Raising Authentic Children
Norma’s interest in raising authentic children stems from her degree in human development and her first career path directing multiple large Head Start preschool programs for low-income preschoolers. During this time, she also created early intervention programs to identify learning deficits in preschool children and was the early childhood consultant for a Los Angeles Archdiocese. Through these roles she gained deep passion for helping young children align with their natural gifts and talents.
She learned that in our well-meaning attempts to be good parents, grandparents, teachers and caregivers for children we often seek to tame the child’s authenticity to the point that it becomes unrecognizable.
This especially happens when we put our children on paths that we prescribed for them before they were even born, when parents made a pre-birth decision about what their child’s life will be like or who they want their child to be. As a result, these children often miss the opportunity to connect with their natural gifts and talents and learn who they truly are. And this is often the source of unhappiness as an adult – not honoring the authenticity that lives within.
Recognizing that over 50% of the jobs that will be available for today’s youth have not even been conceived yet, it is wise to examine how to raise children for jobs that don’t yet exist. The answer is to raise them based on the natural gifts and talents that reside within them. When children can be introduced to their gifts and then be guided to develop and master their gifts, can then apply them to the employment options that will be available for them when they reach working age. In this way they are guaranteed to be employable and also have greater opportunity to find peace and joy in life. They become authentic human beings and happier adults.
My Journey to Authenticity
When We Were Children
SIGNATURE PROGRAM:
Find, Live and Share Your Child’s Natural Gifts and Talents
In this presentation Norma introduces parents and caregivers to the nine wisdom gifts that live within all of us. These gifts dictate how we view the world and how we best operate within the world.
Children display their natural gifts and talents while very young. The wise parent can discover the gift and help the child develop it. Doing so gives the child a lifelong skill that is valuable in society, no matter what direction society takes in the future.
In this session Norma administers an assessment that helps audience members discover their own natural gifts and talents and those of their children. With this knowledge the audience then gets equipped with information, tools and techniques to raise children to excel in their authentic gifts and talents.
Also included is the opportunity for coaching to discuss children’s needs and how to help them best develop and express their gifts.
Outcomes:
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Seeing the world from the eyes of a young child
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Learning how to identify the natural gifts and talents of children
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Discovering the value of raising children by their natural gifts and talents
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Improving ability to listen to and communicate with children
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Learning how we can impact the world through raising authentic children
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Increasing confidence as a parent
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Becoming a better role model for children
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Norma can also provide a custom presentation to meet your specific needs. Use this link to schedule a conversation with Norma to discuss your needs. www.MeetWithNorma.com.
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Testimonials
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“Through our conversations, I realized internal and external influences were the culprit of my lack of confidence in raising my own children. We spoke at length about my life and my goals for my children. I was empowered by Norma’s guidance of living authentically, and then raising my children in that manner. Thank you Norma for your guidance and compassion.”
Heidi Marshall-Greene
Dallas, TX
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“As a 50 year old man who neither had siblings nor children of my own, you can imagine the fear and anxiety around my being tasked with the rearing of my 5 month old niece. Your coaching and suggestions for expanding my limiting beliefs helped me view this chapter of my life not as something to dread, but as an adventure in helping a newly arrived spirit develop and connect to the purpose and destiny for which she was gifted to this planet. That changed so much for me, from my level of patience to my ability to let go of the need to control every facet of my environment in the face of an infant’s intervention. Apal is 6 now and well on her way to becoming a fully expressed force for change in the world. Thank you for saving us both.”
Paul Scott
Los Angeles, CA
“Norma offered quick strategies that don’t require a lot of time to work with children and families at home and in the classroom. It made us stop and think about our lives and how we can be more authentic.”
Hope Edwards, Director Wilson Head Start,
Phoenix, AZ