video: Simplicity Parenting Comes to Portland

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Briauna Skye McKizzie, GoLocalPDX Contributor

On Friday and Saturday, April 17th and 18th, Portland Waldorf School welcomes Kim John Payne, M.Ed. to Portland for a “Simplicity Parenting” lecture and workshop.

After seeing a disconnect between busy schedules and quality parenting, Payne wrote Simplicity Parenting to help parents raise their children by reducing the everyday chaos. Watch the Vimeo video below for a sneak peek of what the weekend has in store.

Payne’s philosophy is anchored in the idea of streamlining the home environment (reducing the amount of sensory clutter), establishing rhythms and rituals, scheduling breaks, and scaling back on media and exposure to adult concerns, according to Mary Beaton, a spokesperson for Portland Waldorf School.

For parents and caretakers alike, this event could be a great experience to learn new tactics for developing a better relationship with your child.

Purchase tickets here.

Simplicity Parenting Lecture, First Unitarian Church, 1211 SW Main St. Friday, April 17th, at 7:00pm.

Simplicity Parenting Workshop, Portland Waldorf School, 2300 SE Harrison Street. Saturday, April 18th, from 9am – 1pm.

Related Slideshow: 5 Secrets for Surviving Toddler Tantrums

Here are five secrets that I have found help with dealing with toddler tantrums.

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1. Don’t Get Upset

Since absolutely nothing productive ever gets done when two people are upset, take a deep breath when you feel yourself start to morph into the Hulk. Step away until you calm down and are ready to deal with the situation like…an adult.

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2. Don’t Give In

I know it’s hard when ten minutes have passed, and this child of the corn is STILL crying. But please, for the love of God, stick to your initial instinct and don’t give your child the meat cleaver that he is crying for. Serious side note: When we give in to what our kids are screaming for, it proves that having tantrums is an effective way “to get what you want.”

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3. Block Out the People Around You

If you’re in public, and at some point your child will have a tantrum in public, block out the people around you. Sure, they might be judging you and writing a Facebook status about how parents need to learn to handle their damn kids when they’re shopping. But who cares, what matters most is that you stay focused on your child and don’t stress yourself out further by worrying about what strangers, who you will never see again, thinks about you and your parenting skills.

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4. Walk Away

A lot of times, children stop “acting out” when their target audience is no longer available. Unless, of course, you're still in public. You should probably stay by the child in that case.

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5. Tell Them You Love Them

This doesn’t work 100% of the time, but it doesn’t hurt to remind your child that no matter how they behave, you will always be there for them, loving them. This might actually get your child to stop fighting you, or it might simply just be a good reminder for yourself. Either way, sometimes saying “I love you” is the best response we can offer.