Here it is February and I haven’t yet wrapped my head around the fact that 2010 is HERE! Time is moving on faster than I can keep up with it. Already this year I have dealt with births and deaths in our family and among friends. The cycle of life gives us pause to think. But, among those really important events comes our regular work-a-day world…. keeping up with events already scheduled and planning ahead for the events to come. Life is busy.
As educators and doulas we advocate preparing for birth. We would love it if women spent as much time considering the place they will give birth and the classes they will take as they spent considering the venue for their wedding or making plans for their last big party. Those in geriatric care advocate for people taking time early on to prepare thoughts and documents for the end of their lives. But too many of us save that planning for … “tomorrow.” What preparation do you need to be doing?
No matter how many times I teach a class or a workshop, there is always preparation involved. Why can’t I do it the same way I did last time? Oh, I have my favorite stories and jokes and a basic outline of the topics I want to cover, but each group is different, and new teaching ideas come up, and science and trends change a bit, so I have to prepare once again. And most importantly, if I did it the same way every time, I’d have burned out of this profession years ago! It is change that keeps it fun. But preparation takes time.
So, what should YOU be preparing for now? January has passed us by, but February isn’t too late to think about the year ahead. Do you need some new teaching ideas, a research update, some marketing strategies? Are you a seasoned educator or are you just considering becoming a childbirth educator? Perhaps your plans and our plans could mesh. Debby and I are teaching a Lamaze Childbirth Educator Seminar in Plano, TX on March 1, 2, and 3. We would love to have you join us. So call, write, download our brochure from this website,… and plan to join us for childbirth education teaching tips, contact hours, and research updates. And please tell others who would like to become childbirth educators to contact us. This meets the seminar requirement to be eligible to take the Lamaze or ICEA certification exam.
Now, I’m off to prepare for this seminar. What about you?