So many parents can relate to this

A year ago, as a parent juggling full-time work AND a full-time college study load, NC mom Brittany Lopez was also finding life at home wasn't easy.

She has four children (including two step-kids), and her then-10-year-old daughter had hit a defiant stage.

Brittany would ask her to do a routine thing, such as to shower or get ready for school, and her daughter would completely ignore her. Other times, she'd respond to her mom's requests with nothing more than an angry look, and then go back to playing on her electronic device.

At other times, she was upset and crying, but she'd refuse to talk to Brittany about what was wrong.

One day, in desperation, Brittany confided in her work supervisor that she was struggling with her daughter. But when the supervisor mentioned having seen a Triple P – Positive Parenting Program Seminars flyer, Brittany brushed it off—at first.

"I really don't know what I'm here for"

A month later, though, Brittany was at her at her wits' end and ready to give the seminars a try.

"I went in headstrong, thinking 'I really don't know what I'm here for because I know how to parent'," she says.

"But true enough, once I started to really listen, I realized maybe I hadn't been doing things the right way."

Brittany went to all three seminars in the Teen Triple P series, and was surprised at what she discovered.

"I can vividly remember wondering why I should thank my daughter for doing something she already knew she was supposed to do," she explains.

"But when they compared it to how I'd feel if I did something great at work and my supervisor commended me for it, I realized it made sense."

And although it had seemed odd at first, and even a bit silly, Brittany discovered that using praise the right way led to an almost immediate improvement in her daughter's behavior.

Turn down the volume

Another change Brittany says has also made a big impact was deciding not to yell.

She asked her daughter what specific things she was doing that was affecting the relationship; her daughter told her it was the shouting.

Brittany got some extra support from Triple P provider, Cassandra Faulcon, and learned other, more effective strategies—and ways to manage her own stress.

"I've learned that oftentimes it's my approach," says Brittany.

"Just talking to her instead of yelling, or offering to help do something to make things go quicker. As long as I show her I'm concerned, and give her that extra attention, things just start getting better.

"Whenever Brittany feels herself getting to the point where she might be about to yell, she now walks away to do something else, calms down, then comes back to address the situation. Now, her daughter's started mirroring this same technique, based on her mom's example.

Brittany says that although things at home are still a work in progress, she definitely believes her daughter's behavior is a lot better than what it was earlier last year. She's more inclined to cooperate with her mom's requests, and is more nurturing to her younger siblings.

The mother-daughter bond is getting stronger

And she's also started offering to help her mother out around the house, something Brittany never expected to see.

"The other day I decided to cook a big Sunday dinner, and my daughter stayed to help in the kitchen the whole time," says Brittany.

"It was because she wanted to be [there with me], not because I asked her to. It honestly just overwhelmed me with emotion!"

Mom's got a message for other parents

Brittany says there could be many folks who might not want to try Triple P because they mistakenly think they're going to be told 'how to parent'. She hopes they'll give it a chance like she did, and get the chance to turn things around, the way she did.

"What they don't realize is it's all about helping you learn how to interact better with your children, so that you can then teach them certain skills they're going to need later on.

"Those small connections with your kids can determine how they're going to act with other people and handle their own stressful situations later in life.""

Bring out the best in your teenager – and make your own life a little easier, too!

Teen Triple P is now available as an online program, ideal for busy parents, with 24/7 access and self-paced, interactive learning, anytime, anywhere. Doing Teen Triple P Online can help you handle teenage drama in a different way and avoid getting into arguments, while still setting rules and boundaries.

Everyone's got theories. The differences is the Triple P – Positive Parenting Program® is evidence-based and all the tips and strategies have been tested over decades of research.