Attendees to my parenting workshops are invited to sign in on a poster with the ages of their children/ grandchildren, and write down their greatest fear and greatest hope for them. The most common greatest hope is for their kids "to be happy." My greatest hope is always, "To move out and be financially independent." That will make both of us happy.

Children need a group of skills to achieve happiness and independence. The most important skill a parent can impart is self-discipline -- the ability to do something when you don't feel like it. You summon self-discipline because something needs to be done, should be done, someone is expecting it to be done, and/or you will feel better when it is done, whether you like it or not.

Woody Allen said, "Showing up is 90 percent of life." It takes self-discipline to show up at work on days when you don't feel like it. Self-discipline is essential to establish healthy habits - for our body, mind and soul. Like its twin sister self-esteem, self-discipline is essential.

One way to nurture self-discipline and self-esteem is by holding regular family meetings and....

Read entire article here 

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Carver Elementary School in Garland, TX kicked off an amazing parent engagement program Sept. 1 utilizing the strategies that they had learned and the materials that they had received at their PPE Initial Parent Educator training in May. Teams of teachers and their principals in Garland ISD spent two days with PPE educational consultant Rhonda Ensey planning programs targeted for each school's needs.

Carver's first event, Two Cups of Coffee, Sept. 1, initiated their collaboration when 113 parents stayed for their second cup of coffee after they dropped their children off for school that day. The topic that day was "Understanding Family Systems as a Whole," PPE's Module 1.1.

Their second session, which was held in the computer lab, was the PPE Module "Developing Digital Responsibility."

Carver's plan is definitely systemic - not add on. Two teachers teach the classes - one from general education and one from bilingual education. The teachers are rotated by grade so that every level will be represented by the end of the year. The school provides a half day substitute for teachers on the day that they facilitate a class so that they have plenty of time to interact with parents and answer their questions. Other needs have emerged from this open communication. For example, the teachers discovered that many of the parents did not have email accounts and/or know-how to use a computer. So they are now providing instruction for them and helping them set up their email accounts.

The group has already grown so large that it has been split into two groups - one is facilitated in Spanish and one is facilitated in English.

RELATIONSHIPS Nuts & Bolts

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A Great Collaboration - Don't Miss It

2011 Statewide Parental Involvement Conference, December 8-10, 2011

 

PPE is collaborating with Texas Education Service Center 16 on its Statewide Parental Involvement Conference in Dallas, December 8-10, 2011.

PPE's Educational Consultants will be "strutting their stuff," as many of you know they enjoy doing, during the pre-conference on Thursday morning, December 8, 2011.

They are calling this all morning session "Real Life Strategies for Family Engagement: Fulfilling Title I Guidelines with Flair" and it will show ways (1) to connect with families who are hard to reach, (2) to engage families and schools with African American boys in ways that will increase their academic achievement, (3) how to use innovative technology to connect with families, (4) to market a school culture that welcomes families, and (5) to show parents how much power they really have to determine their children's academic outcomes.

The presentation will be interactive and fast-paced. Participants will leave with ideas and materials that they can implement when they get back to their schools.

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Curriculum Update 2011-2012

The Curriculum Update 2011-2012 CD has gone out!

If you do not receive your copy by Oct. 24, check your records to make sure that you renewed your subscription. If you did not, print out the Subscription Renewal Form on the PPE website (www.practicalparent.org), or click here, complete it and fax or mail it to PPE.

If you did send us a renewal but you did not receive the disc, email us at ppe@practicalparent.org with your correct address. Ours may be out-of-date or incorrect.

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Initial Parent Educator

Training Schedule

• Lowndes, MS - Nov 7, 2011 Register

Click here for complete information and training registration