Hassle-Free Shopping with Children

UQ researchers are seeking families with a child aged three to five to participate in a free parenting program aimed at improving children’s behaviour during shopping trips.

Developed by Professor Matt Sanders at UQ’s Parenting and Family Support Centre, the program is an adaptation of the award winning Triple P Positive Parenting Program, a proven success with parents all over the world.”We believe that if parents have a clearer sense of what it is they could be doing differently, it makes the world of difference,” Professor Sanders said.The current study is part of a series looking at high risk parenting situations.Triple P studies have found that shopping with young children is one of the most difficult parenting situations.Professor Sanders said it was very hard for parents to be consistent when they were in the “spotlight of attention” of other shoppers because their child was throwing a temper tantrum in the toy aisle.”This is where the new research program picks up,” he said.”The two-hour group seminar held at UQ aims to enhance parenting skills to prevent shopping hassles and to deal with problem behaviour, especially in public situations.”Feedback from parents who participated in groups so far has been very positive.”They enjoyed the opportunity to discuss ideas and solutions with other parents and found the strategies very helpful.”For more information, contact Sabine Joachim on (07) 3365 8870 or email sjoadim@psy.uq.edu.au.(Source: University of Queensland : September 2007)