Editor’s Note:  The following is not a political statement in any way. Regardless of your feelings about the election’s outcome, this is a moment when in our parenting and in our relationships with others, we can draw on the wisdom of PEP’s teachings.

Today, we seek to move forward after a very contentious and divisive election.  I believe we can take guidance from the lessons we’ve learned at PEP to help us do this.  For many of us who have taken PEP classes, we have found the lessons learned here to be not only helpful in our relationship with our children, but also in our relationships with other adults.

• Listen, and reflect: PEP always reminds us to take the time to listen – not only to our kids, but also our neighbors, co-workers and others around us.  Effective listening includes acknowledging feelings and reflecting back what we hear.  It’s about seeking to understand before being understood.
• Model respect and dignity: ‘Respect’ is the cornerstone of PEP.   PEP encourages us to model respect in our best moments and in our worst moments.  This includes how we treat others, how we allow ourselves to be treated, and how we allow others around us to be treated.
• Uphold boundaries and values: PEP teaches us that along with listening and giving our children a voice, we also want to be clear about our boundaries, which reflect our values.  Our values are our personal compass, and in contentious times especially, our compass guides us.

Most parents will say that they want their children to be gracious in victory, and courageous and resilient in defeat. This is our call now. PEP’s mission encourages us to live out our values in a respectful way through the words we use and the actions that we take every day, so that we can make “positive contributions to our families, our communities, and the world at large.”

Respectfully,

Kathy Hedge and the team at PEP