The Motivational Speaker

Inspiring Presentations by Ronit Baras

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Cultural Diversity Event in Ipswich

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I am in the newspaper!

When politicians like MP Shayne Neumann are involved, the media becomes interested in what happens. This week, I ran a cultural diversity workshop for various organisations in Ipswich on with my colleagues from Together for Humanity and the event was captured by a quick reporter.

A JEW, a Muslim and a Christian came together to lead discussion in Ipswich yesterday about learning to live with differences of belief.

In the audience were more than 40 educators and community workers – police, school teachers, advocates for refugees, Red Cross and council representatives –who deal daily with religious diversity.

The first “diversity” workshop at Ipswich’s Civic Centre was put on by Together for Humanity, an Australian organisation set up in 2002 to promote understanding and tolerance.

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Kids Leading Social Change

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clip_image002[3]_thumbThe thought of making a difference first hit me when I was 16. Before that, I was a bit numb. I do not really remember thinking about others much. I was in a world of my own, trying to survive the troubles of the day, schooling and fighting with my parents. You know, those regular things teens go though and consider the end of the world.

When I was 16, I became a very good student and experienced success and comfort. Suddenly, I realized there were others around me who were much less fortunate. It was funny how four months in my life had changed my perception so much. In 10th Grade, everything was tough, I thought my life was horrible and I did not manage very well. I envied everyone around me, convinced their lives were easy and fun.

But in 11th Grade, a month after school started, everything changed. I realized I was a very lucky girl. I started writing poetry, joined the junior school council and was even chosen to be one of the teens going to Egypt as the first youth delegation after the peace treaty was signed between Israel and Egypt.

From a needy student with lots of problem, I became a leader and organized many events to bring people together and help those with fewer friends and lower academic abilities. Because I had been on the other side, it was easy for me to understand those who did not succeed.

In my Year Book, I wrote I would like to be a journalist and my favorite song was “Imagine” by John Lennon. I had John Lennon’s song posted on the door of my wardrobe and I thought that one day I would make it a reality.

My poetry was in protest of injustice and in search of love. From there, going to study Special Education was a natural progression. Evidently, making a difference was a major value for me.

Everything was clear until I got some exposure to Buddhism. That made the ideas of “change” and “making a difference” seem somewhat problematic. Why change? Why not accept what is and let go of the desire to change? But later, as I grew, I understood that acceptance does not mean compromise and that kindness is still the key to making a difference and making this world a better place.

It is funny how things turn out.

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Parenting Workshops Help School Win

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Derek Brady, Principal, Uppet Mt Gravatt State School

Mr. Derek Brady, principal of Upper Mount Gravatt State School says having a life coach attached to his school to deliver professional development and parenting workshops has been instrumental in his school’s excellent performance.  Mr. Brady’s school has won the 2010 QUT Showcase Award for Excellence in Leadership for its ‘Healthy Minds, Healthy Bodies, Healthy Spirits’ program, in which the wellbeing of the entire school community is addressed, including teachers, non-teaching staff, parents and students.

With the guidance of the Kids Matter government initiative and by engaging Ronit Baras, a Brisbane-based life coach, Upper Mount Gravatt State School has already had 100% of staff trained in the ‘Be Happy in LIFE’ coaching program and 60 parents trained in the ‘Happy Parents Raise Happy Kids’ parenting program.

‘That has a huge impact’, says Mr. Brady, ‘Because it creates a common language everyone can use at the school and the “spin-offs”.  This is helping with the kids’ wellbeing and, ultimately, with their learning outcomes’.

One of the main things Mr. Brady has seen is a big improvement in the children’s behaviour.  ‘We haven’t had a suspension in 4 years’, he says proudly, ‘There’s no Detention room, there is a real happiness around the school and the kids are really vibrant’.

Another positive change is students’ ability to handle issues independently.  ‘Kids are more resilient’, says Mr. Brady.

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Great Parenting Feedback

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I just wanted to share with you some feedback I received from one of my recent parenting workshops. One of them is of particular interest, because he is … a man! Men are rare in parenting workshops, but this one had a few and they were really happy they came.

Everything was useful. Ronit’s stories and humour make the course fun for me. The examples were excellent and the atmosphere was great. Ronit was fantastic. Great lady and with loads of information to help me.

[The workshop] makes you take a step back and look at how you deal with things at home and with yourself. It taught me to believe in myself to help me make the changes to become a better parent and that is also going to help me become a better person.

A. C. (mother)

Ronit Baras - The Motivational SpeakerI found it enlightening. Work on being happy and the kids will follow. The pink elephants, the wolves, communication styles, positive expectations and self-motivating behaviour with practical, real-life examples, have given me a new and positive perspective on parenting.

Ronit’s style was informal and friendly. [She is] easily understood and has the ability to keep all participants interested and involved without being intrusive. The examples were very good and practical. Although I am more visual than auditory, I could have kept listening for much longer. She could respond easily to the participants and keep things moving.

I believe that this Better Parenting Program is exceptional and inspiration in “opening the door” to being a better parent and a happier person with simple and easy to understand techniques that cannot fail to make parenting easier and family life better. Children who grow up in a family that applies this way of thinking must be at an advantage.

Bruce Thompson

I was honoured to coach A. C. and Bruce and I am honoured by their feedback.

If you want to get the same for yourself, ask your school principal or Parents and Friends association to book my Better Parenting Skills workshop.

See you soon,
Ronit

Fathers should Join Parenting Workshops

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Were you inspired by the video clips of Irene and her new parenting skills after she attended my Better Parenting Skills workshop? Well, here is the final part of Irene’s story, with a message for fathers at the end.

Since we all take our first parenting steps with our first child, most of us make the most parenting mistakes with that child too. In that case, Irene’s experience should seem very familiar and now, she knows what to do about it!

I believe that fathers are as important to their kids as mothers are, especially for boys. Many men find it more difficult to learn parenting, which is why many of my workshops have an overwhelming female majority, but this has to change!

Girls, show your husbands Irene’s video testimonials, especially this one, and ask them to come along to learn parenting. Fathers who have attended have gotten wonderfully close to their kids and are truly happy they have come.

Book this great workshop for your own school or organization.

See you soon,
Ronit

More Success from Parenting Workshop

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Remember Irene and her exciting new parenting skills after she attended my Better Parenting Skills workshop?

Well, last time, Irene told us how she managed to use her new knowledge of communication styles and love languages to get closer to her son. This time, she is talking about one of her daughters.

Enjoy!

Book this great workshop for your own school or organization.

See you soon,
Ronit

Exciting Parenting Success Story

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It can be difficult to demonstrate the results of any presentation, course or workshop. If I write about “the great benefits” and “excellent results” myself, it just gets classified as self-promoting hype.

So at the recent Better Parenting Skills workshop I ran for a school in Brisbane, I asked participating parents “Why are you here?” and captured on video their reasons for coming to the workshop. A month later, I revisited the school and captured on video the great benefits and excellent results they described.

These are real parents telling their personal stories of parenting success.

Here is the first one, the story of Irene (please turn up the volume and excuse the shaking):

Pretty exciting, isn’t it?

Ronit

Parents Learn Invaluable Things

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Yesterday, a group of excited parents gathered in a big room for a Better Parenting Skills workshop. Some of the parents were also teachers at the nearby Upper Mt Gravatt State School, one was the principal, one was from the Lions Club, who sponsored the event, and the rest were parents from the school community.

I started by asking them why they were there and what they wanted to learn. Here are some of things they said:

  • How to handle kids’ behavioral problems
  • How to support kids with their academic and emotional development
  • How to feel well-equipped for parenting
  • How to feel like good parents who do the right things by their kids

During the day, there were many “aha” moments. Parents learned about using positive language, recognizing communication styles and love languages and focusing their parenting on the things that are truly important to them.

For example, one parent told the group he’d had friction with his son for spending too much time on specific details, while he’d just wanted “to get on with it”. During the parenting workshop, he found out his son wasn’t being picky but may in fact be digital. With a bit of patience and an understanding of communication styles, this parent can now improve the communication with his son a great deal.

When asked what she would tell a friend about this workshop, Terri Schneeberg said:

It was like looking in a mirror… Very interesting. I like the way Ronit explains things. Take the time to attend. Invaluable!

Another parent said:

I found Positive Thinking useful. It was fun playing games. It’s great to be here with other parents to share and learn in this skill to change yourself to do a good job as a parent.

Derek Brady, the principal of Upper Mt Gravatt State School, summarized by saying:

This workshop was thought-provoking and had a significant meaning for my work life and home life. A fantastic experience that shifted my thinking.

I am happy to know there is now another group of inspired, focused parents out there, making the world a better place, one child at a time.

Ronit

Language of the Heart at Upper Mt Gravatt

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I’ve just returned from presenting Language of the Heart at Uppert Mount Gravatt State School. Today is a student-free day and I was part of the teachers’ professional training.

Teachers are usually more switched on than the general population and keep up with new trends in education and educational technology, so I wasn’t sure how familiar they were with the acquisition of multiple languages. Besides, Upper Mount Gravatt students come from nearly every country on Earth.

As it turns out, this school has its own share of multicultural challenges and the teachers were very excited to discover the link between academic achievement and speaking several languages. But what excited them even more was the connection between speaking another language at home with the parents.

The Upper Mount Gravatt parents find it difficult to influence their kids’ values and direct their morals in English, because they can’t express themselves well enough to convey complex and/or emotional ideas. The teachers found a good explanation for what goes on in their classes and for why parents shy away from being involved at school.

I was very happy to be able to provide some relief to a challenging situation and help parents and teachers come together for the benefit of the kids.

The teachers agreed in the end that Language of the Heart should be attended by many of the parents at the school and I was thrilled to be able to make a difference with my presentation.

Here’s what one person said about Language of the Heart today:

I have totally changed the way I think about parents speaking in their language to their kids

Lisa Conroy, Teacher

The Motivational Speaker is Live!

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I’m so happy I could jump out of my skin!

My new website is up and running and already showing my motivational presentations and workshops in two areas: Cultural Awareness and Diversity and Communication and Relationships.

This is a great place for schools, community organizations, youth services, government services and schools anywhere in the world to find and book some inspiration for their own audiences.

Read the site, find out more and book on any presentation page.

Ronit

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