"One of Kathi’s strengths is her ability to seek out creative but practical solutions to family problems that honor each person’s needs and dignity. In her relationships and in her work, Kathi consistently builds on a foundation of respect for each person, no matter their size or age....I feel confident that she will make a difference in the quality of life of the families she encounters."
--Leah K.
I hope this site will be a source of support and guidance if you are seeking these things in your relationship with your child:
"When my son and daughter were in Kathi's daycare, I felt that I was getting so much more than loving and educated care for the children (although that by itself was remarkable)-I was also getting a thoughtful, interested, reflective partner in parenting with whom I brainstormed, commiserated, and celebrated about my children's challenges and triumphs. Kathi always had good ideas and good instincts, and she habitually considered situations and proposed solutions from multiple angles while maintaining a compassion for all involved."
--Christine G.
respect
connectedness
compassion
empathy
balance
peacefulness
gentleness
joy
Perhaps you are confused or frustrated by your child's behavior...
Would you like suggestions for how to interact in a way that is non-coercive?
Do you wish you could recognize and build on strengths (both yours and your childs) rather than being bogged down by challenges?
My hope is that I might help you to feel empowered so that you can respond to your child in a way that is intentional and not reactive. Most of us start out as parents with a strong sense of connection to our child. We have a vision of a warm and loving relationship with one another and we want to build our kids up to feel good about themselves and to be at peace with the world. Then, real life sets in and we find ourselves caught up in the day to day details of routines and behavior challenges. My work aims to put parents back in touch with the big picture so that they can access their vision of what they want for their children, even in the face of all the complications that interfere with it. I offer parenting classes as well as working one on one with parents who want to get clarity about Parenting with Vision. I am especially passionate about working with parents who are expecting their first child to help them lay a strong foundation and get off to a great start.
I believe that ideally we strive to nurture our children to help them reach their full potential, but we still need to acknowledge where they (and we) are at today. My idea of Parenting with Vision is helping parents to see the best in their children...even when it seems the children are trying to get the best of them! Traditionally someone "getting the best of us" means they are taking advantage of us, and I don't really believe that children set out to do this. Of course, they always deserve our best, yet it is not always possible for us to put our best foot forward. The practical aspects of parenting can be exhausting, and even with the best of intentions, other factors in our lives can interfere. The more clear we are about our vision, the more able we are to access it even in times of stress.
"Listen to the Children" is the foundation of my own parenting vision. It's the name I chose for my home daycare many years ago, and later it was the name I gave to our homeschool--to me, it embodies the principles of treating children with respect and honoring their perspective. Parenting with Vision is based on the concept that children are precious, and that their world view is valuable. Very often, parents feel disrespected or unappreciated in their relationship with their child; while I believe that feeling respected and appreciated by one's child is important, when we look at the Big Picture I think we need to give consideration to both sides of the parent-child interaction! Children also deserve to be listened to, respected, and appreciated. After all, the vision we have for our children today may be their reality tomorrow. My hope is that we can work together to make that reality worthy of our most precious resource.
If you were in my kitchen and we were talking about the kids, I'd offer you a cup of tea. I'd like to invite you to sit down at my site with a cup...There have been many times on my parenting journey where folks have given me perspective, listened, helped me to figure out a plan, or reassured me, and these (often casual) encounters have proven invaluable over the course of time. While you may or may not be able to enjoy a cup of tea while we "visit" on my site, my hope is that you might enjoy a sense of comfort and perhaps find a nugget that "clicks" for you. I also hope that you will contact me if you want to explore a concern in more detail than the site allows.
"From the first time I spent time with Kathi and her family, I noticed how she interacted with her children and how different it was. She always seemed to remain calm, and the children responded to that. Kathi places a high value on family relationships; nothing is more important to her. This is is evident in how she communicates with everyone--not just her children, but others as well. She is an incredible listener and problem solver, and just by talking with her you'll see that she cares deeply about others. Working with families is truly her calling."
