Table 2 Intervention overview

Stress management

• Identification of common parenting stressors

• Effect of stress on parenting

• Strategies for managing stress

• Examples of ineffective coping strategy = using food/alcohol as source of comfort

• Examples of effective coping strategies = taking care of yourself - eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise

Parenting style

• Introduction of 4 major parenting styles (authoritarian, authoritative, indulgent, uninvolved)

• Importance of balancing warmth and support with discipline

• Discuss strategies that parents with different styles might use to get their child to eat fruits and vegetables, and the pros and cons of each

Child management (2 sessions)

• Strategies for managing child behavior (attending, reinforcement and rewarding, effortful ignoring, setting clear rules and limits, choices, consequences, time out)

• Use of attending and verbal reward to encourage intake of healthy foods

• Alternatives to using food as a reward or bribe to control child's behavior

Emotion regulation

• Improve understanding of how parents contribute to their child's emotional development through role modeling, their own response to their emotions, and their parenting behaviors

• Re-emphasize examples of ineffective and effective coping strategies and that children will learn these from their parents' example

• Food should not be a substitute for love and affection

Coparenting

• Strategies for strengthening the communication between coparents so that they can present a united front

• Encouraging parents to present a united front when it comes to healthy habits

Family routines

• Introduction to creating routines that can improve efficiency and predictability at home

• Planning time for healthy meals should be part of morning and evening routines

Nutrition and feeding practices

(2 sessions)

• Routines can help parents find the time to plan, prepare, and eat meals as a family

• Use of the authoritative parenting style and choices can help parents encourage healthy eating

• Attending and verbal praise is a way to reinforce children's healthy choices

• Introduction to the food guide pyramid

• Identification of go, slow, and whoa foods

• Appropriate portion sizes

• Family meals

• Overcoming picky eating behaviors

Physical activity and activity practices

(2 sessions)

• Planning ahead can help parents make the time for family activity

• Rethinking house rules to accommodate active play

• Using rules and limits to manage time children spend in sedentary activities

• Introduction to physical activity guidelines for adults and children

• Examples of different levels of activity

• Age-appropriate physical activities

• Being active as a family

• Managing media time

Sleep habits

• Creating bedtime routines can help parents get children to bed with fewer battles

• Incorporating quality time between parent and child as part of the bedtime routine

• Using child management skills to help limit/discourage the child from repeatedly getting up during the night

• Sleep recommendations for children and adults

• Adverse health outcomes associated with insufficient sleep