The Unspoken Trait Of Forest School

What could it be? You’re racking your brains and questioning yourself aren’t you. Why is it unspoken? Is it illegal? Is it the password to Gringots bank?

Well your wait is over. The unspoken trait is Trust.

Trust is massive at Forest School not only between the leader and the children but the leader and the parents also.

The Thing About Trust

If you have trust you have respect if you have respect you build a tribe, if you have a tribe you have a future vision, if you have a future vision you can build a culture. That’s the way I see it anyway and what I have been lucky enough to create at Eco Ed Forest School.

Is it complete, not at all. Will it ever be, not at all either. But then that’s the perfectionist and visionary inside me.

To hand over your child into the care of a Forest School or anyone for that matter is one of the biggest trust based decisions you as a parent could make, right?

Within that you need to feel a sense of reliability, truth, and ability to ensure your gift of life is being given the best opportunity to develop all the life skills to see them right for the future.

That of course is the strategy behind Forest School and why we do what we do. For children it is not much different either they need proof that they can rely on you, that when you say something you are truthful to your word and you have the ability to make them feel worth something.

So the next question is…

How do I build trust with both my parents and the children that I work with?

For parents its all about creating meaningful personal connections and demonstrating to them that I do genuinely care about their family and child’s development and that I’m not just there to make a quick buck. Forest School for me is much, much more than that ans should be for everyone else.

My reward is down the road when there is a generation of children who are set for life success. For me it’s about fulfilling what I was put on this planet for, to impact and change the lives of tomorrows adults by equipping them with the life skills so they may thrive in this ever changing world. This is the thing that keeps me going.

This is the real reason I’m in business. I want to help those that are swimming toward me and create a powerful culture within my business with an even stronger tribe of Eco Warriors that support my vision.

Within this comes unfettered access to huge swathes of free value. Simply powerful information or products that creates impact and benefit in that persons life…that others would easily charge for. Think about that for a moment.

This is how I build trust with my tribe of parents. I show them that I’m here to serve their families by helping them in aspect of their life they may find tricky or uncertain around.

The Trust Tips And Tricks

I provide this through one to one conversations in a session, multi itemed offers in exchange for a small charge that helps their child’s journey into Forest School, email 3 times a week, videos, Facebook Lives group chat and content, podcasting, blogging, writing a book, a gratuity scheme, a youngest sibling discount, asking their opinions on things that matter to them in the business, giving their children the best memories when they attend a session and take their learning forward each and every time.

Sounds a lot right, but this is what it takes to build trust and belief in the culture you want to create.

Parents, non financially, buy into this bigger picture, because this is greater than the sum of it’s parts. You better be taking notes right now as nobody else in my niche is doing this. And very few in others!

Hold up for a moment have I just provided you with swathes of free value too… oh wait there’s more coming.

How I build trust with children is very similar.

Building Trust With Children

I show them that I care about them and their family, I show them that I have time just for them no matter how busy I am, I show them that I listen to them, I show them that I want them to feel empowered, I show them that they have a choice, I show them that they are safe and I will protect them if necessary, I show them that I will be there for them when they get hurt, I show them that I am a man of my promises, I show them respect by learning their names, I show them by learning about what’s important in their lives, I show them that I remember and I show them by seeing them for who they truly are.

And all this you know.. its starts with a smile and a little joke. Children respond to kindness but they quickly suss out whether you are being genuine. If you are they will give you their trust and it is yours to break.

Be you, relax and act goofy sometimes. Get to know them and their families. Human beings are designed to interact and become trusting of one another it’s one of the foundations of Forest School it’s that important.

Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise in this hate promoted world of ours. By being the figure they know they can turn to and trust , both parents and children, will endear you to them and with trust learning can explode from the pages of a book into real life.

You’re Just One Session Away.