Want to reduce household stress? Start with the toy box.
On Monday (Jan. 21), parenting consultant Kirsten Andrews is sharing secrets to simplifying the home environment, reducing anxiety and increasing harmony in the family. Her talk is a part of Cedar Valley Waldorf School's free Community Parenting Education Series on Mondays at 7:30 p.m.
"Environment is often a favourite area for parents to tackle first because it is easy to identify and offers tangible results," Andrews said in a statement. "Cleaning out closets and toy boxes can be fun for some and challenging for others, but the results always provide satisfaction for everyone, especially if you are overrun by all the new items the holidays brought."
Children are easily overwhelmed by chaos, Andrews noted, whether it's in the home, having an exhausting schedule or little to no rhythm and routine. When a house is out of order and you can't find the floor in the family room, children become stressed, she said.
"Adults do too, but it's our responsibility to keep things in order, not theirs," Andrews said.
Children express anxiety in numerous ways - clinginess, difficulty listening, the inability to focus - she said.
"On the lower end of a scale you see that quirks appear in funny ways and give children personality, but when you add stress to the mix and that number inches higher up, you see children labeled with disorders like ADHD, OCD or oppositional defiance disorder," Andrews said.
During the Simplicity Parenting session, Andrews will give parents tools to identify their child's stresses and tips on how to eliminate them.
On Jan. 28, Christine Martin, Cedar Valley principal and teacher, will host a presentation on "Media and Its Effects on Developing Minds." The following talk, on Feb. 4, will delve into "The 12 Senses" as outlined by Waldorf education founder Rudolf Steiner.
For more information on the series visit www.CedarValleySchool.com or call (604) 898-3287. The school is located at 38265 Westway Ave. in Valleycliffe.
