When Emma Moses isn't running around after her three boys all under 4 1/2 years old she's working as a education and behavioural consultant.
Her job goes far beyond reading body language and delves into why people, in particular children, act out in certain ways and what they are trying to communicate. On Tuesday (Nov. 1), Moses will share her knowledge with parents in a free workshop hosted by Sea to Sky Family Drop-In. Dubbed "Behaviour is Communication: Making Sense of Challenging Behaviour," the workshop aims to help parents understand what the child is trying to communicate instead of looking at a child and stating that he or she is expressing problem behaviour.
"There are very general strategies that can work for children and for husbands, I find," she said, with a bit of tongue and cheek.
The behaviour usually isn't the problem, she said. It's often more about the child not having an effective way of getting a message across, Moses said. There is no perfect child or parent in this world, she added, but there are tools that can help parents and their children have closer relationships.
"What we have to do as parents is identify issues and understand problems," Moses said.
Currently on maternity leave, Moses has been working for the Provincial Outreach Program for Autism and Related Disorders.
Moses's workshop is a part of a series of discussions put on by the Sea to Sky Community Services. On Nov. 8, the centre will host a talk on "Anxiety: What's It All About?" followed by a discussion on Nov. 15 about "Fun with Food Fights."
The discussions take place on Tuesdays from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Sea to Sky Learning Centre at 38073 Second Ave. Refreshments will be served and child care will be provided. Space is limited and one can reserve a seat by emailing [email protected]. For more information visit www.sscs.ca or call (604) 892-5796.
