Compassionate Listening = Listening to Ourselves with Compassion

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!)

What About Those Boys?

Boys are 6 times more likely to be “misdiagnosed” with ADD or ADHD….Bonding and attachment must occur before the age of five

Roughhousing is essential for bonding

Hugging, handshaking, back slapping, punching, pinching are modes of bonding

Everything Can Be Play!

Most children, and some talented adults, can take practical life (getting dressed, for example) and turn it into a magical adventure.   Everything is play, and everything becomes play. Have you ever tried to hurry a little boy into his clothing and out the door?  It is usually to no avail — the shirt becomes a [...]

“How Children Learn” has been rescheduled! Stay tuned for the new date~~~!!!

Parenting is a life-long learning process of nurturing our connection with our children. Parenting is “messy” business. There is no “prescription” for dealing with the day-to-day challenges of raising children. There are however, basic communication tools that can assist parents in dealing positively with challenges, while deepening the relationship between parent and child. This workshop will focus on how children learn….

Walking Infants…… (and skinny mommies)

Walking infants travel the length of 29 football fields each day….

What’s Wrong with our Food System?

What’s Wrong with our Food System? ….an eloquent and revealing reflection by 11 year old Birke Baeh

Yelling “No!” Actually Works!

Exclaiming “No!” to stop a child works!

It is guaranteed to stop a child in his tracks and turn their happy, healthy, neuron-growing science exploration into a tirade of tears in seconds.

So what do we do instead?…..

What is The Green Hour?

from the Wildlife Federation: A Green Hour is time for unstructured play and interaction with the natural world. In 2007, the National Wildlife Federation launched GreenHour.org, an online resource providing parents the inspiration and tools to make the outdoors a part of daily life. NWF recommends that parents give their kids a “Green Hour” every day. [...]

Parenting Workshop: Oh Siblings!

“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!

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

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