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WPDI launches 3-part parenting series in California partner schools

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December 05, 2022 – Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative’s US peace education program, the Domestic Harmonizer Program (DHP), is pleased to offer a new parenting program called “Parenting to Meet Our Children’s Needs.” This parenting series features content that is central to the program’s goals of offering education in social-emotional learning and conflict resolution education to entire school communities with the end goal of supporting students. We believe that when parents are supported with the resources to thrive, they can better nurture their own children. This virtual parenting series brings together three incredible experts, who are parents themselves, and who each introduce important topics and skills to help support parents.

Stedman Graham Identity Leadership™ for Parents – 9 Step Success Process© is the first component of the series that is led by Mr. Stedman Graham, business advisor, educator and author of numerous best-selling books. Mr. Graham’s workshop focuses on Identity leadership, which is Self-Leadership based on the philosophy that you cannot lead anyone else until you first lead yourself. “I believe the partnership with WPDI is helping parents to realize that they are not alone,” says Mr. Graham. “Parents have been very receptive to the Identity Leadership methodology, which helps them to understand that parents need to feel empowered, they enjoy hearing about being self-leaders and self-disciplined. The importance of working on self will best influence and maximize their child’s potential.” The identity Leadership for Parents – 9 Step Success Process program is a life and learning management system designed to organize your life around Who You Are. Mr. Graham gears his process for parents in this series to help find inner strength and resilience, and then pass that on to their children.

The second part of the series is conducted by the DHP’s Conflict Resolution Education Trainer, Ms. Karen DeVoogd, who is a seasoned educator, having taught K-12 students and also a highly sought-after professor. She is also a mother and grandmother, whose expertise is both necessary and practical in conflict resolution, communication, and understanding the underlying needs of children. “The reach of DHP to impact the full ecosystem of our school partners now includes supporting parents in their understanding of conflict. It is so encouraging to see the engaged participation of busy parents,” says Ms. DeVoogd. “The conversation on using productive communication strategies is a piece that seems to make a lot of sense to use in the family. The most powerful moments come when participants share specific challenges they face with navigating conflict conversations with their child. Active listening tools really work to help grow deeper understanding of everyone’s needs.”

The third and final part of the series features Mr. Anand Chulani, Founder of the Absolute Champion Methodology, a Trusted Leadership Advisor & Success Coach to Champions in Business, Sports and Entertainment, International Award-Winning Speaker, and an expert in Mental and Emotional Strength and Well-Being. Anand’s methodology helps people live on the path of the Absolute Champion: to be their happiest, most fearless selves and live their true potential. In well over a decade, he has transformed the lives of over 500,000 people across 30 countries, working with elite family businesses, corporate leadership teams, boards of directors of companies as well as having personally coached champions in sports and entertainment. During Mr. Chulani’s parenting session, he encouraged parents to change their mindset – to let go of the old formula we’ve all been taught that success=happiness and to instead flip it to happiness=success. He also emphasized the need to empower their children to make happiness with themselves and to build success on top of this foundation of self-worth and self-love. Mr. Chulani encourages parents to see their children as they are, not based on parents’ own expectations and judgements and allow children to follow their gifts and talents so that they become secure and confident on their own. “I am grateful to be able to serve Forest Whitaker’s incredible mission by helping parents be and raise resilient champions through this powerful series,” says Mr. Chulani. “I was truly touched by the vulnerability and authenticity of the parents and school leaders who were part of this program. Through their examples, I know we can show our children how to be Champions rather than Achievers, how to live a life of “being more” rather than “doing more.” Family healing starts with each of us healing our own wounds and parenting from a place of love and courage rather than fear and frustration. Your child is not a mini-you. They have a unique soul and spirit. Help them discover who they really are instead of trying to make them who you want them to be.”

Parents who have attended these workshops have commented on the helpfulness of the series with feedback such as how it helped them “lead myself and my family”, “learning from the author on how to make my life more meaningful,” and “I received some skills that I believe will help me as a person and as a parent.” We are pleased to offer this parenting series and offer these powerful speakers and their expertise to the parents in the schools that we serve.