Diversity Exchange

YWCA Publishes Booklet to Help Parents Support Child Development

We all want to do the best we can to help our kids grow both intellectually and psychologically. If you have children between the ages of 5 and 10 you might be interested in this free information. The YWCA of Canada has published a booklet designed to support a parent’s efforts to build a child’s personal assets and promote reading at the same time. What makes this pamphlet so useful is that it links literacy to some key personal skills that children need to thrive.  These skills include: developing social support, finding empowerment, setting good boundaries and realistic expectations, encouraging the constructive use of time, increasing a commitment to learning, growing positive values, developing social competencies and fostering a positive identity. Each chapter in the pamphlet links certain books to the skill you are trying to instill. The Canadian YMCA has posted this pamphlet on their web site as a free download.
Here is the link:   http://www.ymca.ca/downloads/Eng-Raising-Kids-Who-Read.pdf   

Chet Taranowski Ph.D.
Coordinator Employee Assistance Program
Aon Services Corporation
Chicago, Illinois

Mom's The Word

As the global chair for Aon's Women's International Network (WIN), I was recently presented with an opportunity to join castlerockradio.com's "Mom's the Word" - a fun, intelligent, cutting-edge talk show that covers today’s pressing and important parenting issues. 

I am featured every week as the stay-at-work mom correspondent, providing advice and information relevant to the week's topic at hand.  Each show features guests including parenting experts, doctors, teachers, therapists, nutritionists, fashion experts, chefs, cultural arts experts, etiquette/manners experts, travel experts and more. 

During each show, listeners may call in or email the hosts with questions, concerns, ideas, topics, etc.  Occasionally, the show features “A View From the Cave: A Dad’s Perspective” with a guest dad commenting on and discussing the topic of the day. 

The outcome has been better than I anticipated:  not only does it allow me to hone and strengthen presentation skills (in a very different format), but it also results in another notch in Aon's branding.  I now firmly believe that external interests have a direct and very positive impact on performance at work. 

If you are interested in the show, tune in on February 13th at Noon Central to hear from Dr. Joan about romancing marriage amidst raising a family !

Denise Berger
Managing Director
Women’s International Network, Global Chair
Aon Corporation
El Segundo, CA

Aon Launches Working Parents Network Group

We had a great turnout at our kick-off.  A summary from Mary Ivory is below.  Our next event is a Networking Lunch at the Aon Center on Thursday, August 16 from 12:00-1:00 CST.  See our website for details or email the Working Parents Group.

5 Steps to Emotion Coaching (EC)

1. Be aware of the child's feelings especially when ‘upset’. Be aware of your feelings. Take a few deep breathes before you respond. Deep breathing helps us to get centered or relaxed. We want to move forward with our best intentions.  Remember: First, I want to give and receive RESPECT. Second, emotion is not behavior- it is not good or bad, what we do with it can lead to success or failure. We are getting ourselves ready to guide our child toward good behavior. 
2. Recognizing the emotion as an opportunity for intimacy and teaching. Take two more deep breathes. Again, we need to take care of our own emotional well being to help our child. If we are too tired or rushed we won’t do well. We have the option to take note of the issue at hand and talk about it when we are calm. If we are reasonably calm, we prepare with a breath and reflect on what the loving lesson to be taught. When we can slow down, we can teach our kids to slow down.
3. Listen empathetically, validating the child's feelings. Don't judge the feeling, that is avoid statements like 'you shouldn't feel that way' or 'don't make such a big deal out of it'. Just listen to them. This is when we walk in their world, seeing what the child needs to learn by reflecting on what developmental issues their age group typically has. This may sound simple it is not so easy. But because we have done our ‘homework’ and know what their developmental issues, we are prepared and can support them in powerful problem solving. 
4. Help the child verbally label the emotion. Tell your child you might guess they are feeling a certain way, angry, sad, lonely … We prepare a head of time  with the Name That Feeling game or other emotion naming work, in non stressful times. Now we cleared a path, naming and practicing emotions words can be fun and decrease ‘meltdown time’ as the child feels ease in being understood.  As the difficult issues arise, you can help them name what their feeling  by reflecting on the feeling lists you have created.
5. Set limits, guide, while helping the child problem solve.  By emotion coaching we can get clear on the goal of the emotional upsetting behavior. That leads us to problem solving. Use the sentence stem. “When ….. then…..” to clarify consequences. For example “When you do your homework and I can check it, then you can watch TV”.

Miranda K. Ward
Aon Consulting

Welcome to the Working Parents Group Blog!

Please join us at our kick-off event at the Aon Center in Chicago on Wednesday, July 18, 2007.

Parents are busy people... They want to take steps to assure that parenting is a pleasant and value-based teaching time.  Mary Ivory, Counselor and Life Coach, will share with you the leading experts tips on using positive psychology and coaching approaches to aid in making the most of each situation!  It is a fun talk for anyone who wants to gain extra insight into their parenting role.

We look forward to meeting all of you and hearing your feedback.

Miranda K. Ward
Aon Consulting