Test your parenting skills

Parenting is very rewarding - but it is also very challenging.

Most of us have never received formal training in parenting skills because they are rarely taught in our schools, communities or families.

Here, educational psychologist Dr Don Gordon, creator of one of the few parenting programmes approved by the US government, offers some tips on improving family relationships.

If your family problems have become severe, we advise you to seek professional help from a psychologist, a social worker or a counsellor.

You've asked your children to help with the housework but they're not responding. What do you do?

	A: Tell the children off and punish them

	B: Tell them to do the jobs immediately

	C: Make up a jobs list with the kids

Mum receives a call from Tim's maths teacher. He hasn't been doing well in class or handing his homework in regularly. The teacher thinks Tim has a motivation problem.

	A: Punish Tim immediately for his poor school performance

	B: Talk with Tim and discuss rewards and punishments for his weekly homework progress

	C: Warn Tim that he will be punished if he doesn't improve

Mum waits for Sarah who comes home late from a party. Sarah did not phone her mum to let her know she would be late. Would you:

	A: Get angry and threaten to ground her the next time she is late

	B: Talk to Sarah in the morning and ask her to agree on a plan for the next time she goes out

	C: Ask for Sarah's reasons, but still ground her

Ben tells his mother that his stepfather is criticizing him a lot, and that he hates his stepfather. How would you handle this problem?

	A: Confront Ben about his behaviour and insist on improvement

	B: Assure Ben that if he tries his best to behave, things will improve

	C: Listen to Ben's side of the story and discuss the problem with your partner

Dad shouts at Jodie to turn down her music and she threatens to leave home. Dad reacts sarcastically and tells her no one else would put up with her noise.

	A: Take away the stereo the next time it happens

	B: Take away the stereo when she is not home and then discuss the problem when she returns

	C: Be nice and hope she feels bad enough about her threat to leave home that she won't do it again