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One day at her licensed daycare center Little People's Paradise, a three-year-old boy wanted to have a bowl of cereal for breakfast. However, he needed to be fully dressed.

The boy agreed and went to the bathroom to fulfill the task. But he came out not fully clothed and Ludeman told him he couldn't have anything to eat. The boy went into a tantrum before giving in and putting the rest of his clothes on.

"It teaches you to give them choices," Ludeman said. "He knew breakfast was there and his choice was to be fully clothed, or he wasn't going to get dressed and wasn't going to get breakfast. But he did."

Ludeman, along with her daughter Bethany Ritzman and an employee, have taken the Love and Logic courses along with many other parents and caregivers. The philosophy of the program is to raise and teach children in a way that allows parents to be happier, more empowered, and more skilled in interactions with their children.

The courses have been available in Lapeer County for the past six to seven years as facilitators like Gloria Sherman, a middle school counselor for Zemmer Jr. High School, and Sharon Whitson, program manager for Family Focus Mentors, teach the program. Both a part of Parenting Partnerships, they traveled to Colorado to become certified facilitators of the program.

Each week, classes run for two hours where parents and caregivers will be shown videos, talk about how to set up family rules and values, how to hold children accountable without getting angry, how to help children solve their own problems, form good relationships between the child and parent, and more.

"Raising children today is certainly different from 15 years ago," Sherman said. "You have the influence of the Internet, television, and other things impacting your children.

"All parents need it. That's my belief. Even if you have kids who listen to you, you can still learn lessons. The class gives parents additional tools to work with children."

Whitson will facilitate a class from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Oct. 8 for seven weeks on Mondays. They will take place at Almont Middle School, 4624 Kidder Road in Almont.

Sherman will facilitate a class from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Oct. 30 for seven weeks on Tuesdays. They will take place at Zemmer Jr. High School, 1920 W. Oregon Road in Lapeer.

Melissa Radwick, a school counselor at Ruth Fox Elementary in North Branch, will be teaching the program in January.

"Every family deserves to have a place for answers and the feeling they're in charge," Whitson said.

"It's a skill parents can use not only on children, but with co-workers and other situations," Sherman adds. "It really is about taking care of yourself without anger, lectures or threats."

Cost for the classes are $40 per person or $60 per couple. To register, call (810) 667-1544 or (810) 664-2073; also by e-mail at parentingpartnership@yahoo.com.

Jeff Hoard can be reached at (810) 664-0811, Ext. 8127 or jeff.hoard@lapeergroup.com