While it took some stepping outside his comfort zone to begin promoting his upcoming series of Connected Parenting workshops, which begin next Thursday, Feb. 15, most people who know Adam Quandt aren’t surprised about this latest venture.
In fact, they may even be wondering what took him so long in the first place. A part of Antilles School’s faculty, Quandt has made learning about and practicing the art of non-violent communication a part of his repertoire for years now, and as an educator, has dedicated his time to the social and emotional development of his students.
“It’s my life’s work — I’ve been a parent for the last 24 years, I’ve been in education, and have been going through my own process as a human being to see how I can grow, be more mindful and allow more joy and ease in my life,” he said.
Passing that onto others is really the premise behind Connected Parenting, which gives workshop participants the chance to deepen their own self-empathy, understand more about important developmental stages in their children and find new ways to connect with them.
While that may be a stretch for some who are new to the world of mindfulness and intention, Quandt explained that it’s more about thinking about what you might want for yourself and pushing it outward.
“It’s more of a self-inquiry,” he said. “I’m not going to sit there and tell people how to parent. It’s more about the different ways of approaching parenting from a personal standpoint and if there is a desire to shift the dynamic within the family to meet that, we can offer some of the tools and strategies needed to make that happen.”
Everyone has basic needs, especially on the emotional level, he added, though it’s not often that we honor or even understand them.
“We may have been taught not to think about it, or to move on. But if you want to understand it, and if you want to connect more deeply with your child, that’s what the workshops are meant to do,” Quandt shared.
And, in the beginning, it may be uncomfortable.
“Anytime we look for any type of change, it’s going to be uncomfortable,” Quandt said. “It took a lot of time for me to feel comfortable to step into this role and offer this series — I had to take a look within me and say, this is really what’s inside of me that’s been building. This was the first step, as it could be for others. But if we want to set the example, to set the tone and show our children the importance of self-care, honoring ourselves and being willing to change, if we’re willing to push ourselves to show up in a better way, then it’s going to have an incredible ripple effect outward.”
The first of four Connected Parenting Classes begins on Feb. 15 at 6:30 p.m. in the Antilles School library, and will continue on Thursdays. To find out more, click here, or email adamsquandt@gmail.com.
