We recently caught up with Dr. Popkin, fresh off his Spring Break trip with his family, to get his thoughts on the Frequently Asked Questions about our newest Active Parenting program, Active Parenting Now in 3 (APN3).

Why did you decide to create APN3?

Occasionally, we hear from leaders who tell us that they have trouble getting parents to commit to a six-week course. They tell us that some parents are just stretched too thin, and even when they do sign up for the group, they sometimes cannot attend all six classes.

We had been considering creating a shorter course for some time. In fact, with the earlier Active Parenting Today edition of the program, we produced a “Short Course Leader’s Guide,” which helped leaders shorten the course to three sessions. However, the problem with that model was that the leader had to fast-forward through some video scenes, and the parents still had a longer, six-chapter Parent’s Guide.

When we surveyed leaders for development of Active Parenting Now we asked the question: How many sessions do you think the program should be? The answers tended to gear toward six and three, so we decided to stick with the traditional six-session program to start, and create a shorter 3-session version at a later date. That later date has arrived!

How did you determine what to eliminate from the six-session version?

We listened to feedback from leaders. They told us that many busy parents really just want to “cut to the chase.” They want to know what they can do to improve their families now, as soon as possible. So we cut back on the why, and concentrated on the what. APN3 contains all of the skills training from Active Parenting Now, but eliminates the theory-based components such as the Think-Feel-Do Cycle and Goals of Behavior. The result is a shorter program that focuses on skills parents can begin using right away.

Active Parenting Now author Michael Popkin
and family.

Can’t leaders just shorten the Active Parenting Now program themselves?

Sure. We’ve always encouraged leaders to “take the best and leave the rest” and customize our programs for their unique audiences. But APN3 eliminates all the work. The three-chapter Parent’s Guide is easier for parents to read and follow along with the class—and leaders don’t have to decide what to skip or spend time fast-forwarding through the videos during the class. It’s all done for them. And if a leader already owns Active Parenting Now, she can take a $100 discount on the price!

Will Active Parenting produce a shorter version of Active Parenting of Teens?

We’re considering it, but we want to wait and see how the response to APN3 goes before we schedule it for production.

On that note, be sure to let your Educational Consultant know if you’re interested in purchasing a possible future Active Parenting of Teens in 3!