The term “ power struggle” is used to identify an emotional situation that every parent experiences, from the whining and temper tantrums of a toddler to the sulking and angry outbursts of a teenager. The term suggests that it is all a matter of who has the power: you or your child. It becomes a win-lose situation only if the parent is an authoritarian who always wins, or the child knows how to manipulate a parent’s emotional responses so that his demands are always met. This does not have to be the case. There are ways that these distressing events can be avoided or resolved, including teaching a child how to handle emotions, having a parent who enforces standards and giving the parent control while fostering independence in the growing child. This course will discuss these tools of parenting and show how the real power for parents lies in their ability to guide their children toward self-control, which is necessary for self-esteem, maturity and independent thinking.