everything i need to know

Posted on March 14, 2014 by admin

You had just turned seven and that age of reason shined upon us like the sun after a long dark storm.

It was a warm fall day and the Children’s Museum was premiering a new exhibit block party style.  As we walked into the celebration a flash mob broke out with a heart thumping dance.  We watched the neon clad performers alongside the bewildered crowd (flash mobs were still new), your biceps bumping to beat, your three year old brother trying to copy your every shimmy with a sly sideways glance.

After all the dancing, hunger nipped at our heels and we lined up at one of the street food trucks.  There were five people in line ahead of us yet the line moved so slowly I could feel myself aging.  You scattered off to the grass to play tag with some children –faces painted like lions and leopards.

Left alone to wait, I had plenty of time to study what was wrong with the food truck system.  There was one person doing three jobs and none of them well.  They were short-staffed, a dedicated order taker would was needed, an order expeditor /runner to refill the sodas and napkins.  If they implemented my plan they could double their speed and sales

At one point someone in charge of the street festival asked if they would like the band to announce that the truck accepted credit cards?  This ‘in-charge’ person paused then said to the order taker, “Or perhaps you are already feeling maxed… traffic wise?”   The food truck staff stopped what they were doing and huddled behind the sweet potato fryer and conferred.  At length.  Fine they said.  But I stopped the would -be announcer in her tracks.  I piped in my unsolicited opinion that having been in line for more than 30 minutes perhaps it was unwise.    She thanked me, apologized and hurried off.

You ran around on the grass nearby and checked back not less than six times to see if I had food.  Not yet.   When I finally reached the front of the line the order taker announced “I’ll be with you in one moment.”  Really?  I wanted to say instead gritting my teeth.

So close.  The order taker went to help the cooks and then refilled all the drinks, got ice, replenished napkins and straws.  She then announced.  “We are out of the grass fed hot dogs.”  I heard my too loud voice say “Are you kidding me?”  Eyebrows raised to the roof, air constricted in my chest.  “ I have just been standing in line for 35 minutes and now you ran out of hot dogs?”  There was a palpable silence, the cooks inside the truck, suspended their burger flippers midair and peered at me, this harried women angry over hot dogs.  I ranted on.  “Didn’t you know you were running low before just, just… springing it on us?”  No response, perhaps they sensed I had more to say.

I detected you just then in the periphery but I went on.

“I mean really?  It’s only noon and here you are at a Children’s Museum event and it’s a universal rule that one item all children will eat are hot dogs.    Didn’t you know there would be a crowd at a block party?’  When I was finished with my tirade I swatted away the order takers mumbled apologies.  I scanned the now limited menu for something my children would ingest without epic tantrum.   And after another painful setback (delivery of yep, the wrong order) – we got our food.  It was 1pm.  As we walked away you caught my arm.  “Mom,” you said, “What if I grow up and worked there and you were ordering and you didn’t recognize me?  Would you say the same thing to me if I made that mistake?”  Hungry, tired and cranky, my forty year old self mumbled back to you.   Something about teaching you to make better choices.

We ate our lunch and watched the next show.  Suspended in midair trapeze artists flipped and twisted in impossible single-arm holds.    There was a band playing for the kids, the lead singer in a chicken mask.  We turned down your request to purchase $14 maracas and banged on the tables instead.  We danced– all of us, our family of four, in the sun and stayed a little too long. Yet, all the while as I was loving each of you, and your words stayed with me.

That night as I was tucking you into your stuffed animal-filled bed I cleared a place for myself between the well-loved fuzzy dog called puppyness and a new yet-to-be-named cheetah.  “ I have been thinking about your question, how you asked if I would be angry at you if you made a mistake and I didn’t recognize you and I am so glad you said that to me.”  I saw the faint ripple of a smile, tug at the corner of your mouth.  Then it was gone.  Meeting the steady gaze of your round blue eyes I said,  “I learn a lot from you.”

Of course that sweaty order taker on that food truck in her burger joint paper hat with her hair wisping annoyingly into her eyes is somebody’s daughter.   Your seven year old soul was tugging on my busy arm asking me to stop a minute and see that.

I was reminded of a speech I heard by  Salvador Minuchin an acclaimed family therapist.  He said, “The more I learn, the more I realize I don’t know.”    Snuggled in to your bed, overflowing with a veritable zoo of spotted and striped stuffed animals, I wanted to tell how much you teach me about how to be a mother, your mother.  How I learn from you about how to be a decent person in this world and what this world looks like through your eyes.   How, when I am paying attention, you teach me everything I need to know.

 

 

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Moving Past The Past

Posted on February 29, 2012 by admin

I’m sort of an information junky and hope my education and training will never end.    Recently, in my practice in San Diego, CA I have been trained in some exciting new techniques including: EMDR.  Here is the skinny:

EMDR is  Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.

  • It was developed in 1989 by psychologist Francine Shapiro.
  • EMDR is the  most researched effective treatment for  trauma and  Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

When a person experiences a disturbing event they are often unable to make sense of the event and it can get stuck as an injury that never fully heals.  The event can impact them in many subtle and overt areas of functioning.

Talk therapy may help someone understand they can think differently about the event, for example someone who got into a car accident can understand in their head that each time they get into a car does not mean they will crash.  However, sometimes the feelings of trauma are still stuck in non verbal memory.  A survivor of a car accident may have muscle memory and feel tense, every time they get into a car.  EMDR can help the healing process and allow survivors to experience more control.  One unique  aspect of EMDR is that sharing all the details about the traumatic event is not necessary.  For people who are more private but still want to move past their past, EMDR can be very helpful because all of the healing is done inside one’s own head.  This gives the client control in the process and if they wish only to share minimal details with their EMDR therapist they can still make a full recovery.

While more complex trauma can take time to treat,  single incident trauma is often effective in just 1-3 EMDR sessions!

Is my “trauma traumatic enough?”

Sometimes people hear the word trauma and wonder if their stuck experience is EMDR worthy.   Common trauma can include: accidents, dog bites, combat, childhood abuse or neglect, domestic violence, witnessing death or being concerned for one’s own life and safety.    Yet, even “small trauma’s” such as being bullied as a child can be resolved with EMDR.  Treatment for anxiety, panic attacks, grief, addictions, and even performance enhancement can be helped with EMDR.

Wonder if EMDR can help you or someone you know?  Call 800.383.1790

 

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Bilingual Hymn of a Sometimes Tiger Mama

Posted on April 1, 2011 by admin

My bookclub just finished Battle hymn of a Tiger Mother and it caused me to re-evaluate my inner Tigress.  I choose my hymn carefully and it goes something like this, “Kids, you get to decide most things most of the time.  I get to decide some of the things some of the time.” Outcome: No Real Battle.

Sometimes I draw a line in the San Diego sand and say “I get to decide this one.”

The current this one is Spanish.  Why? Because my job is to prepare my children to live in this world and this world is much greater than monolingual-ism. Because the research about flexibility in thinking shows increases with dual language ability and that innate ability starts to disappear in early childhood.   Check out this fascinating video:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fcb8nT0QC6o

For my child, while still in the womb, I choose a Spanish Immersion Magent school and what do you know… my firstborn got in.  Bummer for us was that as a mere neonate I did not  know she would  shrivel up and want to crawl back into the womb if I sent her to this school.   After much gashing of teeth we turned it down.   Instead I launched a full blown Operation Spanish Immersion After School Surprise Attack at her current school.  I researched every possible language option (and my partner would call this an understatement).  Then, I found Lena the fabulous director of Lingua Natal who  now offers a 10:1 ration three times per week (research shows frequency matters more than duration) full Spanish Immersion After School Program.

Are you ready for the real Bilingual Tiger Mama kicker? I made her go over Winter Break too.  That’s right.   While other kids were lounging in new holiday pj’s my child was up and at ‘em. Y en el em Ah Huh.  Because that clock is  ticking.  Did you watch the video?   I forced my shy (understatment) child to attend a winter break camp (with strangers)  at the Lingua Natal’s main campus.  I only found out later that every other kid at camp was already bilingual.  My kid?  She cried (real tears) and refused to go.   I repeated my carefully chosen battle hymn:
“You get to choose most things most of the time.   Learning Spanish is our choice.”

Now,  she’ll tell you with a  I just lost a lower tooth swagger, “I’m the best in my class at Spanish.” She can even translate Spanish Dora cartoons to her dad.  And I don’t  mean that un poco of Spanish on regular Dora.  Nope I mean DORA IN SPANISH. That’s right.  We don’t mess around.  In true Bilingual Tiger Mama form our “screen time” is  in Spanish.

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What’s on my bookshelf?

Posted on March 25, 2011 by admin

Often asked for book recommendations, here is the short list of Baby Maven Favs…

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For Crying Out Loud: coping with colic & reflux*

Posted on March 22, 2011 by admin

*This Article First Appeared in the May issue of San Diego Family Magazine

Does your baby cry a lot?  Maybe you’ve heard that it’s colic but what exactly is colic?

Colic Defined:

Colic is a little understood problem that torments up to 28% of infants and their parents.   In 1954, Morris Wessel a pediatrician at Yale, came up with the Rule of Three to define Colic as crying for more than 3 hours a day at least 3 days a week for at least 3 weeks in a row.

Sometimes is seems that nothing can be done to stop the crying and parents can be left feeling as helpless as their infants.  The piercing cry of a baby with colic is a disturbing sound.  In fact, a colicky babies’ cry has been studied and found to be a more disturbing cry that that of a baby without colic.  A study in Child Development finds that colicky infants produced cries at frequencies of more than twenty one hundred hertx or nearly 25% greater frequency than non colicky babies.1 That is a significantly more distressing cry.

The ongoing sound of an inconsolable crying baby is challenging for parents to endure.  According to an article in the New Yorker, “The sound of a crying baby is just about the most disturbing, demanding, shattering noise we can hear.  The United States military has reportedly used the sound of wailing infants as an instrument of psychological stress, piping recordings…into the cells of detainees at Guantanamo Bay.”

Is it Colic or is it Reflux:

It seems there are trends in diagnosis.  A generation ago babies who cried frequently where labeled as having colic.  Today, many babies with these colic symptoms are diagnosed with reflux.  Yet what many parents don’t know is there is often a correlation between colic, reflux and food intolerance.

The Cure:

Author of Baby Matters, Linda Palmer, says that “with true diligence efforts to find and avoid any irritating foods colic symptoms can be cured at a 90% success rate.”  Pediatric medical professionals such as Dr. Bob Sears recommend first removing the most common allergens which are: dairy, eggs and nuts.  If a baby is formula fed a switch to hydrolyzed hypoallergenic formula is recommended because 60% of babies with dairy allergies will also be sensitive to soy.  However, even the hypoallergenic formulas often contain corn which is a common allergen.  Breastfeeding or finding donated allergy-free breast milk is usually the best option. Labels must be read with care and all foods containing casein, whey, butter or cream, cheese, even “non-dairy” items are lactose-free yet still full of milk protein and must be avoided.  Mother’s also need to be aware that results of an elimination diet are not immediate and that it can take up to two weeks for an elimination diet to work.

In addition, clinical trials indicate that probiotics can relieve symptoms of colic and reflux.  One recent study found that probiotics decreased colicky crying by a whopping seventy-five percent!2 Non dairy probiotics are also available most probiotics come in powder form that can be added to mom’s diet and to baby’s bottles of expressed breast milk.

Alternative Treatments:

Beyond dietary changes there are other alternatives that seem to ease colic.  A product developed by Nanette Meneses  a North County mom who had a colicky daughter is gaining a growing audience of support.  This product is called Happi Tummi and consists of a waistband and herbal pouch that is heated to release healing properties which provide almost immediate relief of most common stomach ailments.

Hold Me Tender:

Parenting style also impacts a baby’s colic. Regular close contact, sometimes called attachment style parenting, will comfort a baby and reduce crying.  Linda Palmer a local attachment parenting expert shares that, “Babies are designed to be next to their parents most of the time, both day and night.” She recommends co-sleeping at night and carrying a baby in a sling by day.  In addition to a sling, bouncing a baby while sitting on an exercise ball mimics the up and down motion babies feel in the womb and can sooth even the fussiest of babies.  This type of sensory input is well demonstrated by Pediatrician Dr. Harvey Karp who practices in LA in his video The happiest baby on the block.

The Cost of Colic:

New trends in the treatment of colic and reflux include looking at the whole family system.  At the colic clinic at Brown Center for the Study of Children at Risk they have found that it’s critical to examine not only how chronic crying affects the baby but how it impacts the parent-child relationship.

Parents can be filled with self doubt and guilt about their basic abilities to nurture and provide comfort for the baby.  It can be especially difficult for parents to stop themselves from wondering if they are doing something wrong when they have friends or family that brag about other “easy” babies.

Research indicates that parents of difficult to sooth babies are at risk for depression.   Feeling overwhelmed from caring for a fussy baby coupled with plaguing self consciousness about taking a crying baby out in public, results in parents of colicky babies becoming isolated.  Unfortunately, without the right resources parents can tend to withdraw at the very times when they need the most support.  There are resources in the medical, mental health and online parenting community for coping with difficult to sooth babies.  Because babies are exquisitely wired to pick up on their primary caretakers feelings, your stress becomes their stress and stress makes symptoms worse.  Therefore, if you have a high needs baby it’s essential that you get the support you need and remember to keep breathing!

Tyia Grange Isaacson, LCSW is the mother of two formerly colicky and reflux babies and the founder of Baby Maven a practice specialized in helping parents. www.babymaven.org

Notes:

  1. Zeskind PS, Barr RG.Acoustic characteristics of naturally occurring cries of infants with “colic”Child Development 1997;68(3):394-403.

2.       Francesco Savino, MD, Emanuela Pelle, MD,Elisabetta Palumeri, MD, Roberto Oggero, MD and Roberto Miniero, MD Lactobacillus reuteri (American Type Culture Collection Strain 55730) Versus Simethicone in the Treatment of Infantile Colic: A Prospective Randomized Study

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Transition into Parenthood

Posted on March 1, 2011 by admin

Arriving home from the hospital with their newborn daughter, Shoshanna and Jon were both overjoyed and overwhelmed. The couple anticipated the happiness they would feel for this very wanted baby, but they were shocked by how hard it was to transition from a duo to a trio.www.babymaven.org 

Shoshanna had spent hours talking to friends and pouring over websites to make the most informed decision on whether to get the Bugaboo or the Peg Perego. She and Jon had taken classes for Lamaze, newborn care, breastfeeding and infant CPR. This couple felt as prepared to be parents as they could be, yet in all of their efforts, they didn’t consider how becoming parents would change them and their relationship.

According to research by Drs. John & Julie Gottman, creators of the Bringing Baby Home Program, 67% of new parents report a decrease in relationship satisfaction after the birth of a child. Shoshanna and Jon found themselves immediately part of these odds; fighting more often, having no time for themselves or one another and feeling crushed under the weight of sleep deprivation. Jon, concerned about the additional costs of a child, retreated to work where he felt competent and needed. Shoshanna wondered if something was wrong with her or their relationship. Why wasn’t she ecstatic that they were finally a family? What this couple didn’t know was that their feelings were perfectly normal.

A recent Newsweek article reports that, in a study of over 31,000 couples, the current generation of parents find parenting forty-two percent more difficult than their predecessors. One of the reasons parents today find themselves more challenged and less happy is the breakdown of communities. In the past, most mothers stayed home and developed a support network of other mothers in their neighborhood. Today, we are challenged with not only more two parent working families but also with the isolation of suburbia.

While we may not live down the street from our parents and our best friends, we can take advantage of the resources in our communities and in so doing, some of the hardships found in parenting today will be mitigated. Most neighborhoods have programs for new mothers such as playgroups or educational classes. It’s important to get involved. Christy joined a breastfeeding support group at her hospital and said, “I knew every Wednesday I would get out of the house and get to talk to other mothers. That was a real life raft for me in the beginning.”

The importance of social support to diminish stress and depression is well documented. Being involved in a playgroup or class is more than time to socialize with other new mothers; getting out of the house and sharing our experiences and concerns with others both reduces the risk and alleviates the effects of post partum depression. Discussing our concerns normalizes our experiences and we feel less alone and less anxious knowing that others are going through similar struggles.

Debra, mother of a two year old, captures this sentiment. “As I was starting a new chapter in my life, becoming a mom, it was really great to have an instant group of friends in my playgroup; here were other moms and babies all at the same stage and the exact same age. I always felt better after going to a playgroup.” Research shows that when women verbally express their experiences they feel rejuvenated. This positive energy in turn helps us give more to our children.

Fortunately, Shoshana learned about a nearby mom’s group and got involved. The many conversations she had with other new mothers helped her to feel less isolated and better able to cope with the huge changes in her life. Asking other mothers about sleep problems, nursing and relationships stress enabled her get the support she needed.

In the next article we will visit with Jon and Shoshanna as they learn essential skills for maintaining their relationship during the transition into parenthood.

A version of this article first appeared in Shalom Baby’s Spring 2007 e-newsletter.

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Help for the Holidays

Posted on December 1, 2010 by admin

www.babymaven.org

The holiday season can be a challenging time, regardless of what you celebrate. Here are some common pitfalls and how to avoid them and make this holiday season a happy memory for all.

Creating New Rituals:

In the lifespan of a new family, you and your partner may be just establishing yourselves as an autonomous family unit. Perhaps this will be your child’s first holiday season or the first time you break tradition with your family or origin. Change especially in the face of tradition, is stressful.

Before having children, Kelly and Dave used to spend Christmas Eve with her family on the East Coast and they’d spend Christmas Day flying to the Midwest to make it in time for Christmas dinner with Dave’s family. “After Emily was born it was just impossible to cram it all in. We fought about it and it was challenging but in the end, having a baby helped us form our own identity as a family and now we are creating our own traditions for Emily.”

Kelly and Dave’s situation is not unique. Every couple, no matter how similar their family of origin in culture, religion and geography is a cross cultural couple, creating for the first time their own unique family culture. Effective couples work on negotiating holiday rituals that bring pieces from their family of origin traditions. This allows the meaningful creation of new traditions that will make up the memories of their own children’s holiday experience.

Structuring your vacation:

Holidays can mean a change in routine. Usually, there is time off from work and school. Often it means travel plans. The change in structure, even if there is no travel, can be stressful on a family. Children especially thrive with order and routine and suddenly having a week or two without the familiar pattern can be a challenge.

“Jack goes to bed at 7:30 and naps from 12-2pm. This holiday with all the family visiting and late night dinners was a disaster,” said, Stacie, mother of two year old Jack “All of his cousins are older and we didn’t eat until past his bedtime. Jack was a wreck and we all wound up cranky.”

Families who vacation well together have perfected the art of balancing the need for consistency and routine with the need for flexibility. Stacie learned that she needed to be consistent with Jack’s bedtime routine, but that she could be flexible about his naps. “Initially it was hard to stand up to the pressure from my family who rarely get time with him. Once my partner and I were able to agree we decided that Jack’s needs came first and the rest of our week went much more smoothly.”

Communicate!

It can be helpful to talk with your partner before the holidays, vacation or travel to discuss your expectations. If you are in agreement on what your goals are for yourselves and your children, on what you can be flexible about and on what you need to be firm, the disruption will be less challenging. Couples tend to revert back to old patterns and roles of childhood when they are around their families of origin. Managing expectations with open communication with one’s partner helps couples present a united front and a solid family unit more likely to be respected by extended family members.

Reconnect with your partner:

Holidays can be a time to connect with extended family or to catch up on projects but don’t forget to use your holidays to connect with your partner too. Go to bed at the same time and spend time sharing about your favorite part of the day, something funny your child did or said or a childhood memory you may not have shared.

With some extra planning and sharing of your ideas, the holidays can present an opportunity for young families to grow closer and create new memories together.

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Favorite Newsletter Art Projects

Posted on March 27, 2010 by admin
Four Winter Art Projects

White projects:
1) Take all sorts of found materials in white, and make a collage on a colored piece of construction paper. Look for ribbon, fabric, white glitter, pipe cleaners, coffee filters, packing peanuts, salt, sugar, white beans. Point out the different colors of white, that there are always lots of shades of one color.

2) Take a white crayon and color a design on white paper. Use a colored water color and paint over your invisible design, covering the whole page. Magically, the design made by the white crayon will appear.

Rainy or Snowy Day Projects:
Put some powdered tempera paint in a shaker. On a rainy or snowy day, shake colored, powdered tempera paint onto a heavy piece of paper, like card stock. Carry the paper outside, keeping it flat, so the powder won’t move. Place it in the rain or snow. Remove it from the precipitation after just a few minutes, the paint will become liquid and make a beautiful design. (If you don’t have tempera paint, you can try this with shaved colored chalk dust. The colors will NOT be as vibrant, but it will work.

Treasure box:
These make great holiday presents. Take an empty cigar box. Glue different shaped macaroni and pasta on the box. Let glue dry. Spray paint (outside!) the box with gold or silver paint. You can line the inside of the box with felt, if you want. A great gift treasure box!

Hint:
When you do an art project, make a sample of the project to keep. Type up instructions, gather materials, and the sample and store all together in a zip-lock bag. Next time you want a project, everything will be together and waiting. These can be hung on a hanger in a closet, or stored in a big bin. Record your comments as well. Great for babysitters

Marsha Loeb received her BFA from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. In addition to being the mother of four and grandmother of two, she taught Mommy & Me art classes for 15 years at the Jewish Community Center in Milwaukee. Ms. Loeb held the position of JCC Day Camp Director and Children & Youth Director at the JCC Milwaukee. She also contributed to the book: Taste of Jewish Traditions, (arts and crafts section) published by the Milwaukee JCC.

Fancy February Art Projects

Crayon muffins

Here is a way to use all those old crayon pieces that are just taking up space.
Break stubs into little pieces.
Mix colors and put pieces in muffin tins.
Place in a 200 degree oven that has been turned off.
Let melt, then cool muffins. Pop out of tins.
Ta Da! Children will have multicolored, easy-to-hold crayons!

Golf ball painting

Supplies:
golf ball(s)
paper
sturdy box top or box bigger than the paper
tempera paint
paper cups
plastic spoons

Choose three colors of paint. Put about one inch of each color in a paper cup. Place paper in box. Put golf ball in one color, then remove and place on paper in box. Roll the ball all around box. Now repeat with other colors. This can also be done with a closed box, so child can really move the ball. In this case, the design will be more of a surprise!

Jewelry

Supplies
tube shaped pastas
large beads
washers
straws cut in one inch pieces
length of yarn

Have your child string a necklace in any order they want. You can try coloring the pasta as well. (Soak pasta in a little cold water that has been dyed with STRONG colors.)
Marsha Loeb received her BFA from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. In addition to being the mother of four and grandmother of two, she taught mommy and me art classes for 15 years at the Jewish Community Center in Milwaukee. Ms. Loeb held the position of JCC Day Camp Director and Children & Youth Director at the JCC Milwaukee. She also contributed to the book: Taste of Jewish Traditions, (arts and crafts section) published by the Milwaukee JCC.

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Valentine’s Day Gift better than diamonds, chocolate or sex

Posted on February 7, 2010 by admin

call 800.383.179010 reasons why Child Proofing Your Relationship Charity Class for Haiti makes THE BEST Valentine’s Day Gift!

1.  It’s a charity event and 100% of the profit  will be donated to Haiti
2. Because it’s a one of a kind date you’ll never forget
3. It’s a fantastic pre-dinner activity and you can get an early bird discount on a sitter (ask how)
4. It’s sure to make your Valentine’s Day magical and bring the spark back to your marriage
5. It’s vetted “guy friendly” format  (with no self disclosure needed)

6. You’ll walk in with a problem and out with a solution
7. Guys if you go you are sure to get lucky that night and more nights from now on
8.  Everyone who has ever taken this class says it exceeds their expectations
9.  You’ll learn a relationship saving conflict solving technique that will blow your mind
10.. Your kids will be the ultimate benefactors because research shows when you make time for your relationship and have a happy marriage  kids are happier, healthier and even smarter.  No joke.

So come on!  Spread the love this Valentine’s Day and help those in need in Haiti at the same time.
February 14, 2010 from 3-6pm
Cost is by Donation
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Spreading the Love: Haitian Relief Fund Charity Class

Posted on January 13, 2010 by admin

I can’t stop thinking about the people of Haiti.  Perhaps it is because I had the fortune of working with  many courageous Hataian immigrants who taught me how to say Sak Pase when I was  a social worker in New York City .  Or maybe it’s because I live near a fault line and earthquake mentality drives my decisions on where to hang  or not to hang pictures  (never over the bed).  Or maybe it’s simply because being a mother has made life  and loved ones so very precious.

So,  I’m helping by spreading love with some charity.  The next “Child Proofing Your Relationship Class” I am offering will be a charity class with proceeds donated to the Hataian Earthquake Disaster Relief Fund

The details:
Childproofing Your Relationship is a crash course for love across a lifetime offered this Valentine’s Day Sunday February 14th in San Diego from 3pm-6pm. Location TBA based on registrations.  Advanced Registration is Required.

Click Here to reserve your spot

Cost: is by donation. Pay what you think it’s worth.  How much is learning how to get your partner to really hear you worth to you?  How much will you spend to learn how to fall in love with your partner over and over again?

100% of the profit will be donated to  Hataian Earthquake Disaster Relief Fund plus Baby Maven will donate $100 when $1,000 is raised.

More about the class:
Child Proofing Your Relationship is a very “guy friendly” format emphasizing the unique role men play. There is no self disclosure necessary.  The format is small lecture segments based on 100% researched information followed by break out session  with your partner.

Who should take the class: It’s most relevant to couples with or expecting children and  the skills can be applied across the lifespan to gay and straight couples.  It also makes a great gift.  Sponsor a couple you love.

And here are just a few of the things people are saying about my past classes:
“You can’t afford not to make this investment in each other.” – Jayme, San Diego

“This class exceeded my expectations by far.” -William A, New York

“I don’t like group sessions and was intimidated by the thought of this workshop but Tyia made the environment very                         comfortable and I feel every minute was very valuable to us.” – JM, San Diego

Call 800.383.1790 with any questions.

Help me spread with word.   Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere  and  by some  stroke of luck we live here.  Tweet it out, email your friends and put it on Facebook…

Lape Haiti

PS- We Raised $850!

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