It is an one and a half hour appointment with a professional that is more than a parent/teacher conference but less than family therapy.

Babies are not like 2 year olds and 4s are very different from 7 year olds. Your 5 year old does not think like an adolescent or like you.

Children are always changing as they develop. Sometimes as you are parenting you come to rocky or confusing places. (Some common ones are: getting kids “to mind”, helping a child separate, setting appropriate limits, dealing with learning differences –like giftedness---, defusing sibling rivalry, handling adult anger.)

These can be developmental issues that certainly need the observation information from your child’s teacher, but many times they need more specific attention to your family’s unique situation. A little extra attention applied at the right time can ease your parenting load, clear up misconceptions, give you fresh ideas, or diagnose a possible problem in time to save your child from harm. Many people use developmental consultation to increase their parenting skills so that they enjoy the job more. Some realize that they are wise to ask for greater support in times of illness, divorce, or heavy business pressure; to invest in the health of your family is a very smart thing to do. A wise parent is the best gift you can give your child.

Let’s face it. Sometimes its good to hire someone to tell us things we don’t want to hear. Businesses have used consultants for years to evaluate their operations and increase their productivity. Families are just now having that opportunity. I will take referrals from teachers in schools where I can observe, or you may request an appointment yourself.

$50 for single session is paid at appointment. In-home consultations and environment design are minimum two evenings, $150 paid first appointment. A full consultation includes in-class observation, home visit and parent conference, $175 plus mileage paid second appointment. Most sessions include suggested readings and handouts.