Award-winning author to speak on successful parenting at Forest View on Feb. 11

The common methods of punishments and rewards lead to less disciplined kids, especially in the teen years. This is the message that Katherine Lewis, an author, award-winning journalist and a certified parent educator, wants parents to know.

The good news is she will share a new theory of discipline that has positive results at an upcoming presentation in partnership with District 214 Community Education. Lewis will present The Successful Parent: The Good News About Bad Behavior on Monday, Feb. 11, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Forest View Educational Center, 2121 S. Goebbert Road in Arlington Heights. The event is free but registration is required.

"It's an especially tough time to be a parent."' said Lewis, about parenting teenagers and pre-teens. Lewis said that instead of focusing on punishments and rewards, there are tools to help kids with self-regulation in terms of how they express their emotions.

"If parents are feeling overwhelmed, they are not alone," said Lewis, who said many parents feel the same way and are dealing with similar issues. "There are lots of tools and strategies that will work."

In her book, "The Good News About Bad Behavior: Why Kids Today Are Less Disciplined Than Ever-And What to Do About It," she discusses a new theory of discipline that could reverse a trend of punishments and rewards, which is called "The Apprenticeship Model." The model focuses on listening and building children's skills to address the causes of misbehavior as opposed to the incentives and consequences that are reactionary.

For five years, Lewis dedicated time to investigate the challenges with disciplining kids by observing how families interact on a daily basis, looking at her own parenting habits, meeting educators who are improving the school experience for kids with attention and mood disorders and studying psychological research.

Lewis said that many kids today face anxiety and mood disorders. She became interested in this topic, because of her own personal parenting experience. She said the methods of discipline that used to work when her kids were younger, did not work as her kids became teenagers.

The Successful Parent: The Good News About Bad Behavior (Class #1104) is the second part in a four-part District 214 Future Ready Parent Series that aims to successfully prepare parents for the challenges they face in the future.

For more information or to register, visit ce.d214.org or call (847) 718-7700.