A Beautiful Saturday Morning Until…
Written by Melissa Strader
Responding to her child's intense raw emotions, P.E.T. Instructor Melissa Strader explores her best choice of action even when she too felt like screaming!
Featured Blogs
Written by instructors, the ETIA blog provides a wealth of information and practical advice.
Why Parent Effectiveness Training (P.E.T.) Works: How Today's Evidence Supports the P.E.T. Approach to Parenting
Written by Larissa Dann
More and more parents are educating themselves on the best way to bring up their children. We search the Internet, we read books, and we attend parenting classes.
The Trouble with Time Out
Written by Larissa Dann
In our quest to parent effectively, to do the best by our children, ourselves and our family, we think carefully about the best way to discipline our child.
Latest Blogs
Nurturing & Deepening Your Relationship When You Are A Parent
Written by Kathryn Tonges
Nurturing your baby and children is all encompassing. So you may be wondering: how can it be possible to nurture your relationship with your partner let alone deepen it?
Packing Away Playfully
Written by Melissa Strader
The battle of getting children to do what we ask is one well-known to parents. In this case, the constant feud between mother and daughter about tidying up, is ongoing and fraught with strong emotions. Melissa explores the playful ways that have worked.
Whinging, Whining and Wailing: 10 reasons children do it and what you can do to help
Written by Kathryn Tonges
You have implored, beseeched, exploded, threatened and bribed and yet your child’s pattern of communication resurfaces again and again. It’s irritating, annoying, exhausting. You have even started to whinge, whine and wail in response!
Dealing With My Daughter’s Disappointment
Written by Melissa Strader
Her laughter and giggles fill our home on a daily basis, but the sound I hear tonight is sobbing. True, heartfelt sobbing. Her little shoulders shake and tears stream down her face unabated.
Win-Win Conflict Resolution: Thea age 7 & her mother each get their needs met.
Written by Kathryn Tonges
Following is a true story told by a mother who has newly learnt Parent Effectiveness Training (P.E.T.) skills. Camilla, the mother of Thea, 7 years old, decides to introduce and apply the no-lose method of conflict resolution with her daughter for the first time.
Me No Brush Teeth! - 2 year old resistance
Written by Kathryn Tonges
With toddlers and two year old children fun is a huge need and mundane tasks that can be turned into fun games make for children who are happy to co-operate.
Why do Children Fight? Lessons in Moral Development
Written by Kathryn Tonges
Fights are emotionally draining. Children seem out of control and you may feel that way too, especially if you were never shown effective ways of dealing with conflict when young. Your parents may have oscillated between being aggressive or passive when faced with conflict. You now have an empowering choice. Use effective assertive communication skills that help your child move to a higher level of moral reasoning.
Leaving Parties is Tricky!
Written by Melissa Strader
Ever tried to get a child to leave a birthday party? A playdate? The park? Leaving something fun is often tricky. Just ask any parent. It can be hard work! Recently though, I had a completely different experience, though it started out much the same as any other party farewell.
Be Mindful and Meditate: You're kids will thank you for it! And so will you!
Written by Melissa Strader
Because of meditation I am patient more than I am impatient. I am caring more often than I am cranky. I feel happy and content more often than dissatisfied. I am able to stop long enough to share special moments with my children rather than rushing them (and myself) through them, or missing them altogether. I am more calm and kind. I like myself more and I suspect my children do too. So, what’s not to like about mindfulness?!
Changing Judgement and Reactivity
Written by Kathryn Tonges
When you decide to change your underlying beliefs about children and about your role as a parent you can free yourself to choose and use a more loving and helpful response rather than resort to an angry reaction.
Morning Rush Hour: a true story of a mother choosing to listen and the amazing outcome.
Written by Kathryn Tonges
Listening wholeheartedly is a choice leading to loving connection. Actively listening in this instance did not take very long compared to the resultant defensiveness and resistance that could have ensued from the mum ordering her daughter to hurry up, threatening her with a consequence, bribing her, moralising that good girls listen to their mothers, or even name call her and tell her that she was lazy.
'Quiet Please!' A Parent’s Guide to Peacefully Creating Calm
Written by Kathryn Tonges
What is society teaching children when a frenzied life is normalised? When children experience sensory overload and are hurried from activity to activity, children’s intuition, creativity, mindfulness and empathy are muted.
Self-Care Is Not Selfish
Written by Melissa Strader
It might seem like a no-brainer. Of course we need to care for ourselves. Just like the flight attendants tell us, we’ve got to put on our own oxygen mask first, before we can help others with theirs. But for some reason we often still put off doing the very things we know would be good for our soul.
Where was the compassion? A child’s third day at school.
Written by ETIA Admin
I am fuming when I hear about his teacher's response to his tears. How could she! How dare she!
The Bittersweet of Back To School
Written by Melissa Strader
There are a mix of emotions on the first day of school - excitement, sadness, anxiety, and relief. For the Mums that is!
Helping Children Through Separation Anxiety
Written by Melissa Strader
The experience of starting school, kindy or daycare is different for everyone and it is quite natural for children (and parents) to feel nervous about how it will go.
'Empathy, Vulnerability and Asking for Their Help' written by Jacqui Bowden
Written by ETIA Admin
Building a lasting connection using P.E.T. skills.
8 Tips for Creating More Connection
Written by Leeann Horrill
Kids who feel connected to us feel settled and secure in themselves.
My Emotional Trainer Wheels
Written by Kathryn Tonges
Thoughts from your 2 or 3 year old (or any aged child) on losing it: "My emotions have to go somewhere and when they accumulate they sit just below the surface and then it doesn’t take much for me to lose it again and again."
Cleaning up our mistakes with our children
Written by Judith Richardson
Even after you have mastered the P.E.T. skills you will always have times when you act or speak in reaction. However what matters more to your children than the fact that you have spoken in anger or acted inappropriately is the fact that you take responsibility for your actions and apologise.
To Smack or Not to Smack?
Written by ETIA Admin
Modelling Honesty or White Lies?
Written by ETIA Admin
Our Mission
Written by ETIA Admin
Effectiveness Training Institute of Australia's mission is to provide individuals with effective communication and conflict resolution skills to build connected, harmonious relationships.
Empowering ∙ Transformative ∙ Inclusive ∙ Authentic
About ETIA
The Effectiveness Training Institute of Australia (ETIA) Ltd is a not-for-profit, community based organisation that is dedicated to making courses in communication and conflict resolution skills available and accessible to all people in Australia.
ETIA’s mission is to provide individuals with effective communication and conflict resolution skills to build connected, harmonious relationships.
Our inspiration and programs come from the late Dr Thomas Gordon who is the author and founder of Parent Effectiveness Training (P.E.T.) program and Gordon Training International (GTI).