Recently I attended several "classes" that were put on by Indepth Therapy and their leaders using the, "Love and Logic" parenting philosophy that was developed by Jim Fay and Dr. Foster Cline. After attending several of these classes (that basically consisted of watching a DVD only), I concluded that this parenting philosophy is nothing more that two things:
1) common sense 2) all they really want is your money. I don't know how many times the so called "facilitator" (DVD operator), would try to get the attendees to buy books, tapes, DVDs, and....you guessed it, sign up for more classes. It really is nothing but just a "parenting cult" that is designed to get your money and program you to think that if you are not buying more and more of their crap that YOU are a bad parent. This "Philosophy" that they teach is a joke and (I believe) could be considered child abuse. I will never forget a parent asking the facilitator (DVD press play lady) about some techniques for getting her 6 yr old to go to bed.
Here was the "Love and Logic" answer to her question. "You give him choices. Tell him that if he stays up he will still be getting up at the same time even if that means going to school in your pj's". Theory being that the kid would stay up once or twice, wake up exhausted, (or go-to school in his pj's) and would learn that he needs to make better decisions. they emphasized, "It's all about giving your kid choices". the parent said well what if my kid chooses to stay up and I need to go-to bed...do I just leave him up because it's his choice? To which the facilitator (DVD operator and book seller) said, "Yes, you go to bed and he will need to live with his choice in the morning"..
Ok, I understand the choices thing....blah blah blah...it's not rocket science. However, if you give your kid the ability to make certain "choices" (as you were taught at Loving Logic), you could end up facing child abuse charges and/or lose your child altogether. Here is just one example;
"Hello 911 my son, just burned his hand on the oven. He turned it on after I went to bed and he seriously burned himself!!", "Maam, why are you sleeping and letting your 6 yr old child "roam" around your house?"...."I was giving him choices, they taught me that in parenting class"..."Maam, put your hands behind your back".
Here is my other issue with "Love and Illogical..I mean Logic". The facilitator (DVD operator lady) is "partners" lol with a local judge that presides (among other things) over child custody and parenting cases. So, you go see before Judge Bakke, she refers you to parenting classes, oh and what a coincidence my "partner" just so happens to run/work at just such a place (classes are around $200 a session). Is it just me, or does that sound like a serious conflict of interest? A Judge ordering people to take AND PAY for classes that are run by her "partner"? And once again, $200 per "session" (more like DVD watching)
If ordered by Judge Bakke or any other judge to go to parenting classes, I would stay far away from Love and Logic and "In-Depth" Therapy. I know this might hurt these two women's pocket books a little bit, but you can find MUCH better parenting classes without rewarding and taking part in this scam that has gone on in Boulder County for years.