The Four C’s of Parenting With Dr. Nathan Perron

Dr. Nathan Perron is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) in the state of Illinois, the Director of Online Clinical Training at Northwestern University, and a member of the online faculty for Counseling at Northwestern. He is a staff therapist with The Family Institute at Northwestern and has more than 10 years of direct professional counseling experience working with adults, young people, couples, individuals, and families. Various counseling experiences include private practice, wellness care advocacy (via insurance companies), community and group practices, alternative schools, residential counseling, psychiatric inpatient care, and church ministry outreach settings. Other work over the past 20 years reflects involvement in social services and ministry work. Areas of clinical specialty include international and cultural issues; crisis and trauma recovery; marriage, family, and parenting issues; children and adolescents; Christian counseling; depression and anxiety; and grief and loss.

The following is a repurposed piece created by Nate that discusses his categories for effective parenting. We hope that this can serve as a resource for parents, counselors, and counseling educators alike. 

Parenting is hard work, and at times it can be tiring and emotionally draining, so why do we do it? I am convinced we all pursue parenthood because the positives far outweigh the negatives over time. As parents, we are entrusted with these little lives in a way that presents many challenges (and rewards!), which is why you’ll find a plethora of books and articles available to help parents be the best they can be. The sheer volume of information available speaks to how necessary it is for parents to have resources and support.

All the information available can be a bit overwhelming at times for parents struggling to find immediate solutions. As much as you can, by all means, read the books and gain insight from the many tips and concepts that are available to you. However, in reviewing much of the literature and research over the years, I have found it helpful to consolidate and simplify the information into four main categories that seem to be consistently highlighted and emphasized in parenting resources and information. I call the categories the “four Cs.” Here is a brief description of them for you to consider, in order to help you simplify your parenting on a daily basis.

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