Leading Your Child to Success

Shakeita – Chicago, Il

No children yet

Shakeita grew up on the South Side of Chicago. She is the third of 15 brothers and sisters, so being around children certainly wasn’t new to her. She also knew, however, that when she became a mom she wanted it to be a more planned, less chaotic environment than what she had.

As a high school student, Shakeita first met Elane through a mentorship program each was engaged with. They paired up as mentor/mentee and it has been a gorgeous learning process for both ever since. Now, as a professional in the medical industry, she is excited to plan ahead for her future family. Although she and Elane have been working with one another for years, this is Shakeita’s first time taking the course.

Dave – Greensboro, Nc 

Father of two adult children

A marketing and communications man of the highest caliber, responsible for some of the most memorable ads of the 80s and 90s, David and his wife found themselves in a situation for which they had no words. When he was very young, their son was diagnosed with severe autism. The two were propelled into a world of caregiving against all odds, but they persevered. Now, both adults, his children are doing well. This is his first time taking the course.

Jessica – San Francisco, Ca

Mother of two children under 5

Jessica is a child of Vietnamese immigrants, who was raised in Texas, who later married a Canadian-born man whose own parents were Italian immigrants. Her family is an incomparable example of the 21^st century family!

She is as hands-on as a parent can be, having chosen to stop working and raise both kids, until both are in school full time. She is always looking for more information and more tools for her parenting tool-box so that when the inevitable challenges arise, she feels ready to handle them. This is her first time taking the class.

Herman – Alpine, Tx 

Grandfather

Herman is, by all accounts, a traditional man. Born to a mexican family in which the men and women ate separately, and fathers and sons didn’t speak unless absolutely necessary, hard work (and a little fun off the books) was mandatory. As his own sons grew up, though, Herman saw the world around him changing and knew he wanted to further develop his relationships – with his wife, his sons and, most importantly, his grandchildren.

“I want to be a better grandfather than I was father,” he told Elane. So he joined an in-person “Leading Your Child to Success” class when one came available near his home. With language and ideas so far from anything he’d ever considered, Herman knew he would need the class again. So here he is for the second time!

Bryan – Las Vegas, Nv

Father to an infant son and 8-year-old daughter

Bryan, a primary teacher and administrator, found himself in attendance of an in-person Leading Your Child to Success class about a year before this recording. He was there, he thought, to expand his professional wheelhouse, especially with regard to helping parents who were interested in better supporting their children at home. Far beyond that, Bryan was blown away by the scope of the course; that it’s not focused solely on kids at school and at home.

Instead, parents are invited to consider their family’s relationships with one another, the school, and their community from the time they are born to the time they go to work. At the time he was just about to get married and in the process of adopting a wonderful little girl. But by the time this recording came around, he had his own infant son and was thrilled at the opportunity to take the course again from the perspective of a parent.

Somer – Los Angeles, Ca

Mother of  a 2-year-old son

Somer was in a unique position to take the class. As Elane’s youngest daughter, she had essentially lived the course as a child. But as a parent herself now, she was excited to look at the process of how to thoughtfully lead one’s family, in a linear and applied way. Somer is a designer, after all. Her work in the field of architecture means she likes details and specificity! Although she lived the tenets and practices of the class growing up, she had never formally taken the class.