Amy McCready is developing a reputation as a parent whisperer.
The Raleigh entrepreneur is steadily gaining national exposure for her small company, which provides in-person and online training on parenting.
Positive Parenting Solutions, founded by McCready in 2004, offers courses on how to correct children's misbehavior without nagging, reminding or yelling. Last year she started an online version and began to attract media attention, including being quoted in a New York Times article about parents who yell and scream too much.
"That really touched a nerve with people and boosted my visibility," she said. "All jobs come with a ton of training, but for the most important job we do, there's none. Parents are looking for tools and resources."
On Wednesday morning, she's scheduled to appear on NBC's "Today" show to discuss "Is Time Out a Waste of Time?" She flew to New York today to meet with the show's producers. She's also been featured on MSNBC's "Dr. Nancy" and other TV news shows.
McCready started offering parenting classes at the Montessori School of Raleigh and expanded to other school and preschools across the Triangle through word of mouth. She also has offered classes for employees at local corporations including SAS, GlaxoSmithKline and Cisco Systems.
SAS first brought in McCready two years ago, and she's returning to teach her courses again this spring, said Dana Aderhold, a parent-resource consultant at the Cary-based software company.
"Parents love Amy's classes," Aderhold said. "Her techniques are clear and easy to use at home. They help them become better parents."
McCready and her husband/business partner now employ three instructors, all parents and former students. Her family moved to Raleigh six years ago from Boise, Idaho, for her husband's job. That's when McCready started the business to combine her background in employee training and her experience struggling as a new parent.
The online course includes tips on how to handle back talk, whining, tantrums, sibling rivalry, bedtime battles and more without yelling or losing your temper.
Positive Parenting charges $199 for a year subscription, or lifetime access for $225. The cost includes one-on-one instruction and live help creating an action plan, she said.
McCready estimates that thousands of parents have taken the course. She declined to comment about financial details of her company.
The increasing media coverage is helping "spread the word about the class and get it out to as many parents as possible," she said. "The way our society is changing, parenting is a different animal now, with different challenges."
She expects to reach an international audience, and eventually she is planning to add more specialized programs, such as one for teens.
Assistant Business Editor Alan M. Wolf joined the N&O in 1999 covering the business of health care. He became an editor in 2001, and helps oversee the paper's daily business coverage and Sunday Work&Money section. He lives in Clayton with his wife and two children. Reach him at 919-829-4572 or 
