| Nurturing Conscience in Children Presentations |
| Nurturing Conscience in Children Presentations (1-2 hours) |
 This public program is intended primarily for parents of young children (early elementary school and younger). Parents will learn how conscience is formed during the early years of life. Temperament, developmental changes in brain growth, and parent-child relationships interact as children learn to grow up humane. Participants will hear about the power of affect attunement in strengthening parent-child attachment and how egocentrism places limits on a young child's awareness of others. Participants will also learn about the consequences of indifferent caregiving and what is necessary to create the foundations of care that make conscience possible. Although the development of conscience is a lifelong task, its foundations are clearly established in the first three years of life. If we miss this opportunity, a child may be at-risk for experiencing a lifetime of cold indifference toward the suffering of others and an inabilty to appreciate the destructive consequences of his or her actions.
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| Brain Development and the Research on Conscience (1 hour)
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 A session to be offered at professional conferences. The program will focus on a brief overview of the most important issues underlying the development of conscience and their implication for brain development.
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| Professional Inservice (half to full day)
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| An in-depth program designed for professionals who work with very young children, elementary age children, and at-risk families. The workshop will focus on a developmental assessment of conscience during the first five years of life and strategies for strengthening conscience from preschool through elementary school. Content will vary depending on the audience and the amount of time available.
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| A Time for Courage (about 1 hour)
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| A storytelling concert for elementary school assemblies. The focus of the stories is on facing the consequences of one's choices, taking responsibility for one's behavior, and committing oneself to be kind to others.
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| The Courage to Care (1 hour)
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| A presentation intended for high school assemblies based on stories of young people who demonstrated the courage to care. Students will learn about how to learn from and manage fear and the importance of personal choice. The difficult task of commiting to principled action is an important test facing all young people.
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| About the Speaker
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| Chuck Smith has been a state specialist in Kansas Research and Extension for more than 20 years. He is a storyteller and author who has published numerous extension publications, journal articles, and four books. His book The Peaceful Classroom: 162 Easy Activities to Promote Compassion and Cooperation in Young Children (Gryphon House) has been published in six languages. His KSU extension publications on Responsive Discipline and Basic Parenting are available in county extension offices throughout Kansas and are being used extensively throughout the United States.
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http://www.ksu.edu/wwparent/programs/conscience/con-prog.htm-- Revised: May 25, 2001