Democracy at the dinner table

"Early on, we learned that this model... applies in all relationships – at home, at work, at school, and in the world at large. ... Over the years, I came to realize that as people use these methods and skills, their relationships become more and more democratic. These democratic relationships produce greater health and well-being. When people are accepted, when they are free to express themselves and can participate in making decisions that affect them, they enjoy greater self-esteem, are more self-confident, and lose a sense of powerlessness that's always present in autocratic families.

These are also the skills necessary for world peace. Democratic families are peaceful families, and when there are enough peaceful families, we will have a society that rejects violence and finds warfare unacceptable."

– Thomas Gordon

I recently learned "the platinum rule": Treat others as you want others to treat others.

I love holding classes that give parents and teachers the opportunity to learn tangible skills -- operant definitions -- of how to bring these ideals into reality, moment to moment, in their everyday interactions with children and others.

The ripple effects that come from valuing different perspectives and sides of every relationship are profound, and for me, applying the Gordon Model is everyday life is a key way that I practice peace.