We Choose Respect Parentcast Starring Ellen & Peter Jarratt With Musical Guest Jonas Woods
I love being creative. I love having my creativity challenged. 
I remember getting ready to walk on stage to present my school assembly program at a school about 15 years ago. The principal walked up to me and said “hey I was wondering if you could hit on a couple of points for us during the show” and then handed me an 8 x 10 sheet of paper that was filled with about 30 bullet points. My first reaction was…well, this is a family site so we will skip ahead to my second…no, that was kind of rough too. Maybe my third, nope. Let’s just say that after I was finished reacting I decided to go for it, and I did it. Somehow with no preparation I was able to walk on stage and integrate all of those points into my magic tricks and stories in a way that made sense. The kids, the teachers and that principal loved the show. And I loved the rush that creating on the fly brought to me!!!
Click here to find out about my totally interactive school assembly program
I call this episode of the ParentCast Encourage Your Kids’ Inner Picasso because as I spoke with Ellen and Peter Jarratt, founders of Jarratt Create & Educate, I was reminded of a time in middle school where I was similarly challenged to be creative. I was paired with a new student who had just relocated to our neighborhood from Lebanon. We were tasked to sift through the piles of scrap wood in our shop class, (shop class, that’s the class where you learned how to build things out of wood with hammers and saws and the shop teacher usually was missing a finger), and use what we found to create art. I never thought of myself as an artist, I could barely write my name, I certainly could not draw. Together my new friend Hani and I found a dozen or so pieces of wood and created a sculpture of a woman. It was rather risque for a piece of middle school art, I think Hani and I both expected to get sent to the office. Instead we won first prize. I was hooked.
Ellen and Peter Jarratt help kids all over the world get hooked on creativity. As successful educators and concerned parents they champion the view that every child has natural talents that will always flourish if given the opportunity. Working alongside business start ups to multi-nationals, schools to universities, Pete and Ellen understand that the 21st Century is bringing unique challenges for everyone. For young people that can adapt, innovate and believe in their own talents, a future of happiness and success awaits.
Since 2008 they have been fulfilling their quest by providing award winning creative projects to engage, challenge and inspire young people.
Click here to visit the Jarratt’s Create And Educate world headquarter
Our musical gust for this episode is my good buddy Jonas Woods. Jonas is a singer – song writer from Rhode Island. The first time I heard his song “Peace Like A River” I asked him “how much fun was it to record that song?” His answer, “dude, it was soooooo much fun.” I think you will agree.
