Introduction Nurturing Family Infrastructure Month-by-Month Values LifeBalance Become a member

Introduction

1. NURTURING. There are certain basic elements of a nurturing environment or atmosphere like communication and positive reinforcement and mutual respect that have to prevail in a home before any real teaching can be done. So that children of all ages can understand and adopt these elements, along with their parents, we have depicted each one with an animal symbol. These animal symbols and the stories and explanations that can make them come alive for children can be viewed and studied by clicking the "Nurturing" button on the valuesparenting home page. This is the first phase of the course.

2. INFRASTRUCTURE. Like any institution that is intended to last and to give esteem and identity to its members, a family must have a basic infrastructure of laws, traditions, and responsibility-sharing. Putting this infrastructure carefully and solidly in place within a home takes time and effort (like constructing roads and bridges in a city), but once it is built, it saves time and benefits its members every day. After the nurturing atmosphere or environment of Phase I is established, it is time to install this family infrastructure as Phase II. You can get guidance and instruction for how to do it by clicking on "Family Infrastructure."

3. MONTH-BY-MONTH VALUES. One key reason for creating a nurturing atmosphere and building an infrastructure of family responsibility is to get to a point where specific values can be effectively taught to your children. The most purposeful and proactive way to do this is to focus on one clear and specific value each month. When an isolated, individual value is concentrated on, opportunities to talk about it will crop up everywhere - from TV shows or movies to what happens at school or work. Click on "Value of the Month" and on "Teaching Children Values" program to learn more about teaching one value each month. For preschool children, the "Joy School" click is a great monthly forerunner to teaching values. Focused, purposeful teaching of one value per month (or one form of joy) is Phase III of becoming a better, happier family.

4. LIFEBALANCE. As parents work through the sequence of nurturing, infrastructure, and values within their families, they will feel the need to better balance their own personal lives so as to have the time and energy necessary to devote to their children and homes. Developing that personal life balance is the focus of Phase IV which can be pursued by clicking the "Lifebalance" icon to the left.

We personally invite you, as a fellow parent, to undertake this four-phase course and promise you that it will lead to a happier family and to more responsible children!

All the best,

Richard and Linda Eyre