ABSTRACT
The Four Cs of Parenting provide a basic framework for conceptualizing important parenting principles. The Four Cs are Consequences, Consistency, Calm, and Charged Batteries. The first two Cs, administering consequences and doing so in a consistent manner, are integral parts of most parent management programs. These concepts are rooted in the behavioral therapy tradition, where positive reinforcement and punishment are used to shape behavior. The third C, remaining calm while administering consequences, encourages parents to be nonreactive, which helps reduce the level of negativity in the parent-child relationship. Finally, the fourth C, maintaining charged batteries, recognizes that effective parenting is difficult if one's personal resources are depleted. The Four Cs provide a simple and easily recalled model of parenting, making it ideally suited for parent psychoeducation. Therapists can also easily use the Four Cs as a checklist for assessing a client's potential strengths or growth areas with regard to parenting.
