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"Melody Elder has taught me to be more of the mom I want to be to my two children. I never imagined parenting would present as many challenges as it did. Learning from Melody has helped me to remain calm when I would have otherwise flown off the handle and to accept myself as a parent and my children as they are. I love Melody!"
~ Alexis, mother of Kaia, age 7, and Noah, age 3
"Melody Elder has been such a positive influence in my life. She has not only been a teacher and coach with raising my children, she has truly been a life coach. I often find myself in difficult situations thinking "I wonder how Melody would deal with this?" and if I am lucky enough to have the time to truly reflect, things usually go pretty smoothly.
I was raised with a mother who was quite authoritarian in her approach. I know that we often tend to follow the way we are raised and this is the way we go about treating our children. With Melody's guidance I feel that I have been able to steer away from this pattern and be the parent that I really want to be...one who is loving and caring and listens to my children.
Melody is an amazing woman who I believe I am a better person by knowing her."
~ Alison Atkinson, mother of Lucy, age 6, Billy, age 4, and Casey, age 7 months
"We are so fortunate to have Melody Elder in our lives. She imparts a unique wisdom in child rearing that runs along our intuition. Many times we have gotten caught up in what the "experts" say we should do and have felt very unsure of our actions. It is in those times that we have called on Melody. In a very calming way she listens and helps us sift through our thoughts. She enables us to see a more vivid picture.
We must also say that Melody is extremely supportive. Every time we have met with her we have felt validated. She is not reproachful. You will definitely feel heard when you speak with her. She is extremely knowledgeable and has access to many resources (books, videos, etc) too. We love the convenience of her home visits; our family has benefited greatly from them."
~ Christina and Geoffrey Kahn, parents of a 7 and 5-year-old
"I have been lucky enough to be a part of one of Melody's women's groups for the past few years. My girlfriends and I gain so much insight about ourselves at these intimate get-togethers. We share our lives (hopes, wishes, problems, issues, relationships, everything) and Melody is a wonderful guide and helps to keep us on track. She always imparts wisdom and insight into these gatherings and I leave feeling so much better about things. She is an excellent listener and helps us discover meaning and truth in our lives. I feel very blessed to know this woman and don't know what I would do without her! Thank you, Melody!"
~ Cindy, (mother of two beautiful girls)
"The most valuable thing that I have gotten out of meeting and knowing Melody is the realization that a lot of the issues I think or worry about in regards to my daughter is "my stuff" from my childhood or even adulthood. So, the lesson is let her live her life and not the one I wish I would have had. In addition, the issues I have worried about from the time my daughter was an infant have always worked out the way they were supposed to, and Melody has helped me to recognize that."
~ Denise Ray, "Ruby's Mom"
"Melody's simple advice of "apply love" while potty training my oldest child, changed my experience in a profoundly positive way. I am so grateful for Melody's wisdom to assist me on this ever changing and challenging journey of Motherhood."
~ Heather Reyes, Mother of Prema 4 and Ciela 1
"I love the parenting group Melody facilitates. She has helped open my eyes to very profound things that I have never thought of before. I feel like I can be a more compassionate and loving parent from the things I have learned from her, and I feel so much more in control of my feelings. She is a blessing and an angel. She has been one, for me, from the very first time I met her."
~ Kerri, mother of Patrick, age 4
"I have known Melody Elder for about 5 years, since my daughter, Marley, was an infant and I was fortunate enough to enroll in her parent education class. When I walked into her class, I knew I had found a sacred place, an oasis. Melody's warmth, compassion and understanding pervaded the room as she shared with us her wisdom and offered us her unwavering support. That class was a blessing. I had known since Marley was born the way I wanted to parent on an instinctual level, but I had found little support for it and consequently felt quite alone. In Melody, I found a mentor and friend who validated with decades of experience and knowledge that my instincts were correct and that I needed do no more than listen to them. What a relief! What might be even more impressive, though, is how she handled those parents in the class who were not parenting in the way she might think would be most beneficial to the child (and family). Her nonjudging, gentle guidance in the midst of divisive, hot-button issues was truly remarkable.
After attending several of Melody's parenting classes, I then participated in her emerging "home visit" program. We sat in my living room for an uninterrupted hour talking about some of the questions I had about things that we were experiencing with Marley, and she helped me work through some of the places where I felt stuck. What a gift. She came armed with extremely helpful handouts, having asked me the general topics we would be discussing ahead of time. I still have those handouts, along with the ones she distributed in her classes, and I frequently share them with friends of mine who are struggling with the same issues.
Melody embodies everything that one could hope for in a parent educator: understanding, compassion, caring and dedication, love for children and their mamas, passion, and an incredible life's work of knowledge and experience. Knowing Melody has unquestionably changed my family's life and I feel very fortunate to have her on my side as I make this journey called parenting."
~ Gail Goldman, mother of Marley, age 5
"I cherish Melody's presence in my life. She inspires me so much to become a better person and parent. Daily I think..."What would Melody do?"
~ Lesley, mother of Kiki, age 4 and Quin, age 2
"Melody gently helped me re-frame some negative messages I was giving myself as a parent and guided me toward making important connections with my children. Because of Melody, I was reminded that these connections are often what my kids are seeking through disruptive behavior which dissipates when we connect with compassion. Working one on one with Melody also enabled me to identify the source of what was causing my discomfort. I could share my darkest moments as a parent without shame as Melody approaches every obstacle without judgment and creates a safe environment that foster's self reflection and love."
~ Lisa Todd-Givot
"Melody Elder provided parenting coaching services to me after a difficult divorce. Melody was knowledgeable, effective and personable. She provided study materials and worked with me to understand fundamental theories and techniques. Melody provided more than just parenting coaching; she offered a spiritual yet grounded approach to moving forward after my divorce, combined with implementable strategies for being the best father I could be for my 2 year old son."
~ Shawn Thompson, Los Angeles, CA
"I am very grateful that Melody has been part of my parenting journey. I
was
fortunate enough to attend her parent education classes, where I found a
unique wisdom and compassionate understanding regarding the dynamic
relationship between child and parent. This led to Melody coming to my
house for "home visits." This allowed me to share my frustrations and
challenges while at the same time, she shared her innovative strategies and
approaches to overcome them. Melody's understanding about how a man could
raise his children has been insightful. She has made it possible for me to
express my feelings and emotions towards my children in a gentle and loving
manner. My family and I are truly blessed to have Melody part of our
lives."
~ Jonathan Siao, Father of Jennifer, age 6, Amanda, age 1 and Erika, age 1