Parents or caretakers of a child hospitalized for psychiatric or behavioral reasons have lost the ability to control the child in the home. The inpatient milieu provides a structured environment where parents can observe, model and interact with the staff as they learn the techniques used by the nurses in effectively managing the child's behavior. The authors outline a four-stage progressive plan for educating parents. The plan is modeled on the nursing process as a format for teaching, and provides step-by-step instructions for parents.