SHAPING THE CHILD PARENTING... BECAUSE PARENTING IS NOT FOR WIMPS!
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Picture
       

I Took a Piece of Plastic Clay
 
I took a piece of plastic clay
and idly fashioned it one   day-and as my fingers pressed it, still it moved and yielded to my will.
 
I came again when days were pastThe bit of clay was hard at last.The form I gave it, still it bore, and I could change that form no more.
 
I took a piece of living clay,
And gently fashioned it day by day,. And molded with my power and art.  A young child's soft and yielding heart.
 
I came again when years were gone:It was a man I looked upon..  He still that early impress bore,  And I could change that form no more.


(I love the poem above; unfortunately, I do not know who wrote it.  While I don’t know the author, I do appreciate his wisdom and creativity!)
​
About the Book
GO TO STORE
​How the 
         
           Shaping the Child  

                             
concept came to be           
When I first started graduate school, my goal was to do everything within my power to help families. As I was completing my Masters in Counseling I was able to do my practicum, working in the homes of families rather than in an office environment.  I was able to see firsthand the desperate need for healthy families.  I continually saw the dysfunction in homes and observed the same dysfunctional behaviors in the children.   Parents so often wanted me to "fix" their children without understanding the children were too often a product of the disfunction of the parents. 
​                               "My biggest goal and passion is to            help families become as healthy as possible                                                               in a very difficult society and world."
On a daily basis I would try to help the children I worked  with to learn how to move forward in their lives.  Sadly, the children were not the problem, but the parents and so often the home environment. I was hired to specifically go into the homes and help the families clean up the messes from the continual catastrophes in their lives. We would work on the goals and objectives in their treatment plans but as soon as we felt they were ready to be discharged, another disaster would happen at home, sending the children back to square one.
 
It was this frustration that drove me to my passion of helping families differently than just through therapy. I felt the need to teach, coach and work with parents. However, when I had the child as the patient, it seemed that I was going through the back door, when I really needed to go through the front door by helping the parents.
 
A local Probation Officer asked my boss if she had any of her staff who might be interested in teaching a parenting class. When she asked for a volunteer, my hand shot up immediately. The timing was perfect and I was so excited. Thus, the “Building the Child” Parenting Class was born. 
 
Each class began by discussing the way “explosions” occur in our lives and families. When explosions happen, we must clean up the mess.  Before we are able to rebuild, we must repair the foundation if it is cracked or broken.  Once that foundation is secure, we can rebuild, stronger than ever. 
 
We all deal with explosions in our lives. The blessings come when we can go from a difficult time and end up healthier and happier than before. 
 
When it came to actually naming the class, I thought a little deeper about the meaning of the word “build”. It sounds strong, but a little rigid and tough - not a very appealing description of a loving parent.  Because of my love for sculpting, I decided to use “Sculpting the Child” but then I could picture chipping away at a chunk of rock to make it as I wanted. That is fine for sculpting a rock, but again, not quite right for parenting children.


​"A dear friend suggested “Shaping the Child”. One of the things I enjoy about sculpting is when I begin by working the hard, cold and rigid clay. Slowly and gently it becomes warm, soft and pliable.  It is a perfect description for helping to shape our children. They respond so much better to gentle, loving, encouraging parents, thus creating the perfect opportunity for teaching and guiding children."

 

 

​
Shaping the Child Parenting
©2015-2016
The purpose of this website is to make changes that give your family an opportunity to be secure and well adjusted, capable and confident, positive, happy and fun, thus improving the chances of raising emotionally healthy children for generations to come.
  • Welcome Home
  • Character Corner
    • Skool yard
    • Optimism >
      • Have a laugh...
  • Brain Health
    • How to have a great brain!
    • GOOD CHOICES >
      • Good and Bad Choices for Your Brain
      • FOODS THAT BENEFIT THE BRAIN
    • Eight Simple Steps to Remembering Better
    • ADOLESCENT BRAIN >
      • Adolescent Brain - Ages 10-14
      • Adolescent Brain - 15-18
      • Adolescent Brain - Age 19-24
    • BABY BOOMERS AGING BRAIN >
      • What's goin' on with our agiing brain? >
        • Healthy Brain Foods
        • Ten Healthy Brain Aging Tips
        • Protect and repair your brain
        • Exercise Your Brain...to keep and help your memory!
  • BLOGS
    • ADDICTIONS - EFFECTS ON THE BRAIN
    • CONTROVERSIAL ARTICLES >
      • Social Media - the Good - the Bad - the Ugly?
      • Volatile Political Discourse
      • I think it's great-grandmas fault
    • WHAT IS CONCRETE THINKING >
      • Our three day old baby girl...
    • MISCELLANEOUS ARTICLES >
      • #1 Best Result for a Stable Family
      • The power of play!
  • PARENTING ARTICLES
    • Monthly Articles >
      • 2016 articles >
        • December 2016 Newsletter - The Trilogy
    • Strong Parents Needed >
      • Ten Commitments of Marriage
  • Six Critical Parenting Articles
    • Six Critical Parenting Article Links
  • Newsletters
  • POLLS/MEDIA
    • POLL - What do you think about Social Media?
    • Radio interviews
  • Play
    • Insightful Videos
    • Funny Videos
    • Funny Stories
    • Games and Activities >
      • Outdoor Games
      • Crafts
      • Group Games
    • Awesome pictures >
      • Family Pictures >
        • Winter Family Fun
      • Animals Pictures
      • Funny Pictures
      • Nature pictures
      • CONTESTS >
        • Winners of the photo contest
        • Question?
      • And more...just cool pictures!
  • Parenting book and more
  • Parenting Videos
    • video - strong parents needed >
      • DO YOU KNOW?
  • Store
    • Store - Book and workbook >
      • Workbook - NEW
      • About the book... >
        • Preface
      • About the Workbook
      • About Jane
  • Parent Coaching - Short Videos
  • CONTACT JANE E.
  • About Jane
  • Coming Soon - physical health section