Wednesday, November 13, 2024

Compassionate Listening = Listening to Ourselves with Compassion

May 16, 2013 by  
Filed under Parenting From Balance©

The reason why I created a non violent preschool for my son, and the reason why I am on the hunt for a humanitarian school (or at the very least a compassionate teacher) for his elementary school experience, is completely selfish: I was a troubled child. I was the hard one. I had BIG emotions, and they were usually not understood. (OK, I admit it…I am STILL the troubled child, and I STILL have BIG emotions!)

Today’s Educational World

November 3, 2011 by  
Filed under Parenting From Balance©

Many parents don’t realize that the education world has changed drastically since they were in school. Schools and class sizes used to be smaller, dropout rates lower, in-school violence almost unheard of, and teachers weren’t terrified of showing affection to their students, or of discussing moral values. Of course, even then, school was far from perfect, but at least the teachers—and usually the principal—knew every student by name, something that is increasingly rare today.

The Thrill of (vicarious) Success

July 25, 2011 by  
Filed under Parenting From Balance©

It is so hard, as a parent, not to be seduced by the thrill of having our child “succeed.” And what exactly defines “success?” In early childhood, we often judge success on how much a child knows. This leads many parents to put their children into “academic” programs that focus on abstract knowledge, rather than experiential, play-based programs

Parenting Workshop: Oh Siblings!

July 10, 2011 by  
Filed under Parenting From Balance©

“I secretly believed that sibling rivalry was something that happened to other people’s children. Somewhere in my brain lay the smug thought that I could outsmart the green-eyed monster by never doing any of the obvious things that all the other parents did to make their kids jealous of each other. I’d never compare, never take sides, never play favorites. If both boys knew they were loved equally, there might be a little squabble now and then, but what would they really have to fight about?

Now Hiring: a Great Teacher/Facilitator!

July 9, 2011 by  
Filed under Parenting From Balance©

Now Hiring! We are looking for a compassionate, empowering teacher/facilitator, or an assistant teacher/facilitator and a few good substitute teachers who love to play and facilitate emergent plans with children.

Riviera PlaySchool pre-kindergarten program in Redondo Beach, CA www.RivieraPlaySchool.com

What do “Shutter Island” and non violent communication have in common?

June 6, 2011 by  
Filed under Parenting From Balance©

What do “Shutter Island” and non violent communication have in common?