Client Stories

I called Alternative Teaching because our home life was very chaotic due to my son’s behaviors. I was hesitant at first because we had tried behavior plans, individual and family counselling, and partial hospitalization programs but nothing was changing. Having Anna, our behavioral consultant, come into our home and work directly with us in our environment has completely changed the dynamic in our home life for the better. Alternative Teaching has worked for us. The best part is that our son is so much happier and is actually a pleasure to be around.

I met Jim professionally through my job as a high school social worker. I had long respected his work. For nearly a decade, I had observed firsthand the incredible transformations the high school students and families made with the support and guidance offered by Alternative Teaching. My husband and I called Jim when we were struggling to support our 6 year-old with emotional regulation issues. The program truly saved our relationship with our daughter and that is worth everything to us! The program helped us to develop a clear structure for our family benefitting both of our young children. Following the program has allowed our entire family to transform into a well functioning unit. Alternative Teaching is convenient. Jim comes to YOUR house. He walks you through each step of the program giving you time to practice the skills in between meetings. The program is easy to follow, because Jim is only a phone call away. The on the spot non-judgmental support and guidance makes this different than seeing a therapist for parent guidance. It helps you in the moment when you need it most. The 24/7 access to coaching is what makes Alternative Teaching so much more effective than anything else out there. This allows you to address the issues in real time and reinforces all that you and your kids are practicing. We are in such a different place now that I rarely think about following the program, It is just our family structure.

Navigating through the mental health care system is costly and time-consuming and finding the right kind of help can feel impossible.  After meeting with multiple psychologists or psychiatrists over the years, we felt defeated.  We were coping poorly and found ourselves engaging in the verbal abuse that regularly occurred with our son in our home.  Then we were referred to Jim Kling.  He understood and described exactly what was going on with our son and gave us hope.  The program is very straight forward and we saw successes with each new step.  So many factors make this program worth trying.  The 24-hour phone or email access is invaluable.  We were reluctant to “bother” Jim thinking that we would just ask him questions at our next sessions.  Once we did contact him during our son’s outbursts we saw that our learning curve was so much faster if we got advice on the spot.  The sessions taking place at our home were also beneficial and convenient; although our son still knew that he was the reason we had sought Jim’s help, it took away the stigma of going to yet another “psycho-ologist,” as my son would say.  The personal support and guidance that Jim provides is above and beyond what you could get from any other psychologist, coach or self-help book.  He empowers parents to be the kind of parents we had always wanted to be.  Our family still goes through regular struggles, but we now have the tools to work toward achieving a more peaceful home.

Thoughts on your program: 1)  This program differs from anything our family has tried before in that it is a fully, comprehensive program that offers a "fair but firm" approach to parenting. It takes the guess work and “fear” out of parenting and offers a program designed to foster better relationships for every member of the family.   This program creates a foundation, structure and boundaries that are sensible.  Jim’s approach moves systematically along and his 24/7 support is a lifesaver. I have not come across anything that creates this type of all-in-one program …Ever. And, if you do not use his open access/direct help, then you are not getting the maximum benefits the program has to offer. 2) We have benefited from this program as its design is simply not just a disciplined based program.  It is a comprehensive program that includes building in time for moments that can lead to more laughter and love.  That crucial part of the puzzle is a huge part of the magic behind the curtain. My tips for new families:  Trust the program, allow it to work, follow it closely and be consistent, even during the dark times. Be patient—remember, Rome wasn’t built over night.

I met Jim Kling when my teen was about 16 which was a bit late in the game, and past an optimal age for his Fair But Firm program to be fully effective.  So, my husband and I were initially hesitant to proceed.  Jim was honest about the downfalls of starting late, and he explained the pros and cons of moving forward.  He also wouldn’t take our money until he was satisfied that he could help us in some way. Years have now passed, and I am grateful every day that we made the decision to take a leap of faith. The value of Jim’s wisdom does not solely lie within his program elements.  In our case, we did not fully leverage the tactical program steps. However, Jim was a significant guiding force during these trying times.  He was there “in the moment”.  Yet, the benefit didn’t stop there.  Teens don’t magically grow out of their issues upon high school graduation.   While my teen is progressing, she still has difficult moments.  Jim has been unwavering in his support to help us on a moment’s notice.  He has lived through our experiences with us, and often refers back to them as reinforcement for his advice.  He guides us on what issues to focus on, and how to word our responses.  He continually reinforces the need to respond in a way that forces her to face her own consequences without making her feel abandoned.  Equally important, Jim has brought subtle humor to our conversations which has helped us to stay grounded and keep our thoughts in perspective. For parents who find themselves in a similar situation to us, I urge you to keep the long term perspective top of mind when evaluating your decision to proceed with Jim Kling’s program.  For us, the one time investment we made was a small price to pay for the results and peace of mind that comes from implementing the program.

My daughter  is now nine years old. We adopted her when she was nine months old and, from that first day home, she was terrified of having her nails trimmed. I mean TERRIFIED. Not knowing what might have transpired before the adoption, we sought every kind of professional help, we tried every trick in the book, talked with therapists, talked with doctors, talked with adoption specialists, trimmed her nails while she slept, we did everything and anything that we could think of and it was always traumatic for her. One afternoon, while waiting in the car for school to let out, I called Jim. He suggested a couple of things and, after over eight years of trying, I was not hopeful. But we had nothing to lose. That night, for the first time in years, my daughter was totally cool with her nails being trimmed. I was shocked. I’m still shocked. Every week since then, her nails have gotten trimmed without screaming or crying or kicking or anything. It is easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy. Thank you, Jim Kling.” -Mother of an adopted nine-year old girl Lake Forest, Illinois

Jim Kling's Fair But Firm program was the key solution to helping my eight year old son deal with his extreme anger issues. My son is now 10 and the behavioral modification system has stood the test of time. My son is well within normal ranges of behavior now and I'd describe him as very well behaved. I knew from the first meeting with Jim that this program was different. It involved simple steps that began to methodically give my son the skills to control his extreme anger episodes. In about 4-8 weeks, much of the defiance and tantrums that we were experiencing began to subside. We began using the program with all three of our children to create a more calm and peaceful home. One of the most valuable parts of the program was the phone support.  On a Saturday night when I would have to call Jim, I didn't get a doctor's answering service.  Instead I received a prompt call back from Jim where he would guide me step by step on how to get our family through a rough night. It is still hard for me to even comprehend how Jim delivers such high quality support with the challenging cases that he handles. Three weeks into the program my son personally greeted Jim at the door and shook his hand. He knew that this man who would visit our home every week was changing his life in a very positive way. Based on my experience, I would recommend this program for any family dealing with extreme behavior issues in the home.  It is especially valuable for families who find that their children have been resistant to other forms of treatment. While I imagine that no program works for every child, I believe Jim's program is deeply powerful and has a very high probability of success when followed closely by committed parents." J.S., Chicago suburbs, Illinois

As a single parent of two children with attention and behavior challenges, I was really struggling to maintain a calm, orderly home life.  I had read and tried to implement the strategies of numerous “parenting the difficult child” books, utilizing various point and reward systems.  We had also worked with a child psychologist.  While each of these approaches had some modicum of success with one or both of my children, none delivered sustainable results.  Overtime, I became increasingly frustrated, and my sense of competence as a parent totally eroded.  I began to lose my temper even more often and subsequently damaged the relationships I had with each of my children.  We were clearly on a negative spiral.  Fortunately, I was introduced to Jim and Alternative Teaching. The Alternative Teaching program is seemingly simple yet, effective.  Through Jim’s coaching and support (all non-judgemental!), the program empowers the parent to establish norms and practices that the children can readily learn and practice.  Over time, the kids even come to value the “chill-outs” and “make goods” as ways to help them maintain their own cool – thus enhancing their own sense of self-control, competency and esteem.    Eighteen months later, there is way more calm than chaos in our house and once again, we laugh and enjoy each other as family.  And now that I am more confident in my ability to effectively handle the difficult situations and behaviors that still occur from time-to-time, I have more patience and perspective to see the kids’ struggles from their point of view.  This has allowed me to be a lot more empathetic and think proactively how to better support them. I am so grateful to have met Jim and adopted the program.   If you and your family are struggling, please reach out to him.

Our daughter is a bright, lively, fun-loving child whose anxieties, mood swings, extreme meltdowns and aggressive behavior had turned our lives upside down. It was clear that all the professional help we had sought out over the previous six years was not working. The Alternative Teaching program changed the environment in our house. We now understand how to work with our daughter to help her gain the control that she needs in order to manage her behavior. The beauty of Alternative Teaching is that it is an approach that is easy to grasp and implement. We began to see the changes almost immediately. We cannot recommend Alternative Teaching highly enough. We had seen multiple psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers; no one was able to bring about a positive change in our family until we met with Alternative Teaching.

Fair but Firm has made a qualitative difference in our family dynamic, when years of behavioral therapy for our son had only succeeded in incremental improvements. Most importantly, Jim gave us a common language and framework, and delivered that as an objective, third-party messenger.

Our adopted daughter was diagnosed with Reactive Attachment Disorder, PTSD and severe ADHD. Now 7, she has been in our family since she was 3 ½, but until we worked with Alternative Teaching, it seemed that we had tried everything but that other techniques would work only for a few days or weeks. We were exhausted and hopeless. Living with a child that has a trauma background is the hardest thing our family has ever experienced. The emotional toll it places on all of us is immeasurable. It is exhausting to try to figure out what to do or how to handle situations that a trauma child throws at you multiple times a day. Alternative Teaching’s program helped us learn how to move past the bad behavior or the exhaustive arguing/questioning and has brought some calm to our home.

Jim’s constant presence was felt in our home, and he was available 24/7 for unlimited phone calls (which I can truly say that having his number on speed dial was a lifesaver.) When I needed to ask a question, little or big, no matter what it was, Jim took the time and never once made me feel rushed or silly for asking that question. He became like a family member who actually understood the details of our scenario and did not judge us. His guidance and support was endless, and we were very nervous and sad for the final session to be over. However, I still check in and connect to stay on track.

I am a teacher. I am a Kindergarten Teacher. I have worked with young children of all types for over 15 years. I couldn’t wait to have a child of my own. I have a 5 year old. He is amazing, kind, considerate, intelligent, helpful, funny, and inspiring. He also is extremely difficult at times. He was misunderstood by many people he interacted with on a daily basis, and that was frustrating to both my husband and I. But, what was most frustrating to me was that I (the teacher for over 15 years) had no idea how to help my child. We tried everything we could for the first several years and there were days that were working and we were getting by, but then there were days that we hung our heads in desperation. We stopped going out with friends, we stopped seeing our family, we stopped going out in public, we were so tired and frustrated and beyond exhausted. We talked to the teachers, we talked to the social workers…everyone said he’s so young, he will grow out of it. Then the calls kept coming from school, the teachers became more concerned… I cried, I panicked, I worried, I became anxious, I wondered if my child would be labeled, I crumbled, I was falling apart. I stumbled across Jim’s website and in final desperate attempt to gain back control, I called. I heard words that were so desperately needed from a man that I spoke to for less than 2 minutes- I am a good parent. My child is a good kid, he just needs something and we need to find out what it is. That phone call changed our lives. My family that felt as if we were falling apart had been put back together over the past year. We now have an understanding of how to help our 5 year old, and not only that, but how to advocate for him. Jim has been an invaluable resource in our lives and I can’t find words to express how much gratitude we have for him and his work with our family.

We have been working with Jim Kling for the past 2 1/2 years and he has completely changed our lives!! When we found him, we were having a very difficult time dealing with our 6 and 8 year old kids. They were spinning out of control and so were we! He gave us the infrastructure to deal with every situation that confronted us. Because of the clear cut method he taught us, we now have a concrete plan for when our kids didn’t listen or do what we asked, argued or yelled. He also helped us teach our kids to take responsibility for their actions and to make up for any wrong or hurtful deeds. His technique has helped us to become a much closer-knit family, with less fighting and more control. We are a way happier household because of him!! He is worth every dime!!!!

Our pediatrician referred us to Jim Kling after many difficult and emotionally draining months with our daughter. We were at a loss as to how we could understand what was going on with her, how she must be feeling and, more importantly, how we could bring some calm into our home environment. From the minute Jim walked through the door, he was engaging and non-intimidating, and he immediately jumped in with a non-threatening demeanor to try and understand all of the details with our family situation. He took the time to explain to us what was truly going on with our daughter. His examples and details were easy to process and it was really the first time that I can 100% say that I started to get a handle on what we really were dealing with. At the time, there were so many unknowns; when your child is unhappy and lashing out in a way that is not typical of other children, it can be scary, stressful and overwhelming. Jim’s program finally gave us a plan, some structure and some guidelines for how we could begin to tackle the obstacles that we had in front of us. Jim’s constant presence was felt in our home, and he was available 24/7 for unlimited phone calls (which I can truly say that having his number on speed dial was a lifesaver.) When I needed to ask a question, little or big, no matter what it was, Jim took the time and never once made me feel rushed or silly for asking that question. He became like a family member who actually understood the details of our scenario and did not judge us. His guidance and support was endless, and we were very nervous and sad for the final session to be over. However, I still check in and connect to stay on track. His services are not typical in today’s fast paced environment where it is hard to reach people, you don’t receive a call back, and so on. Jim’s program is just the opposite because it gives you and your family quality, undivided, personal attention— attention that we valued and appreciated and are so thankful for.

Our family began working with Jim 6 months ago, after learning about his techniques while attending a conference in Chicago. As we live several states away, working with Jim required the sessions (which included grandparent, other family members and our daughter’s teacher) to conference over the web and or on multiple-line conference calls. The conferences were simple to schedule and easy to incorporate into our busy schedules. I cannot imagine the sessions being any more productive if he were visiting our home. We contacted Jim, when our 7-year-old daughter’s behavior became so out-of-control that she was sent home from her behavioral class at our community mental health facility. Our adopted daughter has been diagnosed with Reactive Attachment Disorder, PTSD and severe ADHD. Her struggles are not just in her behavioral class but also at school and at home. Jim’s “Fair but Firm” method is our “tool belt” when she does something that is not acceptable; we pull out whatever “tool” is needed for the situation. Our daughter has been in our family since she was 3 ½, but until we worked with Jim,it seemed that we had tried everything but that other techniques would work only for a few days or weeks. When we started working with Jim we were exhausted and hopeless. The “time” method started working in days just as he said it would, and it continues to be effective 6 months later. The “Fair but Firm” method goes beyond just getting a child under control; it also includes methods to improve their social interaction. The method was implemented at school and at my parent’s home, which has brought the much-needed consistency our child requires. Living with a child that has a trauma background is the hardest thing our family has ever experienced. The emotional toll it places on all of us is immeasurable. Having the “Fair but Firm” method as a resource has reduced the emotional ups and downs we feel personally, as it removes the debate in your head of “what do I do now?” It has also eliminated the rages she was going through, as we are able to stop them prior to her ramping up. It is exhausting to try to figure out what to do or how to handle situations that a trauma child throws at you multiple times a day. Using the method has helped us learn how to move past the bad behavior or the exhaustive arguing/questioning and has brought some calm to our home. Things aren’t perfect (or what we would call “normal”), but we are functioning and “Fair but Firm” is responsible for that. We would encourage any family who is struggling with a difficult child to give Jim a call today. If you do, you could be days from discovering that there is effective help out there and there is hope.

We have found the program to be refreshingly different from other settings due its immediate and direct focus on solving the behavioral problems that were impacting our family. This approach allowed us to see tangible progress right away. We feel that we have re-gained control of our home and have more confidence as parents. In tangible terms, we have experienced a 75%+ reduction in aggressive behavior from our child over a two-month time-frame!

I am a single foster mother (within weeks of being an adoptive mother) who was provided a grant from our foster care support group to have Jim Kling come in and provide behavioral training for me. My daughter had been in four other foster homes in four months before coming to live with me. Her behavior was such that she couldn’t be around other children or pets. She had been so abused that she experienced flashbacks, cried and shook for an hour after waking up– for which we had play therapy, counseling and psychiatric support, but nothing to help me deal with her when she really needed discipline. She would get out of control and nothing I tried worked for more than a week. I found that the only thing she responded to was my raising my voice. Jim came into my home for 12 sessions and worked to teach me a new method of working with her. It was done in baby steps, each week added a new element, and it provided me with a plan to follow which relieved a lot of my stress. Jim was extremely patient and was available after my sessions were over for consults and problem solving ideas. My daughter is now a very well behaved 9-year-old, who is off all medication, loves her dog, loves her family and knows that even if she has a consequence she is still loved. She is not perfect, but the days of her throwing herself in the floor or hurting someone are completely over. This program is not a magic pill, but I would definitely recommend it as it can give structure and provide an effective plan to deal consistently with any behavior. I am very grateful for the opportunity to work with Jim and would recommend this program to anyone.

We can’t recommend Alternative Teaching and Jim Kling enough! My wife and I were giving up hope about stabilizing our home environment and our relationship with our 11-year-old son. Jim gave us a system and an approach that worked for our family. His support and availability to provide directions and advice on the phone was so key for us to gain confidence in his system. We had been to many therapists and behaviorists that didn’t help us. We were sinking fast until we started working with Jim. He is calm under pressure and showed us how to adapt his attitude and methods to make an immediate and lasting difference. Now we help make our son successful and, most importantly, happy! Thank you so much! Jim, you are a lifesaver!

Working with Jim has been an amazing and helpful experience. My daughter is a joy to be around so much of the time. There is a deep connection and respect between us that we would not have achieved without the Alternative Teaching program. Bravo! and thanks a million.

When we called Jim, we had long-struggled to find a successful way to discipline our son who has a genetic disorder. Traditional methods of discipline didn’t work. Removal of privileges (“no YouTube for a week!”) were difficult to enforce and ineffective. Time-outs only escalated the situation because our son refused to sit for the time-out or to stay in his room when sent there. Lectures rolled off of him. The situation worsened to the point that our other sons started telling us that we didn’t know how to discipline him. We realized that they were right. Jim showed us that our son’s behaviors and our responses to them were reverberating through the family. Because we weren’t able to get control of our one son’s behavior, the other boys had begun questioning our authority, too. None of our boys were listening to us, and each of them was able to derail the family with his own brand of misconduct. Jim helped us to really understand our sons’ behavior and to have a planned response to it. Knowing what to do in the midst of crisis has been empowering and calming. Jim’s program is deliberate and incremental. He does not just say what needs to be done; he explains the “why” behind each step of the program. Taking the time to thoughtfully address each of our questions is just Jim’s way. Having the sessions at our home was convenient and comfortable for us. True to his promise, Jim is extremely responsive. We have called, e-mailed and texted him in the midst of family strife. We were able to share our highs and lows with Jim without feeling judged. Jim is a gentle, insightful man who has led our family on a healing journey. We are grateful for his practical wisdom.

As the mother of a daughter with bipolar disorder, I know how an out-of-control child can force parents to calculate the odds of an explosion in every word or action. As a mental health advocate and the leader of a parent support group, I know that parents will do almost anything to help a troubled child. But when therapy focuses on a child who resists treatment, it has little chance of success. The genius of Alternative Teaching’s method is that it focuses on parents.When parents change the way they interact with a child, they can turn away from conflict and create a new home environment that the child must adapt to. Alternative Teaching’s model is empowering and positive. It provides effective strategies that parents can use immediately.

When Jim Kling started working with us our family, life was really rough. We were ill-equipped to manage the behavior of our then 12-year-old daughter. Our daughter is a bright, lively, fun-loving child whose anxieties, mood swings, extreme meltdowns and aggressive behavior had turned our lives upside down. We called Jim out of a sense of despair, just after the police had been to our house. It was clear that all the professional help we had sought out over the previous six years was not working. From our first visit with Jim, we breathed a sigh of relief. Jim was able to help us understand what was happening with our daughter. The program that he shared with us changed the environment in our house. We now understand how to work with our daughter to help her gain the control that she needs in order to manage her behavior. The beauty of Alternative Teaching is that it is an approach that is easy to grasp and implement. Our daughter was able to understand the concepts completely, making it much easier to use. We began to see the changes almost immediately. It was extremely helpful to have Jim come into our home so that he could see first-hand our environment and our family dynamics. We were able to contact Jim at any time, day or night, for guidance and support. Jim’s level of responsiveness is tremendous; he was always there when we needed him. Jim also appreciated the qualities that our daughter has that make her a wonderful person; he didn’t just focus on the deficits. We cannot recommend Alternative Teaching highly enough. We had seen multiple psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers; no one was able to bring about a positive change in our family until we met with Alternative Teaching. We credit Jim with turning around a very tough situation, and there really aren’t the right words to express the appreciation we feel for that.

For years, we researched methods to try and help end the irrational behavior of our daughter, age 10, who has Down Syndrome, which took place both at home and at school. Jane had figured out how to use her behavior to avoid doing her schoolwork. As her behavior got worse, she was less productive at school and began to control her school and home environments. We knew we had to find help after Jane started coming to school and telling her teachers she was there for lunch, wellness, recess and that was it! Jim Kling and his alternative teaching strategies was the answer to our prayers! After our first visit, Jim Kling changed our lives! Jim started working with our family and Jane’s team at school, to provide us with a plan and tools to address Jane’s behaviors. He worked collaboratively with the school and our family to give us all an easy plan to follow. The plan did not create more work for the adults, but instead taught Jane how to be rational and how adults would respond to her if she made poor choices. The calls home from school have ended, Jane is excelling academically and socially, and she is a happier, less anxious child. Our home is calm, and mom and dad no longer yell or become irrational because we have tools and techniques from Jim Kling that can be used on all of our children! Thank you Jim for restoring our family and Jane’s school experience; it has been life changing!

It was Fat Tuesday 2013 and our entire family was dancing happily together to zydeco music in our living room when my husband came toward me and discreetly mouthed, “Can you believe this?!” In fact, I could not. I shook my head and kept moving, fearing that if I stopped, the moment might end. Six months earlier, we were a family in complete crisis. Our oldest son, just 10 years old, was experiencing manic rages multiple times a day that had him breaking the windows out of our house, cutting himself, running away, threatening suicide and urinating on our neighbors’ property, among other disruptive behaviors. Our other two children, ages 9 and 7, had become frightened of the brother they once adored and, we, as parents, were completely exhausted. Our son had started struggling four years earlier and we got help right away. He underwent various types of testing and associated therapy, 2.5 years of talk therapy, plus medical support. Eventually, our son’s psychiatrist recommended that we call Jim Kling for behavioral support while we worked to tweak meds and move toward a more definitive diagnosis. I took Jim’s name and continued making calls to see who else was out there. A social worker at Catholic Charities recommended Jim the very same day. “Divine intervention,” I thought! “I’m calling him!” Given how bleak our family life had become, I doubted just how successful Jim could be, but we had no option but to try his program. And try we did. Jim’s “Fair but Firm” program requires lots of trying, but it works. In fact, we found the program everything Jim claims it to be: positive, fair and successful in six months. I didn’t think 12 sessions would be enough, but it was enough because of the way the program is structured and becauseJim is always available by phone between sessions. This is a “less talk, more action” program that offers parents extremely specific steps for changing problematic behaviors. Jim asked us time and time again what problems we were having, and then gave us very clear guidance for fixing them (“If this occurs, then say this” advice) that always ended with “…and if that doesn’t work, CALL ME!”) Last summer, my beautiful boy was hurling books and shoes at me across the same living room in which we danced as a family this February. And it was this boy who suggested that we have our after-dinner “dance party.” Months before he never would have agreed to participate in such a thing. When our daughter asked, “Is this Mr. Kling’s last visit?” and I told her that it was, she replied, “He helped a lot! He was good.” Indeed. He saved our family. Thank you, Mr. Kling.

Jim’s program helped turn our family around– in a big way. We had been struggling with a defiant child who was becoming increasingly destructive and disrespectful at home: hitting and kicking us, swearing at us, breaking chairs and lamps, throwing objects at us, making dozens of holes in the walls with his elbows, etc. My husband and I were frequently out of control (he’d yell, I’d cry, we’d fight). Although we had found a good psychologist and psychiatrist for our son, things didn’t really start improving until this program gave our family the structure, knowledge, and skills needed to move in a positive direction. While we weren’t sure how comfortable we’d be having someone come to our house to address serious, personal family matters, Jim’s sincere, caring, and nonjudgmental personality put us at ease immediately. The program’s 24/7 phone support helped us learn the most productive responses fairly quickly, and after a few months I’m proud to say we have seen our family change from dysfunctional and unstable to safe, often happy, and much more “normal” feeling. We still have challenges and things are not perfect, but the big difference is that we now have techniques for dealing with the challenges. And the most important and rewarding result is that much of the anger and aggression that so often masked our son’s true personality has been peeled back to reveal a happy, bright, funny, curious, warm, stubborn, sometimes anxious and moody, “typical” pre-teen boy who is making real strides toward learning his way in this complicated world. We strongly recommend this program; it gave us back our sanity, our son, and our whole family, for which we will be forever grateful.

When we made the call to Alternative Teaching.org, we were convinced that there was nothing more that we, as parents, could do for our emotionally explosive son. We were prisoners in our own home, enduring property damage and physical and verbal abuse. Our other children were having their family and their ability to enjoy life swept away. Traditional parenting techniques were useless to control the explosive, irrational behavior. All of the psychiatrists, psychologists, medicines, alternative diets, government agencies and behavior charts left us with empty solutions (and empty pockets). We began seeking residential treatment options as a desperate attempt to find relief, though we weren’t convinced that that option would solve the problem in the long run. When we contacted Alternative Teaching, we had a guarded hope. What Mr. Kling said on his web page seemed to describe our situation “to a T.” At least this was someone who understood what we were going through. Could we dare hope that he could help? Mr. Kling offered us the parenting skills that no one else had: a separate and different way to approach our son when he wasn’t thinking rationally. Just a phone call or a text away, Mr. Kling welcomed any and all of our questions – anytime, anywhere. We began to see positive change within the first month, and after a couple of months we saw a marked decline in property damage and abuse. Now we are continuing to work at putting the parenting skills into practice; we are not perfect and sometimes we let things slip that we shouldn’t, but we have no physical abuse and rarely have property damage or profanity. Our son isn’t “cured.” In all probability, he will be dealing with his challenges his whole life. What has happened is that he is no longer controlling the family with his destructive behavior, and we have a safe and relatively peaceful household. We have come to a place of hope from a place of not even knowing if we could survive one more day with our son in our home. We have moved from a place of constant crisis to the knowledge that we have made and can continue to make progress. We have to tools we need to keep forging ahead to help both our son and our family succeed.

Fair but Firm has made a qualitative difference in our family dynamic, when years of behavioral therapy for our son had only succeeded in incremental improvements. Most importantly, Jim gave us a common language and framework, and delivered that as an objective, third-party messenger.

Working with Jim from Alternative Teaching LITERALLY saved my family!!! We were a normal family with three terrific children. The one major obstacle we faced was trying to deal with a child who was controlling our family due to severe anxiety issues. At that time we didn’t realize why this was happening to us because we were extremely dedicated parents. We were baffled, stressed and devastated with her behavior. We were finding ourselves in a horrible pattern of calm times and then, out of the blue, explosive times. We always felt horrible when we ourselves ended up losing control. We literally walked on eggshells because we were afraid of the next explosion. Then Jim came into our lives. As a result of working with Jim and his amazing system, our family began to heal. We are in such a better place now!! We not only have an understanding of “why” this was happening, we also have extremely effective tools to use when we need them. Our home is much calmer, happier and safer due to Jim and his brilliant system. I am forever indebted to Jim! Before meeting Jim, my husband and I tried working with three different therapists. None of them helped us to understand the behavior. They didn’t give us tools to work with. Our child refused to participate in any way with any of the therapists. It really was very frustrating and it actually made things worse. Jim’s system is different in so many ways. First, the 24-hour support is invaluable. I can’t tell you how many times we called Jim in the middle of the night for guidance. He helped us every time with patience and care. Second, Jim came to our home. This was extremely helpful and so convenient. Third, Jim has a limit of how many times he’ll meet with you. His theory is that if he can’t help you, he doesn’t want to waste your time or money. How refreshing! Fourth, Jim gives homework. This is so important. We never had homework before. The homework helps you learn the system, practice using it and gives you a sense of accomplishment. Fifth, Jim really cares! His mission is to help your family live better, more enjoyable lives. Period!

I will forever be indebted and grateful to Jim Kling of Alternative Teaching, for helping my husband and I learn how to parent a child with a severe anxiety disorder. With two well-adjusted older sons, we thought we were doing a great job in the parenting department. We thought our third son was just “a more difficult child.” Then came a major anxiety attack that was sparked by a bullying situation of our, then, 10-year-old son by his best friend. For six years after the initial incident, everything spiraled out of control for him. Making and then keeping friends, going to a movie, organizing schoolwork, and even leaving the house to go to school, were all major challenges. Our older two sons were resentful of the attention our youngest and his disorder were getting and our home life became extremely dysfunctional. My husband and I often gave into the anxiety so that an “episode” wouldn’t occur. After years of bouncing from one therapist to another, with no relief, Jim, along with his unique method, was recommended to us by our public high school. At first we were skeptical, because every other avenue we had taken did not help. But because of Jim’s “fair but firm approach,” we started to see incredible changes in our son and our home life almost immediately! Jim truly saved our son. His program was different because he made our son accountable for his actions, and he guided my husband and me in how to parent a child with this type of anxiety. Neither one of us had realized that we were escalating the situation. In the kindest of ways, he offered help, examples, guidance, homework, and most of all compassion. Never once did he make us feel incompetent. Because of Jim and his amazing program, my son, now 17, can achieve anything he sets his heart on. One of the most amazing things Jim did was accept a phone call and meet with me two years after the fact, when I needed guidance on how to approach the college search with my son. He graciously met me, gave me excellent ideas and support and because of that, my son will be going off to a Big 10 school in August! It is amazing to think that at one point, we were looking for alternative high schools, and hoping he would just complete high school! Years later, I am still using the skills that Jim gave taught us. He truly was a gift to our family! My only regret is that I did not find Jim earlier!

By the time our son was three years old my wife was concerned enough about his delayed development to consult a pediatric neurologist. The doctors diagnosed him with autism. Parenting is a difficult job, but a child with autism poses extra challenges. After fruitless tries with professionals getting us nowhere, an initial period of panic and shock set in. Our son is now eight yrs. old. Jim Kling comes into our home. THANK GOD! To this day, my wife and I are always impressed with Jim Kling and Alternative Teaching. They are a gold mine of tips and suggestions, 24-7. Our phone calls are always returned promptly. Jim ends every conversation with, “if something comes up, call back”. The homework he gives you helps you learn the system. The sweetest reward of parenthood is watching your child grow. In our son’s case, even small growth is wonderful. Our family would have been deprived the pleasure of knowing Jim Kling & Alternative Teaching. Autism is a complex neurological disorder. Mr. Kling has helped us address so many of our son’s needs– like safety in our home, general calming techniques, going out to the grocery store, the doctor’s office or going to family gatherings– plus many others that have come up. He has helped us to see that the planning ahead of time is extremely helpful. It helps in dealing with tantrums, sleeping issues, etc. The planning helps to prevent problems from arising. Mr. Kling has helped us, and with our son’s special education, by attending schools annual IEP meetings with us.Alternative Teaching understands how autism affects the whole family, not just the child. They do this with compassionate advice and strategies for dealing with specific issues that are often troublesome in families. Jim Kling is involved with you every step of the way. There is no cure for autism; however Mr. Kling and Alternative Teaching give you specific skills that work. Every time we call Jim, we feel better as parents.

Prior to using the services of Alternative Teaching there was tremendous stress and tension between our daughter and us. Everything she did “wrong” or “bad” led to resentment on our part, with increasing anger. Of course, our actions just made our daughter’s behavior worse, making the family stress greater and greater. In truth, we as parents were totally at a loss as to what to do. It was amazing how quickly after starting with Alternative Teaching that the stress levels went significantly down. In our mind, the key to achieving this was the ability to eliminate our resentment when our daughter misbehaved. This was achieved through having our daughter do positive activities for the family as consequences- a truly brilliant way of taking away our anger. At the same time, our daughter felt she had choices in her actions, giving her some feeling of control. This feeling of control was so important to her self-image. The Alternative Teaching Method is not therapy for the child. Instead, it is a very practical and quick-working methodology to ensure that the proper boundaries between parent and child are maintained. We highly recommend this approach to any family that is having trouble dealing with their child and in which stresses and anger are preventing any progress from occurring. It definitely has worked for us and we are very thankful to Alternative Teaching for what they have done. One more comment: during sessions with Alternative Teaching, they continuously say they are always available at any time to be called should there be a difficult time. Well this is absolutely true, and is a fantastic service we used a number of times. We are very thankful.

Before Jim Kling, our family was a high-tension, high-decibel pit of frayed nerves. After Jim, there’s MUCH less shouting, less tension, and longer moments of peace. We still have a ways to go, but at least I don’t feel the uncontrollable desperation–that “I can’t do this anymore” feeling. Over a period of years, my 15-year-old son became more and more addicted to video games and less and less involved with reality. He would do the minimal amount necessary to get by–in home and school. Never helpful and never interested in anything outside of the games, I thought it was a phase he would grow out of. But when he began failing in school and I removed the games as a consequence, he became a screaming, swearing monster and made the whole family miserable until I just gave in to get some peace for myself and my daughter. We were trapped in his craziness–how did this happen? How do we get out? I am a single mom and had no one else to talk with about this situation. I was really feeling trapped. Being able to call Jim after one of my son’s monster explosions has made a huge difference in how I respond to my son and myself. It really has been the difference between a measured, sane response and a crazy, desperate action that could only escalate. Jim talks me down off the ledge, gives me a step by step plan–how to handle what’s going on and where to go from here. He always gives me tasks I can actually perform in my frayed state and they are extremely logical and produce a calming response, and I feel in control again. Priceless!

Most kids respond to the traditional parenting methods — discipline, motivators, natural consequences, blah blah blah. But some don’t. So you visit therapists, psychiatrists, parenting coaches, blah blah blah. Nothing helps. You feel like shit for being such a failure as a parent, and life becomes pretty miserable. Anyone else been there? We went through the wringer with our older child (now 18 and beyond much help), but when we saw our younger child starting to go the same way (lying, stealing, disrespect, etc.) we were ready to try something different. Thank goodness we found Jim Kling. He is really different.For one thing, he comes to your house. He talks to the parents, not the child. He works from the outside in (the kid’s environment) not the inside out (how the child feels). He walks you slowly, patiently, through his program that is so simple yet so foreign to us that the two of us (each with a master’s degree) had to really work to bend our minds around it. Jim is entirely available by phone or email between sessions to walk you through specific situations or just clarify the rules. It’s not cheap, but it works. It’s worth every penny.

We cannot express how grateful we are to James Kling and the Fair but Firm program. Our lives will forever be changed. We had a struggling teen who was acting out. We were at a point where we thought a therapeutic boarding school was our only option. As much as the thought of sending our daughter away broke our hearts, we felt we had no choice. Our daughter was defiant and drinking and her counselors were strongly recommending a boarding school as our last option. Counseling was not working. We felt helpless and powerless. Then, as if a miracle came to us, we found the Fair but Firm program. The program is easy to implement and is positive. Unlike traditional therapies, this program empowers the child, allowing them to take responsibility to self-correct their own emotional state and atone for their actions instead of being punished. We have other children who were not struggling but who also benefited by the program. In fact, all of the children prefer how we parent now because it is positive and encouraging and sets them up for success. The 24/7 access and James coaching was invaluable. We were never left wondering what to do. We always had support. Being long distance was a non-issue. Every day we are grateful for our family dynamic has changed in ways we couldn’t have dared to hope for 6 months prior. Our daughter is getting A’s and B’s, and she is not only surviving, but thriving.

Jim Kling’s program, Fair but Firm, helped us develop new parenting skills for improving our relationships with our three teenagers. We now have clear behavior expectations for our family with defined, predictable consequences for when problems occur. Additionally, Fair but Firm helped us establish a framework that keeps resentments from building up and avoids physical and verbal abuse from becoming the family communication style. Our teenagers now know what is expected from them within the home and when they are away from us. This has created opportunities for us to have family discussions about important issues and decisions facing our teenagers. As parents, we are now partners in agreement on how we will parent. Our kids experience their Mom and Dad as united and consistent in our response rather than two individuals blinding stumbling through the parenting experience. The result is our kids are less overwhelmed by the choices they are facing because they know our family expectations. There are fewer arguments about responsibilities because they know on a daily basis what they need to do. As teenagers, they are being well prepared for when they will be living independently from us because they have more individual responsibility for their role in the family and their personal lives, but they are still accountable to the family.

I was unable to manage the behavior of my son who has severe ADHD. We were at the point where we just could not do anything outside of the home and even staying at home he was arguing and defiant. He was able to go to school, but our relationship was deteriorating and it was affecting the rest of the family as well. Ric was able to get us to the point where the boys were able to spend time together and we even went on a vacation! That would not have been possible before Alternative Teaching’s Firm but Fair. We are able to manage conflict and even expectations now. Really, I would not have believed it if you had told me before that we would be able to resolve a problem on our own.

When we were told about Jim Kling, our son had a VERY long list of treatment for behavior issues, drug addiction and hospitalizations for depression/mood disorder. Over a 6-year span, our family tried a wide variety of programs to help our son overcome all his issues, but nothing worked: inpatient and outpatient hospitalizations, home and away drug treatment programs, every type of mental health professional available, and all sorts of different therapies. NOTHING worked. After our son was removed from our local high school and was being asked to leave the alternative school where he was placed, our school district offered us the opportunity to work with Jim. To be honest, we were less than thrilled. By this time, we were so burned out that we felt it would be one more person telling us how to “help” our child behave when we knew it would be the same outcome: NOTHING would change or be improved. We started seeing behavior therapists when our son was 4, so after 12 years of treatment by a variety of psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, etc., we were skeptical. But since the school district was asking us to do this and they were talking about paying for a residential placement, we felt we had to cooperate so we would not lose that placement opportunity that we really wanted. We met Jim and he laid out his plan and, despite our skepticism, we felt hopeful when he left; my husband said that Jim was “soothing” when he explained how he could help. We did sort of shake our heads at step #1 when Jim explained how we would be able to make our son take a time out. We could not get him to take a time out when he was a toddler, so we couldn’t imagine being able to at 16 and 17. But sure enough, it worked!!! Our son took his time out with a lot of swearing and verbal abuse to begin with, but one step at a time; Jim addressed each and every issue until we had a very in-control house with our son’s behavior consistently acceptable. This process took some time and work on our part to follow the plan, but every time we were stuck or struggling we could call Jim and he would calmly walk us through the actions we needed to do so the situation would be under control and we would be calling the shots not our son. My one negative (and it’s not really a negative) about Jim is that he does not “toot” his own horn enough. He is very modest about the depth of his knowledge and experience, but over time Jim could help us with every type of situation no matter how complex. Jim’s program does not have a drug component and that was a big part of our problems with our son but Jim helped us with each and every challenge that came up during our sessions. Very impressive! My advice is to ask Jim how he started his company and he will explain start-to-finish his experiences and how he developed his program. Very interesting and it gives you an insight into Jim’s abilities since he will not say how great his is at what he does! The best compliment I can give is to refer Jim to others, and I have put many of my friends in contact with Jim, and they are finding the same success we did. If I can get one point across apart from all others it would be to NOT wait; start with Jim right away. We did not hear about Jim until our son was in high school and I wish someone recommended Jim and his program sooner. Our serious problems started in junior high, and I know if we had known about Jim back then, then we could have avoided many more issues (son’s drug addiction) and had a lot less stress, conflict and MANY expenses!

We had moved to the Midwest from the East coast and our children were having a very difficult time. Jim Kling helped us restore order and structure to our home. His techniques helped us parents gain confidence and strength in parenting during unsettling times. We are so grateful for Jim Kling’s dedication to our family and all families. He is exceptional and so devoted to helping families regain peace and harmony in their homes. We are ever so grateful.

If you are reading this, then you I don’t need to tell you what you are going through. Your situation probably feels impossible and unique because there doesn’t seem to be a therapy or intervention out there that seems to work.You know this too. If I am right so far, you also probably thinking, “Of course, I’ll try anything that works for my kid, but how is it possible that Jim Kling knows something that all the ‘experts’ in a major metropolis like Chicago don’t?” Honestly, I don’t have a good answer for that except to tell you that they don’t and he does. If you really need a bucket to put that in, then assume Jim is some kind of genius because I think he is. Without going into the details, Jim has an approach and a program that helps family dynamics function better. It is not therapy but it is therapeutic for everyone. Beyond the program itself, Jim provides support, expertise and advice in virtually every challenge we have faced with our child (schools, IEPs, hospitals, therapists, psychiatrists, etc.). He is “there” for you in a way that others are just not. The best advice I received from a parent facing similar challenges and frustrations was “you have to find your few angels and they are out there.” Jim Kling has been my angel (I am not religious but do not have a better word). As an example, at one point after meeting Jim, our child required hospitalization. I was not really prepared for this. Jim was. Although, it is not part of the part of the “program,” Jim was available to me literally all night to advise and make sure my child was getting the proper care in this new and scary situation. I will never forget this act or be able to repay his compassion and kindness. Actually, it is probably more accurate to say that this support is part of the program because, in my experience, Jim’s program is doing whatever is necessary for your child’s and family’s well-being. My goal in writing this is to “pay it forward”– hoping you will get the help you and your family need.

Thank you for helping me, as a teacher, to guide, love and correctly respond to a seven-year-old girl in my class who has a high-anxiety disorder. Your guidance regarding what to say in certain situations was life-changing for her, as well as for me. Your advice was worth its weight in gold because I now have a handle on how to correctly respond to her behavior when she is not able to make good choices. As the year progressed, she had more self-control because she knew and accepted her boundaries. I now see her as more responsive than others around her, and she is using words rather than being physical. I have nothing but praise for this information and would be confident in telling others about this alternative way of teaching and training a child in correct choices and behavior.