I'd love to hear more about it.  I have often wondered about the details of it.  Could a behavior program like that work if a child has a mood disorder?  My best guess would be no who who knows.  If you try it I would leave to hear the results.  

I have not used the program but I urge you to think about this:  is your child's behavior a result of your inconsistent parenting or a result of her inherent instability?  Since you have another dd without similar behavior problems, my instinct is that the problems are not caused by inconsistent parenting.  Therefore the system will not work.  You cannot 'fix' a child with behavioral symptoms caused by a mental illness with spanking, rewards charts, incentives, time outs or any other traditional 'parenting' trick.  You can only improve the behavior with improved stability.  No matter how hard they try to to well, they simply do not have the ability to control their moods and rages.  Please try reading Mark Greene's "The Explosive Child".  He has a great perspective on solving the underlying inabilities and generally helping to understand that your child is not intentionally 'bad'.

Good luck and rest as best as you can.

--

Karenj

Self: as sane as I can be everyday
A - DD (17yo) well adjusted, high functioning, motivated, successful, waiting patiently to go away to college
M - DD (13yo) Bipolar I (dx 4/2011) ADHD (dx 2nd grade), dumb high IQ, mainstream education with IEP/BIP, Seroquel XR 550mg, Lamictal 150mg, 3000 mg fish oil, 1000mg B-12, B-Compex - morning
BF - Live in boyfriend of 5 years, supportive and learning more every day
EX - Ex-husband, divorced since 2002, family history of bipolar, unpredictable and sometimes explosive

We had purchased the TT program several years ago. While we never completed it, and it's been a while so i don't remember details, I do think it may be worthwhile as long as parents also work on achieving stability through medical treatment, and adjust expectations at different times when kids aren't stable.

It is based on repairing the relationship between parent and child, and on how to react so that you don't allow anger to escalate. I think there's also a fair amount of positive reinforcement. 

They also usually have afree trial or money backoffer, so it's worth checking out in my opinion (especially if one orbooth parents like using DVD instead of just reading a book. I think the program itself is somewhat similar to the approach in Ross Green's The Explosive Child or in anothergood book called the Kazdin Method, which are also worthwhile.

--

Chris Stanley- DS 11 ADHD ( ?) ODD, Bipolar NOS
currently taking Lithium, Risperidone, Trileptal (weaning off), Melatonin

Haven't tried that TT, but have tried other parenting books over the years.

I got a James Dobson'ss book "The Obstinate Child."  It disappeared and I found it several years later in my daughter's nightstand.  She said she was reading it so she could get tips and see what we "were trying on her." (!)  LOL.

I tried John Rosemond's "New Parent Power." 

I saw a counselor just for tips on how I could better parent this "character."

This was all before everything hit and it was obvious she was very very mentally ill.  I suspect she was subclinical for years.

Bottom line:  I tried so hard to be a good and consistent parent.  I don't think parents are friends, which is what people complain about so much these days.  I always thought that parents should be parents and children should listen and that is the way to healthy and happy home.  Loving and consistent discipline.

The problem is none of it worked with her!  We've had two rounds of family based therapy (usually insurances in PA just approve 1).  So that is 18 months of working on behaviors, setting up charts, setting up consequences, and trying both negative and positive reinforcement.

When her meds are out of whack, it is as useless as setting up a consequence chart for a stone.

--

Jennie (37) depression treated effectively with lexapro
Husband (58)
daughter Alison (14)
Bipolar I with episodes of psychosis; Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Recent Meds:---------------------- Switched to:
Lithium XR --------------------------Fast acting Lithium
Depakote XR----------------------- Fast acting Depakote
Zyprexa------------------------------ Abilify
Zoloft--------------------------------- No SSRI
-----------------------------------------Clonidine for sleep
Pravacid-----------------------------Prevacid
-----------------------------------------Zantac

4 cats (Oscar, Lilly, Mitzi and Morph) 1 foster dog (treeing walker coonhound named Roxy) 4 parakeets (Kiko, Poppyseed, Jack and Charlotte) 7 hermit crabs, 1 goldfish (Lenny) lots of guppies, 2 betta fish (Al and Pebbles)

AS an afterthought, one book I do find especially useful is "What works for Bipolar Children."

It discusses a foundation of balancing medications, and then working within and understanding their limitations.  It is first and foremost built on an understanding of how the bipolar child's brain reacts differently:  in terms of the chemical balance, but then also in terms of how they react to discipline.  It discusses how the mental illness has hardwired their brain to be more receptive to negativity, and that the emphasis on rewiring this to accept the positive can yield a lot of progress. (and why the opposite is also true:  to much traditional "discipline" can backfire with these kids.  But again, balancing the mood is the ongoing goal.  Not trying to fix the mood through discipline.

It is a lovely and compassionate book.

--

Jennie (37) depression treated effectively with lexapro
Husband (58)
daughter Alison (14)
Bipolar I with episodes of psychosis; Oppositional Defiant Disorder

Recent Meds:---------------------- Switched to:
Lithium XR --------------------------Fast acting Lithium
Depakote XR----------------------- Fast acting Depakote
Zyprexa------------------------------ Abilify
Zoloft--------------------------------- No SSRI
-----------------------------------------Clonidine for sleep
Pravacid-----------------------------Prevacid
-----------------------------------------Zantac

4 cats (Oscar, Lilly, Mitzi and Morph) 1 foster dog (treeing walker coonhound named Roxy) 4 parakeets (Kiko, Poppyseed, Jack and Charlotte) 7 hermit crabs, 1 goldfish (Lenny) lots of guppies, 2 betta fish (Al and Pebbles)

"Not trying to fix the mood through discipline."  

That's a great way to express it.  Behavioral therapists seem to think we can do just that.  I'll have to check out that book.

--

Brenda,51, TBMF Parent to Parent Volunteer
Mom to A, 17 1/2, BP, Tourette's, OCD, ADHD: Eskalith CR, Lamictal, Cytomel, Allegra
E, 16, BP,AS: Seroquel, Eskalith CR, inositol, Buspar
B, 14 1/2 & H, 11 1/2
Married 18 years to DH, 51

FROM TBMF: Do not start, stop, or change medications or other treatments for yourself or your child based on what you read on this Website or elsewhere on the Internet. Information presented here should not replace the considered judgement of a doctor who knows you or your child.

I have the tt program and the calm parent program. I thought better work on me as well. I have not completed all the disks but I can tell you this the techniques have helped me. I have a 5yo bp child and I found I would give in just to quiet him or placate him. I now have some other coping skills and things are slowly changing in my house. I now say what I mean and most important mean what I say. I am consistant and I try hard not to yell or show any emotion when dealing with my raging 5 yo. It is a work in progress but we will do it together as a family. I would suggest the program just for the coping skills.