Hey webbmeg

I work with kids who have difficulties with behaviour and social skills. There's some great books out there that can assist...one is "the unwritten rules of friendship", another is "nobody likes me, everybody hates me" and another is "getting on with others"...all should be available through bookstores or public libraries...

Regarding parenting, one of the best programmes I've ever used (and continue to use) is called 123 magic. It's a time-out approach and works wonderfully for kids between the ages of 4-12. Again, you can get the book through bookstores or amazon. It also has a section about encouraging the behaviours you want to see (e.g. independence)...

Hope that helps!