Daniel was referred to WYS after getting kicked out of preschool. His mother said she didn’t know how to parent him. Daniel was oppositional, defiant and aggressive. It was recommended that Daniel and his mother participate in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). Daniel’s mother was skeptical and expressed that Daniel was the one that needed help and therapy, not her and she didn’t want to learn any new parenting skills. The newly certified therapist was nervous but gently explained the process and encouraged Daniel’s mother to consider, which she eventually did two weeks later when Daniel become so aggressive that he seriously injured another child.
During 16 weeks of treatment, Daniel’s mother learned many new parenting skills that she reports she had “never considered.” She is now able to offer Daniel choices, reinforce him properly, be consistent and also model effective ways of relating to others. Daniel and his mother officially “graduated” from PCIT and with tears in her eyes, his mother stated “I never thought I could be a good parent or have a loving relationship with my child. I thought parenting was yelling and punishing.” When asked how life was better for him, Daniel thought for a moment and even though he was just 5 years old, relayed “I wake up with a smile every day and I’m excited about my day. And the best is that I go to bed every night with an even bigger smile on my face because every day is a good day now.”
