Show 31 – Simplicity Parenting with Kim John Payne

Air date: Sunday, May 30, 2010: 8 to 9 Am Eastern || CFRU 93.3 FM in Guelph, Ontario, Canada

For nearly 30 years, Kim John Payne has been a consultant, researcher, and educator for children and adults to more than 110 US Independent and Public Schools, and around the world. He has been helping children, adolescents, and families explore issues such as social difficulties with siblings and classmates, attention and behavioural issues at home and school, and a range of emotional issues such as defiance, aggression, addiction, and self-esteem. He’s a regular key-note speaker at International Conferences on Education for parents and therapists.

Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids: http://www.simplicityparenting.com/.

Kim John Payne writes:

Imagine your home…

• as a place where time more a little slower
• becoming less cluttered and more visually relaxing
• with space, and time, for childhood-and with time for one another every day
• as a place where play and exploration are allowed, and honoured
• having more ease as you begin to limit distractions and to say no to the stress of too much, too fast, too soon.
• as a sense of calm and security take hold
• becoming a place where those we love know it, by virtue of our attention, protection, and appreciation

“The most elemental and powerful reason to simplify is this: As your awareness of your children widens and deepens, so too will your love.” Kim John Payne

Show 30-Loving Partnerships replayed

Susan Dafoe-Abbey shares her wisdom about Loving Partnerships.
This show first aired on Valentine’s Day, 2010. Enjoy!

http://cfrufamily.wordpress.com/2010/02/11/show-17-loving-families-and-satisfying-partnerships/

Show 29 – Family Systems: the ever-changing yet stable contexts in which we live

Aired: Sunday, May 16, 2010 8 to 9 AM Eastern on www.cfru.ca 93.3 FM in Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Sharon Lewis joins me to talk about Family Systems–the contexts in which we live and the ever-changing conditions in our families that affect us and our relationships.

One-size-fits-all parenting advice is annoying and often doesn’t work because it doesn’t reflect the rich environments of each family. Often, we get tripped up with what ‘should’ happen. We get stuck thinking that “only if…” someone did or said something in a certain way, then everything would be better.

When we look at Family Systems, we see that each individual contributes to the functioning of the whole family. Each person is a voice for the system and yet the system rarely looks exactly like one person expects it to look. What’s trying to happen may not align with what you think should happen.

If we’re caught up worried about doing something exactly right; then we’re not really present and responsive to what’s going on in the moment.

We’re going to attempt to talk about these abstract concepts in a clear and concrete way with a game and a few examples.

For example:

The problem: The kids won’t go to bed on time and everyone is tired.

Each person says, “I think we should do go to bed by 9 pm on a school night.” and “I want to choose when I go to bed. I’m not tired at that time. My favourite TV show doesn’t end until 10 pm.”

The Facts (What does each person have in mind? What do we notice is happening?): The daughter is sleeping from 11 pm to 6 am most nights. Dad thinks kids should be in bed by a certain time. Mom wants to encourage choices. The family functions better when everyone is well-rested. Both parents wants to grow kids who are autonomous who know what they want and find ways to support themselves. Family is most rested with 8 hours of sleep per night.

Guiding mechanisms of the family: rest, getting along with each other, having the energy to function during the day, choices, raising autonomous human beings

Guiding questions: What actions would honour what’s important to all of us? What are we willing to do now given the facts? Did we miss any important information?

What do I stand for? What do we stand for? What do we want to create? What’s important to us? What are we envisioning?

Families are like a song: each member is an instrument and each of our values is like a note. Together we harmonize or not. When we do not harmonize, there is often a voice that’s missing, or one speaking so loudly we cannot hear the rest of the tune. Maybe we can’t hear a thing. Harmony is when every person has a voice and is given the stage to be heard.

Show 28 – Queer Moms Parenting Show

Air Date: Mother’s Day: Sunday, May 9th, 2010 8 to 9 AM Eastern || www.CFRU.ca 93.3 FM in Guelph, Ontario, Canada

What better way to celebrate mothers than to dedicate a show to Queer Mothers. Enjoy!

Show 27 – Tytler Public School Breakfast Programs & Spring Fling

Aired: Sunday May 2, 2010 8 to 9 AM EASTERN || 93.3 www.CFRU.ca FM in Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Lynne McIntee-Smit, her son Ayden, Jennifer Branch Evans, and her daughter Bailey talk about Tytler Public School’s Breakfast Programs and the Spring Fling this week, Wednesday May 5^th.

Why is the school fundraising?

Why are breakfast programs important?

Breakfast programs are quite important to us: kids, families, and communities. Eating whole foods, foods as close to their natural state as possible, is important for health, fighting off illness, learning, energy to grow.

How important is community togetherness and involvement?

Tytler Public School :: Spring Fling Silent Auction ~ BBQ ~ Book Fair Night

Wednesday, May 5^th, 2010: 5:00 to 7:30 p.m.

Location: Ontario Street at Wood Street, 131 Ontario Street, Guelph, Ontario N1E 3B3; (phone) 519.822.9271 and (fax) 519.822.0936