Dynamic Value Parenting is a highly interactive program designed to enhance parenting skills and thereby strengthen family relationships. The program is based upon the integration of five universal Human Values of Truth, Right Conduct, Peace, Love and Nonviolence into daily family life. The Dynamic Value Parenting workshops give parents the opportunity to turn theory into practice by asking them to become aware of their own and their child’s developmental needs. Parenting workshops are regularly conducted throughout the country. In this past year, Dynamic Value Parenting workshops have been introduced to a First Nations group in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

The program has expanded in recent years, requiring the training of a new generation of facilitators to continue the expansion of the workshops throughout Canada. This is what the participants say about this service to parents:

Together, we learned to be better parents, better spouses, and we also saw how we could leverage these teachings in our workplace. Every human interaction is an opportunity for building confidence, happiness, and a growth mindset. Together, we aligned our perspectives, reinforcing our shared values and deciding to try very hard to live in the moment by being present with our kids and to commit to developing strong, intelligent, sensible, confident and moral human beings.

These workshops helped me improve some of my behavior towards my child and wife. I have learned to control my emotions, show my love and affection, started to empower them, listen with empathy and spend more time with them. Also, I am trying to control my anger and yelling. In a nutshell the workshops have improved the quality of my family life.

My family and I benefited from these workshops in the following ways:

• I listen more than talk to our teenage boys now;
• I have realized that giving children tools to deal with life’s tough situations is more valuable than trying to protect them from being exposed to unpleasant circumstances;
• My husband spends more time playing with our daughter;
• Classes made my husband and me more aware and cautious about our parental skills;
• We are more attuned to each other in terms of our parenting goals and tactics; and
• My husband watches his tone of voice.

The pictures reflect a recent Facilitators Training in September 2016.