Peaceful Parenting Day!

Lets plant the seeds of freedom in our

community by celebrating Peaceful
Parenting Day on the third Monday of
February!
Where does all this violence in the
world come from?
Ironically enough, the answer has been
literally under our noses, for youll find
no greater imitators of life than children.
Like sponges, they absorb their cultural
surroundings; and like mirrors, reflect
those social norms and attitudes. From
the bullying environment of government
schools to being spanked at home, they
learn from adults that violence is a way to
solve personal and societal problems.
On Peaceful Parenting Day, help end the
cycle of violence by spreading awareness.
Pass out fliers. Hold up signs. Remind
your community that children are people,
too.

Additional Resources:
Respectul Parents, Respectful Kids: 7 Keys
to Turn Family Conflict into Cooperation by
Sura Hart and Victoria Hodson
Beating the Devil Out of Them: Corporal
Punishment in American Families and Its
Effects on Children by Murray A. Straus
Radical Unschooling - A Revolution Has
Begun by Dayna Martin
Hold On to Your Kids - Why Parents Need
to Matter More Than Peers by Gordan
Neufeld, Ph.D., and Gabor Mat, M.D.
Dont Do Drugs Stay Out Of School by
Laurette Lynn
Real-Time Relationships - The Logic of Love
by Stefan Molyneux, M.A.
Get to know local Peaceful Parents:
Facebook.com/Groups/LiberateParents/

Live, Love, Liberate

For more information and to meet new friends

come join us at www.LiberateRVA.com
Cover Photo by Ely Rusiecki Photography

What is

Peaceful
Parenting

What is Peaceful Parenting?

Peaceful parenting is a recognition and
respect of the full person-hood embodied
in children, and that children are rational
human beings with their own emotions and
preferences. There exists a huge disparity
of power between parent and child; the
peaceful parent recognizes this disparity,
empathizes with their childs relative
impotence, and admits when they
have abused that power. The parents
relationship to the child is voluntary
insofar as the parent chooses to reproduce,
whereas the child has no choice who
their parents will be; recognizing this the
peaceful parent strives to be the parent
their child would choose had they that
choice.
The peaceful parent values honesty over
deception, voluntary cooperation over
coercion or bribery, and accepts that
children emulate the modes of interaction
modeled by their parents.
As Max Planck (the German theoretical
physicist who originated quantum theory)
said, A new scientific truth does not
triumph by convincing opponents and
making them see the light, but rather
because its opponents eventually die, and
a new generation grows up that is familiar
with it. A world not defined by violence
and cultural bigotry will be created by
children who dont speak the language of
force.
- John J. Durso

A Message to Parents:
I am the father of two girls, and I
understand that being a parent can be
challenging. It is my experience that most
parents do not want to physically punish
their children. Those who do mostly do
so out of desperation to fix a problem in
the immediate future that seems out-ofcontrol.
Marshall Rosenberg, from his experiences
of interacting with his own children,
comments, You cant make your kids do
anything. All you can do is make them
wish they had. And then, they will make
you wish you hadnt made them wish they
had.
There is an alternative to punishing
children. It requires a development of
better communication skills, possible
healing from the actions of the past, and
the rebuilding of trust between child
and parent. It is possible to develop an
empathic-connection with your children; a
connection in which everyones needs can
be met in a cooperative way.
Contact our parent-councilors on our
Facebook Group - Liberate Parents - to
network with other parents who are also
trying to develop their connection with
children in peaceful, cooperative ways.
May the peace that you nurture today,
blossom into the joy of your future.

- Jacob Solt

Children Are People, Too.

Spanking: hitting a child with the
intention of modifying behavior.
Did you know that the effects of child
abuse, such as spanking can:
Lead to a drop in I.Q. points?
Create a reduction in lifespan up to 20
years?
Lead to a 48% greater chance of
contracting cancer?
Lead to massive increases in drug
addiction, alcoholism, criminality,
suicide, depression, anxiety, etc.?

Violence begets violence.

For more information watch Freedomain

Radios Bomb in the Brain - The True
Roots of Human Violence video series:
http://fdrurl.com/bib
In the same way that quitting smoking
adds years to your life, its never too late
to quit spanking your children. Please
stop. Let go of violence, and encourage
others to do the same.