Parent Express for 29-Apr-2009

Spring has finally arrived here in the Pacific Northwest. It seems now that we waited so long, everybody is running around outside and so happy to be there—even the wild bunnies in my backyard seem to be calling, "Come on out and soak up the sunshine!"

To keep enjoying the outdoors, many families have to reduce their stress-related activities and find time for play and R & R. In our featured article this month, Jennifer Watanabe, PCI Certified Parent Coach® reminds us of the importance of a good night's rest and in the case of infants and young children who are napping—a good day's rest as well. Jennifer shares a lot of great ideas to conserve and restore our energy. Her insights have been featured in Parent Map magazine and in the Seattle P-I. See below for Jennifer's upcoming classes for parents via phone conferences.

Perhaps one good reason moms and dads aren't getting enough sleep these days is because of financial concerns. Laureen Change, PCI Certified Parent Coach® (see right side-bar), shares important and practical tips for weathering this financial storm with your children—parents can use the current situation as an optimal learning tool and a time of inner reflection about what really is important.

Here's to more peaceful sleep and time and energy to enjoy this beautiful spring with our families!

Gloria DeGaetano, Founder and CEO

Apply Now for Summer Term!

This is the best time to apply for a summer start on your Parent Coach Certification®. The Parent Coaching Institute is undergoing explosive growth. Early applicants will have the best opportunity for acceptance into the program. Early Applicants can begin their course readings, preparing well for the phone classes for Course 1, which begin the week of June 23.

Phone classes are in the evening time, usually at 5PM (Pacific Time) to accommodate the work schedule of our students. Summer brings with it vacations and sometimes students have to miss a phone class or two—no worries. PCI phone classes are always recorded so students who have to miss a call for one reason or another, can listen in and stay current with coursework.

Please send in the basic application as your first step. Download the application here. Once we receive this document, we will contact you for a phone interview.

Transcripts and letters of reference can follow the basic application by a few weeks.

Questions? Please call: (425) 401-1519.

The deadline for application to begin this summer is May 15, 2009. Spaces are limited. Early applications receive first consideration.

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 Certified Parent Coaches® help you re-discover your dreams and design your life for more joy and satisfaction.

To find a PCI Certified Parent Coach® in your area, please click here or call (425) 401-1519 for a referral to a PCI Certified Parent Coach® selected especially for you.

Visit www.parentappreciationradio.com to listen to programs featuring PCI Certified Parent Coaches® and other experts from around the country discussing topics of interest to moms and dads.

Programs are available as podcasts. Listeners can download individual episodes directly, listen to them from this site using a Web browser, or access them via the iTunes podcast directory. iTunes subscribers will automatically pick up new episodes as they become available!

Is Everybody Getting Enough Sleep?

by Jennifer Watanabe
PCI Cerified Parent Coach®

As adults we all know what if feels like when we don't get enough sleep. We probably even know the risks, increased chance of: poor performance at work, use of caffeine, obesity, accidents, driving while sleepy, being less patient in trying situations, irritability, reduced concentration, reduced cognition, poor decision-making, depression, immune impairment, and even cancer.

When children don't get enough sleep their symptoms may look like this: behavioral problems, mood swings, hyperactivity or ADHD is worse, trouble with school work, trouble waking up in the morning, sleepiness, falling asleep when it is not bedtime, and irritability.

So, how much sleep is enough?

From the National Sleep Foundation:

In our modern society, we all know that we adults have many demands on our time: work, commuting, caring for our children and for our homes. Children's days are filled with homework, sports, and other important activities. With our modern life comes more pulls on the family's time: TV, computers, the Internet, e-mail, video games.

Sometimes parents see their children having difficult behaviors. One of the first things parents can do is see if lack of sleep is a contributing factor. Many times it is, and if lack of sleep is not causing the behavioral issues, then at the least the lack of sleep is making things worse.

Read the Rest of the Article…

PCI Obtains 501(c)(3) Status
The Parent Coaching Institute is now a charitable organization as designated by the IRS. We received our official notice on March 17, 2009. With this new status many positive pathways opens up for our ability to expand our parent coaching services and PCI graduate support. If you are affiliated with a family support agency, we invite you to contact us if you are interested in offering free parent coaching services to the moms and dads you serve. Our phone number is (425) 401-1519 or you can email gloria@thepci.org. If you or someone you know would like to co-create with us new, innovative forms to help moms and dads, please see our letter inviting you to participate in our exciting campaign to do just that!

Beth Miller, PCI Certified Parent Coach® on YouTube
Beth, a PCI grad in Chicago launches her parent coaching practice with a great interview on YouTube, discussing key ideas about the coaching model. Beth said that the core "was more than Pilates," referring to that authentic core in each one of us PCI-trained parent coaches help moms and dads recognize and nurture in themselves and in their children. Listen and watch Beth here.

Connie Hammer, PCI Certified Parent Coach® on Dads Divorce.com
Connie, a PCI Grad living and working in Round Pond, Maine was interviewed for the Web-based publication Divorce Today for dadsdivorce.com. The interview covered topics including Connie's family support background, the PCI's Parent Coach Certification® Training Program, the value and process of parent coaching, the issues that lead a parent to seek parent coaching, and what Connie believes is a challenge for many divorced dads: maintaining an active and authentic parenting relationship with their child and avoiding the "Disneyland Dad" syndrome. Connie also shared one of her success stories involving parent coaching a divorced dad. You can listen to the interview here.

Gloria DeGaetano, CEO of PCI, Interview on Seattle's KUOW
Gloria talked about the importance of raising children to contribute to the family and to the community. Gloria emphasized rituals and regular family meetings as important ways for organizing the chaos of family life. You can listen to the interview here.

Book Review in April's Issue of Seattle's Child
A review written by Gloria DeGaetano of the new book, So Sexy So Soon about childhood sexualization in a media culture is published online of the April issue of Seattle's Child.

Upcoming Parent Classes
Jennifer Watanabe, PCI Certified Parent Coach®, Redmond, Washington, offers the following parenting classes offered via a Telebridge (conference call) on these topics:

How do these work? Parents call a special phone number that put them into a conference call with a group of other parents and Jennifer. You all discuss these topics and hear what Jennifer has to say about the topics—asking her questions and sharing your ideas with the others on the call. It's great fun, in addition to a wonderful opportunity to get a few new, practical ideas! To register for the classes and for more information, please see www.parentcoachingbridge.com for times and more class offerings. Or email Jennifer directly: jenniferwatanabe@msn.com.

Back issues of Parent Express are available on the PCI Web site. There you can read articles by Gloria DeGaetano and PCI Certified Parent Coaches®, and easily send past issues to friends and colleagues via e-mail.

Weathering the Financial Storm: Lessons for Our Children

by Laureen Chang
PCI Certified Parent Coach®

We are faced with challenging times. The economic crisis has global implications and may be longer rather than shorter lasting. As parents, we all hope to protect our children from harsh and painful experiences. Sometimes this hampers our ability to provide them with the sound education they need to deal with these experiences if and when they occur. The ups and downs of the economy and the job market, as with marriages and relationships, are a part of life. Consistency, good judgment, knowledge and a willingness to make changes when called for all play a role in our ability to navigate the storms of life. Teaching our children to have a healthy relationship with money is one of their best defenses. The self-discipline involved can also be used as a basic template to apply towards successful life management as a self-sufficient young adult.

The current state of affairs is the perfect entrée to discussing your own family values with your children. What is the purpose of a job? On what do we spend our earnings? What defines us as successful? Why do we save? What do we think about philanthropy? Teaching your children in practical everyday ways will help them gain an understanding of how the world works according to Mom and Dad. These regular conversations will bear fruit as your children learn to be thoughtful in the face of mass media, targeted Internet marketing, impulse buying and the desire for material goods.

Read the Rest of the Article…