The "Yes, I Can" Child

It's FREE to attend! Join 14 Experts at the HeartWise Parent Telesummit starting January 3rd

Raising Great Kids: A Heartwise™ Telesummit to Help Parents & Professionals Learn Best Kid-Care Practices for Health, Emotions, Discipline and Technology

Two parenting authors, Dr. Caron Goode and Dr. Minette Riordan, have organized a virtual conference offering12 hours of free training for people who raising and caring for children.

The excitement is building for a January, 2012 free GLOBAL virtual conference to kick off the grand opening of HeartWiseParent.com and empower parents and professionals to learn the latest how-tos for easy birthing, gluten-free meals, nutritious eating, fostering emotional intelligence, managing technology and children, preventing cyber bullying, and maintaining loving discipline through values, responsiveness and boundaries.

The purpose of this telesummit is to INSPIRE, INFORM, AND INFLUENCE parents, coaches, counselors, caregivers, educators, teachers, and grandparents about the best practices for raising great families.  Taking place in January, 2012, the virtual presentations are made on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday each week starting January 3rd through January 27th, 2012 @ 1 PM CT. Each week of January offers a hot topic and refreshing information, allowing parents to breathe easy when they hear about new science, health, and strategies for discipline.

Week 1 – Health & Fitness

Week 2 – Emotional Intelligence

Week 3 – Discipline

Week 4 – Kids & Technology

There will be a panel of 15 experts who will speak about the topics that parents and professionals are buzzing about: Safe birthing options, gluten free diets, nutritious eating, strategies for helping kids learn emotional social skills and what discipline is most effective, as well as nurturing. We won’t leave you wondering what to do about the questions of kids’ time on the computer and the topic of cyber bullying. What a treasure trove of practical and inspiring information for parents, educators, caregivers, nannies, coaches, and family members.

The virtual online event will be held all four Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays in January 2012. Go to HeartWiseParent.com and enter your email address to get more information and a reminder about the event.

Here is the lineup of speakers and topics for the virtual conference:

Week One:  Health and Fitness

Tuesday, January 3, 2012, 1 PM CT – The Path to Safer, Easier Births – Dr. Jeanne Ohm believes that “raising children” begins at conception and includes our state of being in pregnancy and birth. In this session, Dr. Ohm will discuss the state of birth today and how to empower women to make informed choices for conscious birthing. She is Executive Director of the ICPA and Chief Editor of Pathways to Family Wellness magazine. www.icpa4kids.org

Thursday, January 5, 2012, 1 PM CT – Staying Sane While Cooking for Varied Needs – Debbie Johnson best-selling author of Think Yourself Thin also wrote a “Natural Recipe” Column for The Edge Life Magazine. These recipes came about due to Debbie’s own personal health challenges. Do you have vegan teens, a diabetic family member, and a gluten-intolerant child? To cook just one meal, one dessert and everyone can add what they need. Discover the simplicity of flexible recipes and “add-ons” from the former executive chef of her own gluten-free, diabetic-friendly, allergy-friendly, vegan to meat restaurant. http://www.glutenfreefun.com

Friday, January 6, 2011, 1 PM CT – Synchronize with the Season… Winter into Spring Medicine: REST, RESTORE, REVITALIZE! – Dr. Jeanette Wolfe shares how to synchronize your children & families with their natural, optimal rhythms for health & harmony. She’ll cover seasonal foods, supplements & practices to support your family’s vibrant energy with seasonal, natural wellness. Dr. Jeanette Wolfe is a Naturopathic Doctor, Intuitive Counselor, currently works with medical institutions, schools, corporations & families & children to empower all who seek her out to heal emotionally, physically & spiritually! www.planetapothecary.com

Week Two:  Emotional Intelligence

Tuesday, January 10, 2012, 1 PM CT – What Does Emotional Intelligence Have To Do With Children’s Happiness & Success? Everything! – Korrel Kanoy shares that not all children have the aptitude for superior academic performance, a superstar athlete, or to excel in the arts. But, all children can be taught emotional intelligence skills, which significantly enhance their happiness and social and academic success. Korrel he has been a college professor for over 30 years and published Annie’s Lost Hat (available from amazon.com), a picture book for children that teaches emotional intelligence lessons through the story.   http://kidsemotionalintelligence.com

Thursday, January 12, 2012, 1 PM CT – What Are The 5 Steps You Use to Emotion Coach Parents? – Keyuri Joshi “retired” from nursing to be a stay at home mom. As her only child grew, she turned her passion of championing others as a Life and Parenting Coach, and an Emotional Intelligence Coach. Of vital importance to Keyuri is to teach parents how to build emotional intelligence skills in their children. Research proves that kids who are raised by emotion coaching parents are on a completely different trajectory than children of other parents. www.ontheballparent.com

Thursday, January 12, 2012, 1:30 PM CT – Giving From the Overflow - Cassandra Arnold’s mission as an ACPI Certified Parenting Coach is to teach what she has learned as a parent, proprietor of a childcare center, and facilitator of parenting partnership support groups. In this presentation, you will learn what it means to give from the overflow when parents feel continual tension between satisfying their needs and satisfying their children’s needs. There does not have to be conflict. We forget that you are the greatest gift you can ever give to your child — a satisfied, happy you. That’s giving from the overflow.

Friday, January 13, 2012, 1 PM CT- A Research Based Approach to Bullying – Reduce the Effects by Understanding the Causes – Astrid Witt is a sought after speaker for schools and parent organizations, offering a research based perspective on how the brain learns and what consequences this should have for our schools. She notes that bullying is constantly on the rise and mandatory anti-bullying programs not only fail to bring results, but rather contribute to the problem. You will learn why anti-bullying doesn’t work, how to stop bullying, and the fundamental difference of helping victims vs. empowering victims, discernment between bullying and criminal behavior and more. WhatTheExpertsKnow.com

Week Three:  Discipline

Tuesday, January 17, 2012, 1 PM CT – Secrets to Successful Discipline – Debbie Johnson was a highly sought after as a substitute teacher for three years in inner-city school of Phoenix and Denver. Teachers and administrators noticed her skills in getting extremely difficult children to listen, learn and pay attention. Discover the secret of creating the image that will call your family to the highest within each of your loved ones. From understanding the way boys may respond differently than girls to the images that work for all, best-selling author Debbie Johnson will share compassionate communication that works. http://djsuccesstraining.com

Thursday, January 19, 2012, 1 PM CT – Loving Discipline – Chris White, M.D., is a board-certified pediatrician, parent educator, and life coach. He is the director of Essential Parenting and the creator of Loving Discipline and will clarify how parents can help children be clear about their values, self-motivated and self-directed toward their goals, capable of respectful and responsible behaviors on their own. Loving Discipline creates a harmonious household, preserve your child’s dignity, and support them in becoming fully themselves.  Http://www.essentialparenting.com

Thursday, January 19, 2012, 1:30 PM CT – Responding Your Way to Effective Discipline Management – Sharon Egan is passionate about helping parents discover the incredible rewards that effective parenting can bring to a family. Join her to explore if impulsive reactions equate to effective behavior management and explore ways to discipline effectively through responding to your children’s behavior. Through her work as psychotherapist, teacher, parent educator, workshop presenter and speaker and as an ACPI Certified Parenting Coach, Sharon knows how to navigate through the stress, the pain, and the “what now” moments that parents face. [email protected]

Friday January 20, 2012, 1 PM CT – Raising a Values-Centered Family – Dr. Minette Riordan will share how to determine what your own values are, how to model values and how to structure family rules, relationships and discipline around your values. Educate your children to discern what matters to them and how living a values-centered life leads to high self-worth and personal success. Dr. Minette Riordan is the founder of North Texas Kids magazine and is a certified parenting coach as well as trainer for the Academy for Parent Coaching International. She successfully built a multi-media publishing company targeting families in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex.  http://www.NorthTexasKids.com

Friday January 20, 2012, 1:30 PM CT  – Discipline is Not a Dirty Word – Lesa Day  In today's world, "discipline" tends to carry a negative connotation. Thoughts of order, control, and punishment come to mind when asked to define the word in the context of parenting. Although all of those words are part of the definition of discipline it doesn't need to have a negative slant to it. In this  presentation Lesa will share why...

1. discipline is important in a child's growth and development
2. a child thrives with discipline
3. it's critical in building a child's character
4. how to start taking positive action steps immediately.

Lesa Day has been coaching parents in the private sector for over 20 years. With her top selling book in hand, “How to Get Your Child to Say, Yes! I Can! And I Will!” this Atlanta based speaker transforms the hearts and minds of our youth and empowers them to reach their greatest potential. http://www.yesIcanandIwill.com

Week Four:  Kids and Technology

Tuesday, January 24, 2012, 1 PM CT – What Parents Need to Know about Cyber-bullying and How to Prevent It – JP Butler has worked with youth since 2004. He has conducted classroom instruction, workshops, assemblies, trainings, and has personally mentored youth nationwide. Cyber bullying is quickly becoming a very dangerous form of peer abuse. No matter what site you are using, know the signs of cyber bullying, the dangers of cyber bullying, and learn what steps you can take to help prevent a cyber bully from gaining the power! JP provides all-school youth assemblies, school staff trainings, and parent presentations on bullying to help all of his audiences understand why bullying is still a very prevalent issue in today’s society.

http://www.quantumleadershipinc.org

Thursday, January 26, 2012, 1 PM CT – How Today’s Technology is Affecting Children’s Emotions, Creative Abilities and World View – Michael Simonson

With the current use of technology today many children do not need to utilize their own creative abilities. When children are taught to explore and utilize their creative abilities they learn to be in control of their mind and their body. Michael Simonson has been involved with a pilot program at the Hunter School in Rumney, New Hampshire, a school for young boys and girls with ADHD, Asperger’s and related conditions. Adam Mosston, an Emmy-Award winning TV producer who has captured some of the children’s progress on film.www.energeticallysensitivechild.com

Laurie Ferris, as the mother of Zach, has experienced for years the emotional roller coaster and stress of parenting an energetically sensitive child. Laurie began working with Michael Simonson to save her son Zach, ultimately resulting in Laurie getting her son back. He is now off of all medications. Laurie currently works at the Hunter School in Rumney, New Hampshire, a small non-profit therapeutic boarding school that offers holistic and complimentary approaches to helping young children with ADHD, Aspergers and related conditions.  www.energeticallysensitivechild.com

Friday, January 27, 2012, 1 PM CT, Managing Your Family’s Technology Habit – Dr. Polly Dunn asks, “Does your family spend more time communicating online than with each other?” You may not be able to get your kids down to under two hours of screen time a day, but you can work towards reducing their viewing habits to a healthier level. In this presentation you’ll learn the skills you need to decrease your family’s technology use to a reasonable level and increase the quality time that you have to share with each other.

Dr. Polly Dunn is a licensed psychologist, specializing in child clinical psychology. In addition to her work as the Director of the Auburn University Psychological Services Center, Dr. Dunn is a wife and mom of four kids ranging in age from 4 to 14. Dr. Dunn’s blog www.ChildPsychMom.com provides practical and user friendly parenting advice. www.childpsychmom.com

Family members, teachers, parent coaches, consultants, caregivers, parents, nannies, counselors—any heart-centered support persons or service professionals who need help in connecting and disciplining with responsiveness and structure will appreciate the information offered in this free telesummit. Learn how to support children’s resilience and success in living an inspired life.

Go to HeartWiseParent.com and enter your email address to get the call-in information to join this telesummit. Each of the four weeks of content-rich calls will last about 40-60 minutes to allow presentations and answers your questions.

Pre -Teen Shows Geat Leadership to Stop Bullying & Marlo Thomas

I had a lengthy conversation with a Mom today about her son being bullied in school. Mary's son, John is in middle school, very smart, and I would consider him extremely mature for his age. I give high fives to Mary for the way she handled the situation and allowed her son to be a leader and take the action steps himself to stop the bullying. 

So often as a parent you immediately start to take action steps to protect your child. There are times when this is necessary, but if you can help your son or daughter handle the issue themselves it prepares them to deal with the tough issues they are going to eventually have to handle out in the world anyway.

In this case John was being bullied daily by another boy calling him names and challenging him to fight. John started by ignoring him. The bullying didn't stop. This continued on for a couple of weeks and finally John had hit his limit of tolerance. John went to his teacher and told her what was happening, but didn't want her to do anything about it right now. He said he would try and handle the situation himself he just wanted her to be aware of it. That day as the bully started antagonizing John he asked him what it would take for him to stop? The bully challenged him to fight. John asked him what the end result would be if he won? The bully told him if John won he wouldn't bother him anymore. If the bully won he would continue to bully him the rest of the year. There was a birthday event they were both invited to the next day. John told him he would fight if that's what it is going to take for the bullying to stop. They planned the fight the next day before the birthday party since the boy lived next door where the party was being held.

When John got home that afternoon from school he told his Mom all the details of what's been happening and what he has chosen to do to stop the bullying. Mary's first instinct is to stop a fight from happening, but instead of saying much she asked a lot of questions to determine how much John had thought this through. Not only does Mary have a lengthy discussion with him but John'sgrandparents did as well. In the end they were willing to stand by his decision to handle the situation. Many times this takes alot of self-control for a parent to step back and let a child take the lead. But watch what happens...

John arrives at the birthday party to celebrate with his friend and there's no sign of the bully. Some time goes by and there's still a no show. John decides he's still going to tackle this issue and wants to go next door and talk with him. His mom gives him permission to do so but is adamant that John be polite when greeting whoever may answer the door. John knocks on the door and the boy's mom answers. John introduces himself and politely explains to her why he's there to see her son. The boy who's been bullying him was standing by when John arrived but as he explains to the mother what's been happening he ran away to another part of the home. The mother was absolutely shocked to hear this and assured John he wouldn't have to worry about it happening again. She admitted that there were some problems they were dealing with but was very sorry to hear this had been happening. John thanked her for listening and left to go back to the party. Mary had witnessed the entire interaction between John and the boy's Mom. She believed the mother's shock factor was sincere.

As you digest each of the interactions that have occurred in this scenario consider the amazing traits of John's character that can be recognized in this situation. There is...

• Confidence: John had enough confidence to decide he didn't deserve to be bullied and chose to confront the issue.
• Leadership: John handled the situation as a great leader. He attempted to talk and reason with the boy who was bullying him several times.
• Communication: John effectively communicated with the boy and the adults who would need to be concerned about the situation, his Mom, his teacher, and the boy's Mom.
• Integrity: John stood for what was right and followed through on his word.

Your child grows and matures in phenomenal ways as he learns how to effectively deal with these issues. As hard as it might be for you as a parent to hold back to not step in, fix the problem and protect your child you must accept these are real issues being witnessed and/or experienced everyday. The more you allow them to do take this kind of leadership the greater their confidence and ability to work with others grows and matures.

What actions steps can you take to insure your awareness and support your child...

• Keep the lines of communication open so your child feels safe to tell you anything.
• Listen! Truly and sincerely listen to them when he/she chooses to be vulnerable to share what's happening and wants your understanding.
• Help them problem solve about the situation.
• Continue to reinforce your love and support for them.

Communication is a critical aspect of a parent and child relationship when dealing with this issue of bullying. Marlo Thomas is beginning a campaign that will assist parents to better communicate about this issue. Read more about it here: Marlo Thomas' Anti-Bullying Campaign .