Show 48 – Families in a busy world

Sunday, November 14, 2010 8 to 9 am Eastern on www.CFRU.ca 93.3 FM in Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Jen Britton (Nurture by Nature: Postpartum Doula Services and Children’s Boutique) joins me as we discuss how to focus on what matters most when life’s busy. When she’s not at the Guelph Farmer’s Market on Saturday mornings, you can find Jen at the Two Rivers Neighbourhood group.

What parent doesn’t worry, from time to time, that they should know it all and be able to do it all. If you get caught up in the rat race, feeling pressured and overwhelmed, find out how to re-orient yourself toward your inner guidance system and family relationships.

“But”, you say, “I couldn’t ask for help!” and “there’s just too much to do everyday!”

“When we begin to know ourselves in an open and self-supportive way, we take the first step in the process that encourages our children to know themselves.” Daniel J. Siegel

Breathe. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Balancing needs and managing life is something everyone strives for. Life’s a matter of trying things out to find out what works. You know the feeling when you’re in the flow. When was the last time you were there?

Hire help.

Trade or share child care or tasks with another family to take the load off.

Play.

Invite all family members to join in, get things done, while having fun.

Use your imagination and stay focused on what’s important while letting the rest go.

“When we act out of reverence, instead of fear, our motivation is stronger, our inspiration boundless.” Kim John Payne, M.Ed., Simplicity Parenting: Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids.

Show 24 – Dream Bigger with Julie Wise

Aired: Sunday, April 4th, 2010 || 8 to 9 AM Eastern, CFRU 93.3 FM in Guelph

Julie Wise is a life consultant and relationship coach, and the author of her forthcoming book “Dream BIGGER:  Reclaiming a Life of Joy and Ease“.  She works with individuals, couples, families and workplace teams to build relationships, strengthen communication, and ease transitions. You can find out more about Julie by visiting her website www.juliewiseconsulting.com.

Julie’s adult children are hard to pin down. Her daughter’s first summer job was leading horseback tours on an island in Greece. When her son was 17 years old, he and his friends voted her “Mom of the year”.

This is Part 2 of 2: Doing what we love and keeping our dreams alive for the sake of ourselves and our kids.

What happens when kids grow up in an environment where parents do what they love?

What effect does living our dreams have on our kids?

What do the kids say?

Where are the kids now?

Show 23 – Doing What We Love with Alex Baisley

Aired: Sunday, March 28, 2010 || 8 to 9 AM on 93.3 FM, CFRU in Guelph

Several months ago, I wrote an article on the Compassionate Solutions Blog with the following quote from Fred Rogers (the host of Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood).

“If you like to make things out of wood, or sew, or dance, or style people’s hair, or dream up stories and act them out, or play the trumpet, or jump rope, whatever you really love to do, and you love that in front of your children, that’s going to be a far more important gift than anything you could ever give them wrapped up in a box with ribbons. And what’s more: the last thing in the world you have to be is perfect at it. It’s the spirit that gives that kind of gift its wings.” Fred Rogers

That’s what got Alex Baisley and I thinking about doing a show together: Doing what we love and keeping our dreams alive for the sake of ourselves and our kids.

From commercial diver, to Reiki Master, to Head Lad at the Big Dream Program, Alex Baisley has been following his heart all his life and says he’s grateful now to have a business that makes him cry every time someone achieves their dream, because he knows what it feels like. You can find him at www.BigDreamProgram.com.

Alex Baisley has a business outreach called the Big Dream Program. He helps Life-Renegades get going on their dreams, and design their Life-Direction and authentic income. Folks who are creative, entrepreneurial, and want to make a difference in the world…  folks who want to travel, learn and explore – who are in life for the experience of it and feel trapped by ‘status-quo’ need VERY different tools to move forward – especially when it comes to their income! Fortunately, they don’t have to ‘find’ their Calling, they can design it. In workshops across Eastern Canada and online in 12 countries, Alex, despite his bizarre accent, propensity to colourful language and other assorted weaknesses, has been helping people go sailing, start businesses, become healers, record albums, take a year off in Ireland, quit nasty jobs and otherwise do what they were born to do…

He knows how important it is to live our dreams for ourselves and our families. He lives in Guelph with his wife, two kids, and assorted animals.

Why is it important that parents follow their hearts and live happy lives?

Why do we have dreams?

How do we live our dreams and provide for ourselves and our families?

Alex writes: “Let me be blunt. Brutally blunt maybe. And I’m talking squarely to myself as well as you. If we are leading lives of stress, over-busyness, pushing our dreams to the backburner, putting our gifts and courage completely aside for a paycheck, and giving ourselves no down-time, then that is likely exactly what our kids are going to do when they’re our age….Want to change the world? Want to blaze a brave new trail for the world’s children? Let’s go make a dream happen. For our kids’ sake. Let’s go show ‘em that it is ok to try something excellent even if we’re not sure we can succeed. Let’s show ‘em that it is wise to take time off, relax, read, enjoy friends.”

Shows 21 and 22 – Living Dreams with Gaye Chicoine

Aired: March 14 and 21, 2010 || 8 to 9 AM Eastern on 93.3 FM in Guelph, Ontario 

In January, 1997 Gaye and Ed Chicoine began a 3 1/2 year journey with their six children driving from Canada to the bottom of South America and back. They travelled through 15 different countries. Gaye Chicoine’s self-published book “Living Dreams: 1 van, 3 years, 2 parents, 6 kids, through 15 countries and becoming a functional family” is a detailed record of her family’s travel events. It began as a journal so that they could remember their travels. It became a story of educating children in non-traditional ways, becoming a functional family, and a story of learning from listening and not listening to our dreams. I love the rawness of Gaye’s stories and how she shares her struggles, feelings, and how she learns from her mistakes.

www.livingdreamsbook.com

Part 1:

What does Gaye mean by “functional”?  How did 3 ½ years of travel do this for Gaye’s family? How does her family manage frustrations now? How do we stay conscious and compassionate to ourselves and our children? 

We began to explore why we might want to create a mindset and lifestyle that supports choice, connection, and learning from mistakes. Children can make their own choices with gentle guidance. As long as choices are not intended to be harmful, let children experience the consequences and learning from making choices.

Part 2:

Exploring: “life-learning” home schooling style, socialization, pros and cons of home schooling, Travel as Education, and living simply

I am so please to have Gaye Chicoine on the show. Her goal is to create positive energy and inspire as many people around the world. She inspires me. I think you’ll love her too. 

Gaye Chicoine is a professional photographer by trade, a mom to six life-learning, young adults, and partner to her husband Ed. After working in the photographic profession and teaching college level photography for several years, Gaye became a full time mom and home-schooled all six children. Her passions include: travelling the world; being an advocate for the health, freedom and rights of children; cooking nutritious meals; preparing herbal remedies from local plants; and avoiding toxic chemicals in the environment as much as possible. She developed her own skin creams and lotions to prevent chemical exposure. 

Now that her children are adults, Gaye’s goal is to share her wisdom with young families through coaching, books, and seminars. You can reach Gaye at gaye@livingdreamsbook.com or check out her websites: www.livingdreamsbook.com and www.outourbackdoor.com.

Here’s a link to Gaye’s article in Life Learning Magazine.
http://www.lifelearningmagazine.com/0806/unschoolers_prospering_in_the_real_world.htm