Positive Discipline

What Positive Discipline does

Positive Discipline is an educational products and training company founded in 2006 by Dr. Jane Nelsen, a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with a doctorate in Educational Psychology from the University of San Francisco. The company commercializes an encouragement-based parenting and classroom methodology rooted in the psychological theories of Alfred Adler and Rudolf Dreikurs, centered on mutual respect, social-emotional learning, and experiential training rather than punitive or permissive approaches. Its product portfolio includes a book series (25+ titles covering single parents, teenagers, preschoolers, special needs children, and stepfamilies), tool cards, workbooks, children's picture books, downloadable PDFs, online streaming courses, and certification programs for Parent Educators and Trainers. Pricing is positioned at the low-to-mid consumer range ($0.99-$69.95 per item), with discounts of 15-30% off list prices and free shipping promotions.

The company operates a three-channel go-to-market: direct-to-consumer e-commerce on its own website (Drupal Ubercart platform, payments via Visa/MasterCard/Amex/Discover/PayPal), enterprise sales to schools via purchase orders and 2-Day Training sessions, and a community-led distribution model through a global network of Certified Positive Discipline Facilitators who deliver in-person classes. International reach is achieved through translation licensing partnerships with 30+ publishers (including Penguin Random House, Beijing Tianlue Books, Editions du Toucan, and Editora Manole), with products available in 25+ languages across 34+ foreign editions. Additional business lines include the Empowering People in the Workplace program (corporate training) and a Pup Parenting book applying the methodology to dog training. The company is privately held and operated, with no disclosed funding, no public ticker, and no parent organization; Dr. Jane Nelsen's daughter Mary Nelsen Tamborski is referenced as a co-instructor for online classes, indicating family involvement in operations.

Name

Positive Discipline

Legal name

Positive Discipline

Website

https://positivediscipline.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Positive Discipline is an educational company that sells books, tool cards, online courses, and certification training for the Adlerian parenting and classroom management methodology developed by founder Dr. Jane Nelsen, serving parents, teachers, schools, and certified facilitators worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Parenting Education

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (61), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)

akta.pro primary industry

Parenting Skills & Child Development Education (EDACALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Positive Discipline & Behavior Support Programs (EDACALAD), Family & Parenting Education (Family Literacy, Parenting Skills) (EDAAAFAF), Children’s Activity & Practice Books (Workbooks, Puzzles, Handwriting) (EDAGAIAE), Children’s Educational & Curriculum Publishing (MPAJAFAF)

Keywords

• Parenting education
• Classroom management
• Social-emotional learning
• Parent educator training
• Adlerian psychology resources

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Direct sales of physical products including books, tool cards, manuals, workbooks, and children's picture books through the company's e-commerce platform. Products range from core Positive Discipline books ($14.99-$19.99) to comprehensive training packages ($39.99-$69.95).
2. Online Courses and Streaming: Six-session online parenting class with video lessons available 24/7. Includes downloadable materials (workbook, tool cards, family meeting album). The online parenting class is priced at $69.00 with physical materials option available.
3. Certification and Training: Revenue from certifying Positive Discipline Parent Educators and trainers. Training includes live video training (6.5 hours) plus homework requirements leading to certification credentials.
4. Digital Downloads: PDF downloads of books, workbooks, tool cards, and e-books. Pricing ranges from $0.99 for small downloads to $34.99 for comprehensive guidebook downloads.
5. Foreign Translation Licensing: Licensing of translation rights for books published by Penguin Random House and licensing of Positive Discipline products (manuals, workbooks, tool cards) for foreign market publication through established publishers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Positive Discipline sells parenting and classroom education products and training programs grounded in the Adlerian/Dreikurs theories of mutual respect and encouragement. Its core offerings include physical books, parenting and teacher tool cards, downloadable PDFs, online streaming parenting classes, and Parent Educator/Classroom certification training packages. The company also licenses translation rights to international publishers and supports a global network of certified facilitators who deliver in-person classes.

Product overview

Positive Discipline is a comprehensive parenting education program based on the theories of Alfred Adler and Rudolf Dreikurs, founded by Dr. Jane Nelsen. The product portfolio consists primarily of educational books, online courses, tool cards, and downloadable resources designed to teach parents and teachers positive discipline techniques. Core offerings include the Positive Discipline Book series covering various topics (single parents, teenagers, preschoolers, children with special needs), the Online Parenting Class with video lessons, and Tools for Kids packages for teaching social-emotional skills. The product line extends into workplace applications through the Empowering People in the Workplace program. Foreign translations are available in Spanish, Greek, French, Hungarian, Turkish, Serbian, Arabic, Japanese, and other languages, demonstrating significant international reach. Products are sold as physical books/cards, downloadable PDFs, and online streaming courses, with certification programs for educators and parent educators.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Positive Discipline Online Parenting Class A six-session online parenting course with video lessons taught by Dr. Jane Nelsen and Mary Nelsen Tamborski, featuring 5 hours of video content, a downloadable workbook, and 24/7 streaming access.
• Positive Discipline Online Parenting Class with Physical Materials The Online Parenting Class bundled with physical Positive Discipline Book, Parenting Tool Cards, and Workbook shipped to the customer.
• Positive Discipline Book The core gold standard reference book teaching mutual respect and positive discipline principles based on Adlerian psychology.
• Positive Discipline for Single Parents A book helping single parents raise responsible, respectful, and resourceful children while navigating single-parent household challenges.
• Positive Discipline for Teenagers (Revised) A revised guide helping parents work through the challenging adolescent years with strategies for encouragement and healthy relationships.
• Positive Discipline A-Z: 1001 Solutions to Everyday Parenting Problems An A-Z reference providing 1001 practical solutions to common parenting challenges including sibling rivalry, homework battles, ADHD, and behavioral issues.
• Positive Discipline for Preschoolers (Revised 4th Edition) An updated edition with the latest research in child development for parents of preschoolers, including new information on play, outdoor experiences, and social/emotional learning.
• Positive Discipline for Children with Special Needs A book addressing the specific challenges parents and teachers of children with special needs face, offering practical advice for supporting children with disabilities.
• Positive Discipline A Teacher's A-Z Guide A comprehensive A to Z guide for teachers addressing modern-day classroom problems with 17 fundamental tools of positive discipline.
• Positive Time Out A book teaching parents and teachers how to make time-out a positive learning experience that teaches children self-discipline.
• Raising Self-Reliant Children in a Self-Indulgent World A parenting classic co-authored by H. Stephen Glenn and Jane Nelsen that teaches children to be responsible and self-reliant.
• Jared's Cool-Out Space (Children's Picture Book) A children's picture book teaching the value of positive time-out to help children learn self-soothing and anger management skills.
• Positive Discipline for Today's Busy (and Overwhelmed) Parent A targeted guide giving busy parents tools to parent effectively without sacrificing their well-being.
• Tools for Kids Package (Printed) A bundle including the Tools for Kids Guidebook and Tool Cards designed to teach social-emotional skills to children based on Adlerian principles.
• Tools for Kids Download Package A downloadable PDF version of the Tools for Kids Guidebook and Tool Cards providing activities for teaching social-emotional skills to children.
• Family Meeting Album E-Book Download A downloadable album where families can insert photos to create a Family Meeting Album with mottos, gratitude pages, and records of challenges solved together.
• Keeping the Joy in Relationships Participant Playbook A downloadable playbook with experiential activities for participants to improve relationships through Positive Discipline Principles.
• Empowering People in the Workplace Tool Cards 52 tool cards providing workplace-specific Positive Discipline tools to create a culture of mutual respect in the workplace.
• DCYP Participant's Workbook An e-book for the Developing Capable Young People (DCYP) program that prepares adults to help youth develop perceptions and skills for dealing with life effectively.
• Empowering People in the Workplace Workbook A PDF workbook for use with Positive Discipline in the Workplace activities, emphasizing experiential learning and Team Problem Solving Steps.
• Empowering People in the Workplace Workbook (Printed) The printed workbook created by Jane Nelsen and Dina Emser for creating a culture of mutual respect in the workplace.
• Positive Discipline in the School and Classroom (PDF) A PDF version of the comprehensive school and classroom program designed to create a respectful school climate through SEL, character education, and effective discipline with lesson plans.
• Positive Discipline Workbook Facilitator's Guide A companion facilitator's guide for Parent Educators to use with the Positive Discipline Workbook, including 2.5 hour outlines for six lessons and 27 Positive Discipline posters.
• Greek Early Childhood Tool Cards Greek translation of 52 Positive Discipline tools for early childhood educators.
• Greek Teacher Tool Cards Greek translation of 52 Positive Discipline tools for teachers to address unwanted behaviors and strengthen social-emotional skills in students.
• Arabic Parenting Tool Cards Arabic translation of 52 Positive Discipline Tools for improving parenting skills.
• Turkish Parenting Tool Cards Turkish translation of 52 Parenting Tool Cards for raising capable children.
• Serbian Parenting Tool Cards Serbian translation of 52 Parenting Tool Cards for improving parenting skills.
• Hungarian Workbook Hungarian translation of the Positive Discipline Workbook containing tools, methods, and exercises for group sessions or individual use.
• Parent Educator DVD Training Package Experiential training DVD including 6 1/2 hours of live-filmed training plus 5 1/2 hours of homework to develop skills for becoming a Certified Positive Discipline Parent Educator. CE Credit and University Credit available.
• Positive Discipline Classroom Training Online Streaming Videos Classroom management certification training delivered via online streaming videos, used by hundreds of schools worldwide to foster cooperation, problem-solving, and mutual respect.

Quantifiable outcome

• Hundreds of schools worldwide use Positive Discipline classroom management strategies
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Penguin Random HousecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThe Positive Discipline series of books are published by Penguin Random House. All translation rights for Penguin Random House published books are handled through their rights department.
• Beijing Tianlue Books Co., Ltd.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary Chinese publisher for Positive Discipline materials. Has published numerous titles including Positive Discipline, Positive Discipline for Single Parents, Positive Discipline for Preschoolers, Teaching Parenting Manual, and children's books like Jared's Cool-Out Space in Simplified Chinese.
• Editions du ToucancoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFrench publisher for Positive Discipline books including Positive Discipline (2012), Parenting Tool Cards (2012, 2014), Positive Discipline in the Classroom (2016), and Positive Discipline for Teenagers (2022).
• Editora Manole Ltda.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPortuguese publisher for Positive Discipline materials including Positive Discipline (2022), Positive Discipline for Preschoolers, Positive Discipline for Teenagers, and Teacher Tool Cards in Portuguese.
• Eduniety Publishing (Korea)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKorean publisher that has published Positive Discipline in the Classroom (2014), Positive Discipline A-Z (2015), Positive Discipline for Preschoolers (2015), and numerous other titles through 2021.
• PD NederlandcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDutch publisher for Positive Discipline including Parenting Tool Cards (2014), Positive Discipline Workbook (2015), Positive Discipline (2016), and Positive Discipline Tools for Teachers (2025).
• Wydawnictwo POZYTYWNA DYSCYPLINA s.c. J.R. Baranowscy (Poland)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPolish publisher with extensive publishing history including Positive Discipline for Preschoolers (2017), Positive Discipline for Teenagers (2017), and numerous manuals and tool cards through 2025.
• Ediciones Medici (Spain)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSpanish publisher for Spain market including Positive Discipline for Children With Special Needs (2015), Positive Discipline (2018), and classroom materials in Spanish.
• Jarir Bookstore (Arabic)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArabic publisher that has published Positive Discipline A-Z (2026), Positive Discipline (2020), and Positive Discipline for Teenagers (2026) in Arabic.
• Yuan-Liou Publishing Co., Ltd. (Taiwan)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTaiwanese publisher for Complex Chinese translations including Positive Discipline (2021), Positive Discipline Tools for Teachers (2025), and Parents Who Love Too Much (2023).
• Heliopolis Culture GroupcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPublisher for Complex Chinese translations including Positive Discipline for Single Parents (2019), Parenting Tool Cards (2023), and numerous 2024-2025 titles.
• Dioptra Publishing S.A. (Greece)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGreek publisher for Positive Discipline (2017) in Greek language.
• Pegasus Yayincilik (Turkey)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTurkish publisher for Positive Discipline (2024).
• Women's Publishing House (Vietnam)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVietnamese publisher for Positive Discipline (2023), Positive Discipline in the Classroom (2023), and numerous titles from 2019 including Positive Discipline for Teenagers.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Triple P - Positive Parenting Program: Evidence-based parenting program offering tiered interventions for parents of children from birth to teens. Most directly comparable peer: another internationally scaled, methodology-driven parenting education brand with practitioner certification and multi-format delivery (books, courses, seminars).
• 1-2-3 Magic (ParentMagic): Best-selling parenting discipline program by Dr. Thomas Phelan, sold through books, instructor training, and classroom programs for teachers. Closely mirrors Positive Discipline's model of book-led curriculum + certified instructor network + school-channel sales.
• Conscious Discipline: Dr. Becky Bailey's SEL and classroom management program serving educators and parents with books, training events, and a certified instructor community. Direct competitor in the school-based positive discipline/ SEL category with similar training-and-certification go-to-market.
• Love and Logic Institute: Long-running parenting and classroom methodology with books, facilitator training, and school partnerships. Comparable to Positive Discipline as a competing discipline-philosophy brand monetized through books, courses, and a facilitator network.
• How to Talk (Adele Faber & Elaine Mazlish): Communication-focused parenting book series and workshop program. Overlaps in parent-education book publishing and workshop delivery, though narrower in scope than Positive Discipline's full curriculum suite.
• Hand in Hand Parenting: Parent education organization offering books, online classes, and a certified instructor network teaching a relationship-based approach to discipline. Comparable in delivering parent-education methodology via certified local instructors and online courses.
• Parenting Press: Independent publisher of parenting and character-education books and activity guides for parents and teachers. Smaller-scope peer with overlapping parent/teacher book catalog and classroom-friendly materials.

Emerging players

• Big Life Journal: DTC children's growth-mindset and SEL publisher selling books, journals, and downloadable resources to parents and teachers. Comparable in audience and product format (children's SEL books and digital downloads) but with a different underlying framework.

Broad incumbents

• Scholastic: Major children's book publisher and education company with extensive classroom, teacher, and parent channels. Adjacent incumbent with overlapping distribution into schools and parents at much larger scale, competing indirectly for SEL and parenting-education shelf space.
• Highlights for Children: Established children's content brand offering books, magazines, and learning products to families and classrooms. Comparable in producing children's educational and character-development content distributed to parents and schools, though at significantly broader scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/pdtweets
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/positive-discipline

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Positive Discipline