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Parent Express for 28-Mar-2007
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Welcome to Parent Express, the PCI e-zine! Here you will find updates on the Parent Coaching Institute, along with ideas and practical tips for the parenting journey. It seems that at this time of year, a lot of parents we work with at the PCI have questions concerning their children's successes. They are re-evaluating where their children are in school, for instance, for that final last "push" after spring break and before summer holiday. Or with warmer weather approaching, they are looking to incorporate more outside play and physical activity and want to move steadily to successful health habits. Whatever your definition of success this spring for yourself and your children, you will appreciate our featured article by Deborah Stambler, PCI Certified Parent Coach® (Los Angeles; www.thepeacefulparent.com). Her article, "Swimming Through Failure," is a moving description of the difficult, yet powerful lessons that come from failure. Sometimes viewed as the opposite of success, failure, in its way, can be a "success," also. Deborah reminds us, no matter how painful the experience, we can help our children grow from it. And as we help them through a struggle, we learn much, as well. May our growing experiences abound this Spring! Gloria DeGaetano, Founder and CEO 
"Through the PCI training, I have made a transformational change, for I have truly changed both inside and outside. I look forward to developing a coaching practice, and hopefully, being a transformational change agent for others."—Barb Bushey, South Lyon, Michigan "Do you know how many friendships are owed to you through what you have created? Aside from the changes your PCI coaches have made in the lives of their clients, you have also enabled all of us to make wonderful lasting friendships with really amazing women. That is also changing the world, Gloria. You are amazing and I treasure knowing you." —Connie Anderson, Bellevue, Washington "Thank you! I love the content of the course and I have to say, I am now ever more honored to be a part of your team, Gloria. Thank you for granting me this opportunity."—Rasmegh Phlaphongphanich, Bangkok, Thailand If you feel a calling to work with moms and dads in an innovative way—or if you are already working with parents and want to discover, exciting ideas, fresh approaches and new tools to add to your experience—contact us. We require candidates to have an undergraduate degree and at least two years of either professional or volunteer experience working with parents.
Save by Applying Now! Application deadline for Summer entrance is June 1, 2007. Acceptance into the program is determined on a first-come, first-served basis because spaces are limited. Serious candidates are encouraged to get the basic application in as soon as possible; transcripts and letters of reference can follow the basic application by a few weeks. Download the application here. For more information please call: (425) 401-1519 or email info@thepci.com. Learn more about our acclaimed, graduate-level, distance-learning Parent Coach Certification® Program by clicking here for more information. Check out our Video About the PCI Parent Coach Training Program and see what professionals think about their training with the PCI. 
Working with a parent coach who has received Parent Coach Certification® through the PCI is giving yourself a valuable gift as well as a sound investment in your family's future. PCI Certified Parent Coaches® are caring, thoughtful professionals with years of experience working with parents. They have successfully completed the PCI Parent Coach Certification® Training Program—a comprehensive academic one-year, graduate-level program in collaboration with Seattle Pacific University. Through a series of coaching conversations that can be either by telephone or in person, PCI Parent Coaches help you re-discover your dreams and design your life for more joy and satisfaction.
New Podcasts up include: Organic Parenting, with Alex Blumencranz, PCI Certified Parent Coach®. When we think about discovering health, we think organic. Alex, a parent coach and educator from Clearwater, Florida, with a background in psychology (www.positiveparentcoaching.com) describes the benefits of "going organic" with our parenting strategies. Learn the essentials of organic parenting for holistic family health and well-being. Your children will thrive with the organic parenting techniques you learn from Alex. Parenting with Ease, with Debby Weidner, PCI Certified Parent Coach®. In our full, hectic, and demanding lives, how do we find ease and, if we find it, would we know it? Debby Weidner (www.parenteasecoaching.com) has worked with parents for over 20 years in a variety of capacities. Her passion is supporting moms and dads to find "the healing rhythm of life." Tune in to get in touch with your own, unique rhythm and find out how doing so will bring many benefits to your children as well. How Parents Can Support Successful Learning, with Kris Meyers, PCI Cerified Parent Coach®. Kris has been a teacher, a reading specialist and a coach for educators. Now, in her work as a parent coach (www.beyondtheabcs.com), she helps parents learn strategies that support their children's school success. This session is full of practical ideas that will make helping with homework easier, give you powerful techniques for motivating reluctant learners, and provide fun ways to set up your home to be a learning, affirming environment. You can download these podcasts (and a dozen more besides!) for free from the Parent Appreciation Radio Web site or via iTunes.  Swimming Through Failure by Deborah Stambler, a PCI Certified Parent Coach® Izzy failed her swim test. She climbed out of the pool and between shivers and sobs told me that she has to take the Level One class again. That means two more weeks, two whole weeks of Level One all over again. I wrapped her up in a big white towel while she told me about being nervous because she never took a test like that before. Then, she started sobbing in earnest with her shoulders shaking and nose running. Izzy is seven, so I can still scoop her up and hold her on my lap while she cries. But it's hard to watch your baby cry with disappointment and not want to somehow fix it. I'm not going to pay off the instructor, but I could ask if Izzy can do a quick re-test when we start the next session. I thought this might be the way to fix the situation because Izzy has complete confidence that she can do all the floating and gliding necessary to move up to Level Two. Still, it might be better to let her fail. I actually thought about taking her out for ice cream or a new pair of shoes. I told myself this was okay as a distraction. She was crying pretty hard. What if she cried all afternoon? What would I do then? In the end, I decided the distractions were more for me than for her. So, I took her home and gave her a nice lunch. She cried off and on. Her little sister, Olly, and I took turns reassuring her. Life presents us with lessons all the time. Catching on to the lesson is sometimes the hard part. Personally, I miss a lot of opportunities simply by rushing around. Izzy's tears helped me to slow down and pay attention so I could comfort her. Presumably, I'd be able to teach her a little something about pain and disappointment. If at first you don't succeed; try, try again. My response to those worn-out but well-intentioned words has always been a disgruntled mumble accompanied by a cheeky little toss of the head. So, I didn't foist that particular maxim on Izzy's already beaten down demeanor. Instead, I told her that the class number doesn't matter. The important things are to have fun learning to swim, to feel strong and safe in the water. Her response was a disgruntled mumbling, "Yeah, but it was important to me."
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Noble Mother Launched! Raelee Peirce, PCI Certified Parent Coach® has launched her comprehensive, interactive Web site, www.noblemother.com, offering free teleclasses, a wonderful e-zine, and lots of free stuff for busy moms who want to slow down and remember the sacredness in their parenting as a spiritual calling. Raelee, a parent educator with extensive experience working with social service agencies and non-profits, invites you to join The Noble Mother Network. Stay connected with mothers like you through Noble Mother! Gloria DeGaetano's article, "Developing Children's Healthy Self Identity in a Media Age" was translated into Turkish by Dr. Nilufer Ocel, Professor of Communications at Istanbul University. The article will be part of a book for dissemination to parents and professionals throughout Turkey that features leading edge thinkers throughout the world who have made a significant contribution to innovative ways to support families in our increasingly complex society. Note from Salem, Oregon Dear Gloria, I…just wanted to drop you a note of thanks for your incredible presentations at Chemeketa. We can't wait to have you back! On so many levels what you had to say was profoundly significant. I want every parent and teacher to learn what you're teaching us. I was thoroughly challenged and stimulated by the presentations and thrilled that our parents and college students could participate. I am so grateful for the work you're doing. You are the perfect messenger for what you have to teach—thoughtful, warm, caring, personal, professional, and articulate. Thank you for all you give. I look forward to seeing you again.
My best, To engage Gloria DeGaetano for a keynote or workshop, contact her at (425) 401-1519 or (888) 559-4447.
Springtime: Time to Transform by Gloria DeGaetano The energy of springtime is the energy of movement. When I think of transforming self or helping to transform declining conditions on our planet, I think of forward movement—one small step at a time, usually. The pace we go doesn't matter as much as the "how" we do what we are moved to do. For it is in the "how" that we catalyze good in our everyday lives for the people we touch. The ripple effect moves out from there. The pace at which it moves out can often astound when the "how" is in alignment with three key qualities. These qualities define characteristics of internal states that shepherd our constructive actions, imbuing them with far-reaching results, making the good we do more sustainable. Here is a thumb-nail synthesis of each quality—integrity, hope, and compassion. By focusing on them and inviting them to grow within us, we bring more light to ourselves and to our world. Integrity: In a thought-provoking article titled, "Awakening to the Highest Reaches of Integrity," in the Spring edition of the Vision in Action Journal, Yasuhiko Genku Kimura defines "integrity" on three levels: "Integrity means being true to one's principles, one's word, and one's self, and true integrity involves the total accord between these three levels of being true. People who can sustain their commitment are those who say, "I am committed to making X happen," and then follow though with the necessary stages of action that ensure that X happens. Such people have integrity. They sustain their commitment to the end. God is reported to have said, "Let there be light," and immediately there was light. In the case of humans, it takes time for commitment to unfold, but the principle is the same. For example, we say, ‘Let there be peace on earth.' If the majority of us have true integrity, with which we are prepared to take sustained action, peace will surely prevail on earth." Rather than thinking of integrity as a vehicle that propels the action steps, Kimura views integrity as a demonstration of the commitment to take the action in the first place. His words remind us of the incredible responsibility we have to effect long-term change by attending to our resolve and not wavering when we feel discouraged or thwarted. I have discussed integrity in my book, Parenting Well in a Media Age, emphasizing how important it is to "walk our talk" as parents and providing, comfort (I hope!) and practical ideas for the incredible challenge it is to do just that in our media age. The long-term joys of our children depend on our present-day willingness to stay in our integrity with every decision we make, no matter how seemingly small the decision. |
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This issue of Parent Express was originally published March 28, 2007. Some content, contact information, and links may be out of date, and the conversion from the original email edition may introduce formatting inconsistencies.
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