Parenting from Your Heart- open for registration

Saturday mornings, March 7, April 4, May 2 and May 30
9 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Location  in NE Portland TBA with registration. For more information or to register and reserve your space, call (503.335.2717) or email Kristen McKee or send in this form.

Children and babes in arms are welcome to attend as long as it doesn’t interfere with the presence of others’ participation. Childcare is available in an adjoining space.

Attendance is $40 per session per adult, or $150 for the whole series, a valuable investment toward more peaceful relationships in your own life, and participating in the larger community. Advance registration required because of class size limit. We want everyone who wants to attend to be able to do so. If funds are an obstacle please let me know how we might work together to meet our needs.

This event is supported by the Insideout Schoolhouse, the Continuum Learning Community and Bay Area NVC. A description follows:

PARENTING FROM YOUR HEART
A workshop series offered by Kristin Collier

Our children are so important to us, yet sometimes we struggle to parent in ways we feel truly good about. Participating in these parenting workshops, you will explore how to:

• Understand the needs behind your children’s behavior.
• Parent effectively without relying on the threat of punishment or the promise of reward.
• Transform power struggles into opportunities for building connection and trust.
• Discover a quality of connection that will sustain your family through life’s challenges.
• Contribute to peace by raising children who can make peace.

This introductory series on compassionate parenting will be taught by parent and teacher, Kristin Collier, from Eugene OR. Kristin has been studying Nonviolent Communication intensively in leadership programs for six years and sharing it nationally and internationally for four.  Her greatest teachers are her five and eight year old sons. Kristin’s classes are enjoyable, satisifying and tailored to the needs of the attendees.

The Garfield Planting is ON!

Thanks to the support of Friends of Trees, and the strength in our own hearts we’re going to go ahead with a planting of our block. I’ve already ordered the trees: 4 crabapples, 1 apple, 2 cedars and one oak. The total is $374.92 and neighbors have already donated $120 of that.  We still need more donations to meet the total, and we need volunteers, and a pick up truck for planting day, February 14. I’m going to a meeting tomorrow evening to learn about the Vision into Action grants, and am also trying to learn how City Repair can support us as we continue to make our block a particularly wonderful place.

Trees, NVC and Potlucks

Here is the latest news at Insideout Schoolhouse:

There seems to be a lot of interest in the NVC Parenting workshops with Kristin Collier. There will be four classes, once a month on Saturday mornings, beginning the first week of March. Classes are $40 each, or $150 for all four sessions with pre-registration required. Childcare will be available. The Albina Head Start declined our request for use of space (even though we offered parents and teachers free attendance at the workshops). As soon as I can find a location I’ll send out more information.

I was just notified by the Northeast coalition of Neighbors that we were not chosen to receive a grant for our planting project. They did, however, say that it was a great project and we were right at the cutoff. They said it might have helped if we had more representation at the neighborhood meetings. I have 48 hours to figure out if we should still go ahead with the Friends of Trees planting and where we might get funds or materials to do so. The Head Start did offer the use of their parking lot on Saturday February 14, if we’d still like to celebrate something there. I’d appreciate any feedback you have on this.

Earlier this month our cedar tree fell in our backyard and landed on our neighbor’s roof. Our insurance was of no use to us. No one was hurt. We now have lots of sunshine in our back yard and have learned a lot about that tree and the others remaining in our yard. Thank you Ismael, Benno and Margaret (and my in-laws and their chipper) for helping us take it down. Does anyone know where we can find a portable mill to make a “treehouse” out of the remains?

In the past few months we’ve had just one or two families attending the Caring Parents meetings at North Portland Library. It seems like the park days or other outings much better meet the needs. Unless I hear back that there is interest in this I’m going to let go of the regular potlucks.

My son, Julian, after experimenting with food and a video camera over the past 6 months, has been written up in the Oregonian, the Toronto Star, the Sunday London Times, the Irish Examiner and Portland Monthly. We’ve been fielding calls for appearances on the Today Show, Rachel Ray, and even an offer for travel, lodging and performance fees if he would “perform” at a mall in Hong Kong. This, coupled with the fact that the inaugural quartet totally faked it, has left me gaping, incredulous and taken my skepticism and awe of the media to new heights.

On a lighter note, we’ve also had the pleasure of seeing the Continuum Learning Community come to life. I am so delighted that there are so many families interested in supporting each other in this way, and grateful for the skill and effort that Heidi, Emily and others have put into it. (And I’m glad that it is in NE Portland!).

As for me, I’m feeling a little sad today amidst all this, having a hard time getting my needs met- for peace and compassion in my neighborhood, for learning freely, for joy and delight, for honesty, and for knowing that I am a valuable part of the community. I am grateful though for life’s instruction, and hopeful that somehow this weird project will lead me to the place I need to go. Maybe I’ll see you there too.

Happy New Year

We are all so happy to be back amid this wonderful community. Upon our arrival, and the demise of our tree, we are reminded of the wonderful neighbors that surround us.

Thank you for all the input on the parent workshops with Kristin Collier. Looks like it is a go. We will post specifics soon.

Save the day: February 14, for the Garfield Tree Planting. More information to follow soon.

Also for something delightful in the meantime check out Play After Play’s new production:

THE CURING FOX
a Native American story
Jan 10 – Feb 1
Saturdays at 10am and Sundays at 2pm
At The Brooklyn Bay, 1825 SE Franklin, Bay K
Admission $7 /ticket – children under 2 free
For reservations call 503-772-4005
Or email melanya@brooklynbay.org