Non Violent Parenting Class coming this weekend In Palos Verdes!

Weekend Parenting Intensive Echo Parenting Class

Saturday and Sunday
May 19th and 20th, 2012
9:00 am to 4:00 pm

In this twelve hour intensive you’ll experience a new paradigm for raising children. We’ll introduce a philosophy and practice of raising children based on the latest research about child development, attachment theory, interpersonal neurobiology and more.

SUMMER CAMP for Toddlers! NOW ENROLLING!

At Riviera PlaySchool’s summer morning toddler program, you will learn how to put into practice the mindful, compassionate, responsive way of being that we employ at Riviera PlaySchool. It isn’t just “lingo,” but learning some of the key phrases and responses can help get you there!

What Are Your Biases?

you see a 5 year old child who is crying and screaming, sobbing about something troubling him. His parents are sitting with him, soothing him. You might think “That child cannot control his emotions. He is emotionally immature. He needs to learn how to control his emotions. His parents should teach him to control himself…!”

PlaySchool SUMMER CAMP for Older Kids grades K ~ 2 (developmental age)!!

Whoo-wee! PlaySchool for older kids! What will THAT look like?

Hiking, Collaborating on BIG plans, building, creating, exploring…….being free (like a kid should be….) (do you remmember those days? Wish you had them back? Why not provide that for Your child?)

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 [...]

Mommy “Fix-It”

My son Kian has always been good at conjuring up plans… but bringing them to life is another matter entirely. The pieces wouldn’t fit, the parts would fall off, or the wheels would not turn. His grand visions just needed his building expertise to catch up a little more…. and his ensuing frustration would start to leak out sideways, screaming like steam from a kettle. It was impossible for me to ignore: his loud keening was a veritable curse to the gods. It penetrated me. I could feel his chafing frustration in my heart, seeping in like hot oil. It would sit and simmer then, until something would finally snap. There was no turning back! I would lose all control, and spring into “Fix It Mode!”

Creating a Place of Belonging and Empowerment for Children

Wherever you go, it is the staff who make a school what it is.  And the staff at Riviera PlaySchool are all grounded in the same philosophy — that of non violent communication, and mindfulness.  You will notice that every interaction between child and adult has a consistent and tangible feeling of respect and compassion.  And when any conflict occurs, it is a true learning moment, and teachers are on hand to hold space for the children to resolve their own conflicts.  We try to not rush to a resolution of our adult creation.  Sometimes children can take a while to sort a conflict out to a place they deem to be “fair.”.  And we give them space to take the time to do that, while offering support, and helping them keep bodies and hears safe.  We pay particular attention to where we are during the conflict.  We stay on the sidelines.  We don’t jump into the fray energetically.  If we notice our speech becoming more rapid, or our voice becoming louder, then that’s a signal to us to take a step back and let them have their own emotions about the conflict at hand…  It’s pretty tricky, and it keeps us more awake as people.  It is an incredibly magical thing to witness a couple of small children figure out a workable solution to their volatile dilemma…and then walk away laughing together, more emotionally and socially intelligent than before.

Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills

The way that children spend their time has changed. A growing number of psychologists believe that these changes in what children do has also changed kids’ cognitive and emotional development.

It turns out that all that time spent playing make-believe actually helped children develop a critical cognitive skill called executive function. Executive function has a number of different elements, but a central one is the ability to self-regulate. Kids with good self-regulation are able to control their emotions and behavior, resist impulses, and exert self-control and discipline.

“How Children Learn” (Another Fantastic WORKSHOP COMING May 29)

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….

Punishment and Rewards: What to do Instead ….WORKSHOP TOMORROW NIGHT!

 This Fantastic Workshop is tomorrow night!   Setting boundaries that work with children    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 [...]

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