Speaking of Speaking

WooHoo! As I write this today, I'm excited to gather notes and prepare to speak tonight about understanding your child's temperament.

I'm speaking to moms at a Mothers Of Preschoolers (MOPS) gathering. I've

spoken frequently to MOPS groups and find them eager to learn, respectful, and full of parenting questions. The meeting format includes a guest speaker who has about 35-55 minutes. While the name of the group suggests moms with 3-5 year-olds, MOPS moms often have elementary age children too, and some have a pre-teen at home.

Last month I taught a Child Growth and Development class to licensed childcare providers for the state of Ohio. We covered the gamut from newborns to school-age kids.

In September I also had a booking to speak at a public library. This program planner wanted me to share about the customs and beliefs of the Amish. I took a suitcase of Amish clothes my son-in-law's mother (he grew up/left the Amish) gave him after he married our daughter. Our home is also a haven to some Amish runaways who need help adjusting to life on the "outside."

When I started out in 1996 (okay, I'm old) as a professional speaker on child development and parenting issues, I never would've imagined that I'd morph into a speaker about the Amish culture. But there is a connection because I'm called "mom" by some ex-Amish. And parenting a child from another culture is quite the challenge!

If your group, church, school, family organization, or conference needs a speaker who builds stronger families through parent empowerment, email me speaker2parents @ juno.com. We'll discuss your time, date, event needs, and fave hot topic.