Interact to build empowering life stories
Did you know that in the first 1000 days of life, a child is actively gathering clues about trust, self-confidence and self-discipline? The young child continues building on this understanding every day throughout childhood. Daily, the younger person receives clues about how to understand and function in the world. Your words and actions are influencing the personal development of every child in your life. You may think time will tell the child’s life story, but it’s the daily interactions, starting at birth, that tell even more.
Parents, teachers, or anyone who interacts regularly with a younger person can greatly empower the youth’s life story, one interaction at a time. Having a meaningful interaction for at least five minutes a day can allow the youth to gain confidence, perseverance, motivation, understanding, and more. When you intentionally respond to the child’s needs rather than react to them, you are Response-able. The sooner you start engaging in response-able interactions, the better… for the youth and you!
If it’s not going to be you, then who will be the one to help the youth to grow into the best versions of themselves? The scary truth is if children are not moving forward in their personal development, they are likely moving backward. There is no standing still during these precious years. Unless you methodically pay attention to and learn to interact in ways that strengthen the younger person’s development, your daily interactions will be as helpful as the unconscious streaming that occurs when playing a video game! There will be no clear message that truly benefits the youth’s wellbeing. Today is the best day for you to have a Response-able Youth Interaction. Your words have the potential to impact a life story!
WANTED: RESPONSE-ABLE ADULTS!
Anyone who interacts with the youth can be more response-able, one interaction at a time!
RESPONSE-ABLE PARENTS
You teach a child for a lifetime. You establish the foundation and develop valuable traits and lessons throughout childhood.
Get Response-able
Are you ready to join us and commit to “Get Response-able with the Youth”? Click below to get the
FREE download so you can start today to positively influence the younger person’s life story.
RESPONSE-ABLE TEACHERS
You teach a child for a period of time. You mature specific knowledge and skills that support the youth’s personal development.
“You never know when a moment and a few sincere words can have an impact on a life.”
~ Zig Ziglar
About Denise Forrest, Ph.D.
The Response-able author, mentor, and leader
For over 30 years, as a parent, grandmother, educator, and researcher, I have passionately pursued to understand the characteristics of effective adult-youth interactions. Through the research I’ve conducted, as well as stories gathered along this journey, I’ve heard many adults talk about time and circumstances are what decides a person’s life story. Yet, the truth is, a life story is merely an accumulation of the daily interactions experienced with others, and with ourselves. And, the interactions throughout childhood are the most critical because that communication establishes the foundation and initial perceptions used to create a life story.
In the first years of life, children are actively gathering clues about who to trust, how to get their personal desires met, and what to expect. Every day, they seek to know more. Every day, they are building fundamental associations about how to interact in their world. They use these clues to make sense of their world. They only know what they know, and at first that is not much. As the younger person accumulates more life experiences, they continue gathering clues. They gather most of their clues from the interactions they have with adults.
In the decades of studying effective, vs. ineffective, adult-youth interactions, I have realized fundamental insights, tools, and strategies to help maximize and accelerate a younger person’s learning and personal development. I feel excited and privileged to share this knowledge and practice with parents, teachers, and others who regularly interact with the youth. I wholeheartedly believe when more adults can intentionally and effectively interact with the youth, we can sculpt more empowering life stories, which will ultimately make the world a better place to be. We can do this, one interaction at a time.
For over 30 years, as a parent, grandmother, educator, and researcher, I have passionately pursued to understand the characteristics of effective adult-youth interactions. Through the research I’ve conducted, as well as stories gathered along this journey, I’ve heard many adults talk about time and circumstances are what decides a person’s life story. Yet, the truth is, a life story is merely an accumulation of the daily interactions experienced with others, and with ourselves. And, the interactions throughout childhood are the most critical because that communication establishes the foundation and initial perceptions used to create a life story.
In the first years of life, children are actively gathering clues about who to trust, how to get their personal desires met, and what to expect. Every day, they seek to know more. Every day, they are building fundamental associations about how to interact in their world. They use these clues to make sense of their world. They only know what they know, and at first that is not much. As the younger person accumulates more life experiences, they continue gathering clues. They gather most of their clues from the interactions they have with adults.
In the decades of studying effective, vs. ineffective, adult-youth interactions, I have realized fundamental insights, tools, and strategies to help maximize and accelerate a younger person’s learning and personal development. I feel excited and privileged to share this knowledge and practice with parents, teachers, and others who regularly interact with the youth. I wholeheartedly believe when more adults can intentionally and effectively interact with the youth, we can sculpt more empowering life stories, which will ultimately make the world a better place to be. We can do this, one interaction at a time.