"Behind every young child who believes in himself is a parent who believed first.”

- Matthew Jacobson

Edie Jones is a passionate and devoted parent educator. She is committed to guiding parents, through thoughtful and caring behavior; towards a life of less stress, better connections with their kids, and more fun with family and friends.

Playing with kids has long been a part of Edie’s life, starting with an undergraduate BA degree in Recreation, from Washington State University. She raised four children with her husband Ted, worked as a preschool teacher, Physical Eduction Director of the YWCA in Louisville, KY. and went on to serve as the Adult Education Director for the Metropolitan area of the Kentuckiana Girl Scout Council. Later the couple owned and directed Camp Tamarack in the heart of the Cascade Mountains of Central Oregon.
 
In 2001 Edie received her Masters Degree in Adult Education from Oregon State University while working for Together for Children, a parent child program that provided education and support for families with young children. She worked for TFC for 21 years serving and learning as a Parent Educator, an Early Childhood Educator, and as the Director of the program from 2001 to 2013 when she retired. The program she directed received The Vollum Humanitarian Service Award from Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon in 2005.
 
She continues to stay involved in shaping the environment of children through volunteering and serving on boards for various organizations which serve children and families. This includes four years on the Board of Directors for the Bend, OR International Charter School and her current appointment to the Sisters, OR School Board. Other outstanding achievements include National Master Trainer for the Girl Scouts and Trainer for Portland State University's Early Childhood Education Certification program.

In addition to her desire to mentor parents she gets great satisfaction from her work as a writer. Her award winning book RAISING KIDS WITH LOVE HONOR AND RESPECT: RECIPES FOR SUCCESS has received high praise from parents. It especially seems to resonate with dads. Her newest publication WALKER'S WISDOM, HIS JOURNEY FROM PUPPY TO BIG DOG is a beautifully illustrated book about her Golden Doodle, Walker, written in verse. It too is a parenting book with each poem and picture correlating with important principles of raising young ones, whether children or pets ​

As an experienced and compassionate teacher her desire is to be a guide in resolving the most pressing parenting obstacles. It is her hope that through the knowledge and experience she offers, parents will learn skills to use in leading their kids to become well-adjusted and capable people. 

Following are a few topics Edie has communicated on in the past few months: 
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• Stay on top of your many responsibilities so you can balance work and family life comfortably.
•  Adopt daily parenting practices which allow you to be 100% present for your kids when it matters, even in the midst of constant distractions.
•  Enjoy free time to connect with and just hang out with family and friends despite the changing social    environment. 

Checkout the Ask Edie...Ask Edie page for questions asked by others recently

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Edie presents alternative solutions and new ways of looking at circumstances. Plus she shares stories and information from people who have been successful with challenging situations that we all face as parents.
 

What lights Edie up about her work is…

“The potential and growth that comes out of a child who feels fully loved and believed in. Parenting through guidance and instruction gives children expectations and awareness of values. By encouraging kids to try new things without fear of failure, parents teach that mistakes provide opportunities for learning. This gives children confidence and belief that they will be supported no matter what."

Edie feels what makes her unique and different from other parent educators is the wide variety of experiences that have shaped her knowledge.