What: A 2-hour communication workshop for parents

When: Wednesday, November 10, from 7pm to 9pm

Where: Riviera PlaySchool

How: 310)408-5616

Parenting is a life-long learning process of nurturing our connection with our children.  Parenting is “messy” business.  There is no “prescription” for dealing with the day-to-day challenges of raising children.  There are, however, basic communication tools that can assist parents in dealing positively with challenges, while deepening the relationship between parent and child.   

Workshop Content:

This workshop will address issues of communication between parent and child. Although theory will be presented, the emphasis of the workshop will focus on participants’ specific situations or concerns.  Among the tools discussed, will be:

• Intention (a way of “being” with ourselves and with our children)
• “I” messages (owning our feelings and perceptions)
• Resolving conflicts peacefully (win/win model…everyone’s needs are met)
• Facilitating “problem-solving” (creative solutions)
• Honoring feelings (parent’s and child’s)

Introducing Facilitators Laura Dotson and Melody Elder

Laura Dotson MFT, the mother of 4 adult children and Ruby’s, Hyla’s, and Ayro’s grandmother, has over 35 years of varied experience working with adults and children.  She was a staff member at Play Mountain Place for 10 years, and for the past 15 years has been the Psych.Consultant at Manhattan Beach Nursery School.  Laura maintains a private practice as a Marriage and Family Therapist in the South Bay, and holds a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology.

Melody Elder M.A., the mother of an adult daughter, is a teacher and parent educator with over 35 years experience working with children and parents in nursery school, elementary school, and home-school settings.  She has taught parenting classes for South Bay Adult School and the Center for Positive Parenting and works part-time teaching and directing at Manhattan Beach Nursery School.  .  Melody maintains a private coaching practice in the South Bay where she facilitates parenting support groups as well as 1:1 coaching (www.awakenedheartparenting.com). She holds a Master’s Degree in Education and in Spiritual Psychology and is a credentialed teacher in Early Childhood, Elementary, and Special Education.

Registration Information:

Date: Wednesday, November 10, 7:00pm to 9:00pm

Fee: $10 per person or $15 per couple for enrolled families, $20 per person or $30 per couple for general public

Location: Riviera PlaySchool

RSVP: Linda at RivieraPlaySchool@gmail.com,  or call: 310)408-5616

“NO!!!” is GUARANTEED to stop a child in his tracks and turn their happy, healthy, neuron-growing science exploration into a tirade of tears in seconds.

So what do we do instead?

Well, unless your child is about to take a step into the path of a Mack truck, we take a big breath, and…

We look for the need…and offer a solution:

“What’s your plan?  Are you wanting to balance things?  Ummm…. my antique tiffany china won’t work because it may break.  How about using these rubber bowls instead?”

At Riviera PlaySchool “What’s your plan?” is a common question.

We, as teachers and parents, have a role where we provide some guidance, a lot of trust to allow our children the freedom to explore (and thus fuel their brain growth), and plenty of compassionate understanding that they are doing their best.

“Providing” a limit, to me, is ”giving” help to my child with where he needs to set a limit on his actions so he can then connect with society (and ultimately not be an outcast.)  Understanding limits allows my child greater freedom.   When he understands society’s limits, he can choose consciously whether  he wants to be part of, or apart from, his peers.  And then he can develop empathy for others. (It’s all in the same bucket) 

All of us, including our children, really just want to connect.

The trick is that the limits must be age-appropriate.  We have greatly different expectations for 2 year olds than for 4 year old.  (If you have not had Early Childhood Development training you can read the series “Your 2 Year Old, Your 3 Year Old, Your 4 Year Old, etc. to understand what age-appropriate expectations means.) 

Bev Bos uses an analogy of a child starting out on top of a mountain.  They begin on the top of their mountain of egocentricity.  As they travel through their various developmental stages, they are slowly making their way down that mountain.  Society sits at the bottom of the mountain.  It is our job to guide them, down the mountain…  And I like to add, to guide them down that mountain with their gifts intact.

Lots of Love,

Linda

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At Riviera PlaySchool in Redondo Beach, California, we provide 
a mindful program for the ‘Whole Child,’ inspired by the best of Attachment Parenting, Reggio Emilia, Bev Bos, Montessori, Waldorf and Non-Violent Communication.