treatments for these problems. Created by the Society of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, the website includes a free assessment center and countless articles on concerns, symptoms and disorders.

ACT Raising Safe Kids Program APA has developed an eight-week class to teach parents and caregivers what they need to know to create a healthy home environment with an emphasis on preventing children’s exposure to abuse and other adversities.

Everyday Parenting: The ABCs of Child Rearing Even if you are on track raising your kids, you never know when a problem might arise that you didn’t anticipate. This free online course trains you in techniques that can change your child’s behavior if appropriate.

Resilience Booster: Parent Tip Tool Of all the character traits worth promoting in a child, resilience surely ranks near the top. Every child will encounter challenges as they grow up, and how they respond is crucial. This information from the APA is organized so that parents can help kids develop resilience in a range of environments, from the home to the neighborhood to school.

Magination Press This is the APA’s bookstore, filled with books that deal with everything from children learning about their feelings to dealing with grief.