Helping kids be unstoppable: An elephant in the room

Hi Friends,

This is Maria, Founder of After School University. One of my biggest passions is helping kids be unstoppable. I am a mom of three kids myself, and just like you, my dream is to give the world to them.

Here is a BIG elephant in the room: I don’t have all the answers and I’m not going to teach you how to parent, teach, or influence others. 

No WAY!

Just as our kids are incredible and unstoppable, so are you. The way we parent or teach our kids, the values we share with them, and how we define success are different for each of us, and there is huge beauty and power in each of our approaches.

The Story Behind the Story

One of my hardest years was 2016. That year, I felt I was loosing my teenage daughter, Tatiana. It broke my heart. That I was feeling devastated is an understatement.  We could not communicate or understand each other, we stoped being friends, and we did not feel like a family. I thought we’d done everything right: we went to church, she got good grades in school and was involved in sports. We did things together as a family, and showed love and support to our kids. 

Why were things falling apart? I was in a deep world of self-judgement. I felt like a failure. In an attempt to find solutions, I saw counselors, read books, listened to podcasts, and came to seminars. Nothing was working. 

On Mothers Day 2016, I was extremely upset at another miscommunication with my daughter. I was hurt and confused, and felt helpless. That day, I picked up a small book, “As A Man Thinketh” by James Allen. It changed my life.

“Men do not attract that which they want, but that which they are.”

I re-read that sentence and thought “What?” The concept was hard to swallow. I wondered whether in order to see different results, I’d need to change myself, elevate my level of awareness, develop a new belief systems that could lead to new results, and learn to lead and communicate in new ways. Which honestly felt a little impossible. 

However, I reminded myself that the only thing worse than being stuck is being stuck. 

My Three Commitments to Myself and Now to You

That day, I made three commitments to myself:

• Define success for myself and my kids in a new way, and to hold this image at all times
  
  
• Grow myself 
  
  
• Surround myself with people who are bigger and greater than I am

For Christmas 2018, Tatiana wrote me a letter. “You’re my hero,” she said. She said she’s learning from me, and wants to be like me. She sees a big change in me and it inspires her to become the best she can. Not only has our relationship blossomed and transformed, but incredible changes start happening in her: self-esteem, motivation, critical thinking, determination, focus, and self-discipline. Each time she shares her thoughts with me, I think “She’s going to be ok, I can trust her, and she’s on the path to become unstoppable!”

These Tools Are from the Movers and Shakers of this World

The tools I’m using and continue to learn are practiced by CEOs of the biggest global companies, and by the movers and shakers in this world. If it works for them, why not become intentional about using it in our families and sphere of influence? 

My life and I are a work in progress. I’ll continue to grow and experiment and am honored that you are joining me in this journey!

Love

Maria