Non-Violent Parenting

This past Monday we were very fortunate to have guest speaker Terry LePage from opendoorcommunication.org come and speak on Non-Violent Parenting.

What is non-violent parenting? Terry says it is,"The shocking idea that we put love and connection first in our parenting. We give kids the respect that we want them to learn and model when they grow up."

Terry spoke mostly about the importance of giving our children empathy before limits are set with them. She emphasized taking several minutes if possible to empathize with our children, and see the event from our children's perspective. If a situation entails "big emotions," waiting to have a discussion with our young child until the "big emotions" have been let out can be most helpful. It is difficult, if not impossible, for a child to hear any guidance while they are having "big emotions."

To hear more of Terry's talk and the Q&A session, here's the video clips:
Non-Violent Parenting - Part 1 - what is non-violent parenting?
Non-Violent Parenting - Part 2 - specific questions
Non-Violent Parenting - Part 3 - more specific questions

Thank you, Heather C. for videoing! Also, thank you to Lisa for letting us use your stroller as a tripod!