One of the premises of parenting might be that the job of parents is to teach their kids to get along without them.

A parenting program should focus on parent's attitudes to themselves, their children, and the relationships they are building with their children.

A parenting program should provide time for parents to clarify their own ideas about what it means to be an effective and successful parent.

People need to feel safe to talk without their ideas being criticized, judged, demeaned, or mocked.

Any statements from the parents may seem like criticism or judgment by the child or adolescent. It's very important that the child or adolescent does most of the talking and the parent asks questions curiously to understand the perspective of the child or adolescent.

Seeking the counsel of trusted and respected health professionals can also be helpful in providing parents with some balance for their concerns as well as other avenues of support.

When a child or adolescent is troubled, the most important thing for the parent to focus on may very well be their relationship with their child or adolescent. Parents need to do whatever they can to make sure the relationship is strong.