Positive Parenting with Aki Raymer

Relationships with our children are supposed to be easy -- right? Join Dorothy Stewart, Executive Director and Owner of Old Firehouse Schools and Alexandra Dutton, Program Director, talk with Aki Raymer of Parenting Paths. They discuss how building relationships with our children will actually decrease many power struggles and how understanding our own limitations and boundaries can help our children learn about theirs.

Aki will be doing a parent workshop at our Bayview campus in San Rafael on Nov. 7th at 7 p.m. Register for that workshop here.

You can learn more about Parenting Paths here.

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Discussing News Events with Young Children

OFS Lafayette Program Director Alexandra Dutton talks with teacher Rachel Turtledove about something we have to think about much too often: when, if, and how to talk about difficult news events with young children. Whether we are worried about a recent school shooting or a fire that's burning too close to home, we are sending signals to our children about their world. Join them to hear about how to talk about these events in developmentally appropriate ways.

Much of our advice comes from the helpful websites Common Sense Media and National Association of School Psychologists. For more resources, please check them out.

(Apologies for the sound quality -- we are competing with our AC!)

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Social Lives of Preschoolers

When your child is 2, are they supposed to play well with others? What does it really mean when a 4-year-old says to their friend, "You can't come to my birthday party!" Alexandra Dutton talks with Michele Bailey and Maylis Treuil, two veteran OFS teachers, about social skills and friendships from age 1 to 5. They explain the motivations behind children's behavior with peers and why friendships are a delicate balance at these young ages.

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Deepening Relationships with Your Child

Join hosts Alexandra Dutton and Rachel Turtledove for a wonderful discussion with Todd Sarner, MFT, about how to deepen your relationship with your child. Todd shares ways to connect with a child after a separation (like being apart all day with work and school) as well as why some children will seemingly reject you or your overtures of support and love. His strategies focus on Attachment Theory, which is at the heart of Old Firehouse Schools. Together they share some of the day-to-day struggles parents may have about connecting with children, setting boundaries, and understanding their child's shifting needs.

To learn more about Todd's work, visit: transformativeparenting.com/
www.youtube.com/transformativeparenting

Other useful books/websites mentioned:
www.simplicityparenting.com/
neufeldinstitute.org/resources/hold…our-kids-book/

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A Family's Role in Anti-Bias Education

Dorothy and Alex return to a topic from our first podcast: Anti-Bias Education. They talk with Shaquam Edwards, who is part of the early education faculty at the College of Marin. She discusses the role families can play in exploring culture, diversity, and equity. She shares activities families can do together to learn about each other, as well as developmentally appropriate ways to build bridges to learning about other cultures, celebrations, and traditions.

Books mentioned:
Anti-Bias Education by Louise Derman-Sparks
www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/boo…nti-bias-education

You Can't Celebrate That by Nadia Jaboneta
www.redleafpress.org/You-Cant-Celeb…ing-P2497.aspx

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Nature-Based Education - An Introduction to OFS Bayview

Nature has always been a part of the educational experience at OFS, but our newest campus, OFS Bayview, will take that to a new level! Director Alexandra Dutton is joined by Laura Hislop of St. Luke's, where the Bayview campus is located. Together they talk with Dr. Dorothy Stewart and Bayview director Jackie Buhl about their vision to combine attachment and nature into curriculum that is sure to inspire any preschooler.

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The Importance of Music

Music plays an important role in all of our lives, and this is especially true for young children. Alexandra Dutton, Judy Haus, and Liza Pevzner discuss ways that music increases language development, memory skills, and motor skills for children. If you aren't a music lover or someone who is comfortable singing, listen to hear ways you can incorporate more music into your life with your child.

Some of the songs mentioned:
Miss Katie sings:
youtu.be/1R8pmh8I6FU?feature=shared

Snoop Dogg:
youtu.be/1XYoduQMAjU?si=7J0bQFfD5vOGOo7-

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Rule of Thumb for Your Preschooler's Birthday Party

When your child's birthday rolls around, it's a special time to celebrate! Join Judy Haus, Rachel Turtledove, and Alexandra Dutton talk about birthday parties for our youngest children, from the perspective of both educators and parents. Sometimes what you want in a party is not what works best for your child's age, personality, or temperament. Hear about some tried and true strategies to plan a great celebration for your child.

A wonderful resource for families: www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/age-…irthday-party-guide

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My Child Needed Therapy -- Parents' Experiences

This follow-up podcast to the previous episode, "What Do You Mean My Child Needs Therapy?" lends helpful insights into what the process can be to get outside support for a child. Three parents share the different paths they took to support their children -- one who was anxious, one who had language delays, and one who is autistic. They share the challenges they had and what they and their children ultimately learned from receiving services.

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What Do You Mean My Child Needs Therapy?

Hosts Alexandra Dutton and Judy Haus speak with Psychologist Carrie Rodrigues and MFT Katrinca Ford about something families often feel confusion or fear about: Hearing that their child may need an assessment or therapy. But what does that really mean, and what does an assessment for a child entail? How long will my child need therapy? Should I worry about my child being labeled?

Some resources mentioned in the podcast:

Developmental Milestones: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/index.html

Speech Milestones: https://www.asha.org/public/developmental-milestones/communication-milestones/

Contact Katrinca Ford, MFT: www.familyplaytherapy.com

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What Is the Role of Preschool?

How is preschool different than, say, having a nanny? What happens with preschool turns out to be different than what you expected? Host Alexandra Dutton talks with Garrett O'Brien (OFS Mill Valley) and Susie Kohl (White Pony Preschool) about managing your expectations as a parent whose child is starting preschool and how to have a great experience. No surprise here -- it begins with trust!

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Emergent Curriculum in Early Education

OFS Directors Alexandra Dutton and Danielle Roach are joined by Darcy Campbell, Executive Director of Cow Hollow School in San Francisco. Darcy once said, "(Emergent curriculum) is the hardest way to teach, but the best way." Hear about why our schools choose emergent curriculum, how it prepares children for the future, and how it creates children who are "problem-seekers" in addition to children who are creative, resilient, and able to take the perspectives of others.

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Developing Empathy in Children

Until recently, it was assumed that young children can't really be empathetic and understand the perspectives of others. OFS directors Alexandra Dutton and Lizz Nolasco discuss the recent research that demonstrates that children can develop empathy as young as a year old. They share some strategies help adults teach empathy to young children. In order to live in a democratic society and be part of a community that considers the needs of others, we have to help children grow to understand their emotions and how those emotions impact others.

Book referenced: Handbook of Moral Development
Edited By Melanie Killen, Judith G. Smetana

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Literacy Development with Dr. Daniel Meier and Pam Remensperger

Alexandra is joined by Pam Remensperger (OFS TK teacher) and Dr. Daniel Meier, SFSU professor, to talk about literacy development in children. We know that reading to children leads to later reading success, but how? What can educators and parents do to support their child's literacy skills? When should a parent expect their child to learn how to write? All this and more will be discussed in this educational and insightful podcast!

Daniel mentioned the podcast, Sold a Story: features.apmreports.org/sold-a-story/ that discuss some of the problems with how America handles reading education.

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Inclusion in Preschool

OFS Directors Alexandra Dutton and Lizz Nolasco talk with author and educator Mike Huber about inclusion in preschool. It's becoming increasingly common to see children of diverse abilities in mainstreamed settings. What does inclusion look like in preschools? What are the benefits of classrooms designed for children with a diverse range of abilities? Mike answers all of these questions and helps us understand that inclusion is wonderful for every child.

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Language Development in Young Children

Language develops in young children at such a wide range, how is a parent to know when something is a concern? Dorothy and Alex are joined by Seven Bridges Speech Pathologists Shannon Kong and Jordan Welk to discuss language milestones for children 0-5, and when to seek additional support.

Learn more about Seven Bridges Therapy: www.sevenbridgestherapy.com/
American Speech and Hearing Association: www.asha.org

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Dr. Monica Gandhi on RSV, COVID, and the Flu in Young Children

We invited Dr. Monica Gandhi back to share her expertise on the illnesses we are seeing in all of our preschools. Recorded on Nov. 1, 2022, Dr. Gandhi talks about RSV, vaccinations, long Covid in children, and how to protect our children and families in the holiday season. Her extensive knowledge on Covid and public health allows us to look ahead to plan for illnesses this winter.

Some articles mentioned by Dr. Gandhi:
www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/…00544-8/fulltext

jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/art…%20286%20children.

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How Are the Kids Doing?

Dorothy talks with Chelsea Bryson (OFS Assistant Director) and Madison Montoya (OFS Preschool Teacher) about how children are doing 2 1/2 years into this pandemic. They share their insights about children's mental health, current research into children's development, and how to help children move forward.

Follow Madison on TikTok and Instagram @theteachmadison

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Strength Based Parenting / Teaching

OFS Program Directors Alex and Lizz are joined by strength-based coach and educator Emma Tempest to discuss how strength-based teaching/parenting can change your perspectives. We all have a negativity bias that highlights things that we don't like or that go wrong, but what if we instead looked for strengths in ourselves, and in our children? Her ideas help us to see how teaching and parenting can be more joyful for us and for our children.

Find your strengths: https://viacharacter.org/account/register

Learn more about Emma's work: www.makeyourownrainbows.com/meet-emma/

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COVID Vaccines for Kids

With Covid vaccines finally being approved for children under the age of 5, we have a lot of questions! Alexandra Dutton (OFS Lafayette) is joined by Lizz Nolasco (OFS San Rafael) to talk to Dr. Yasuko Fukuda. Dr. Fukuda is a pediatrician in San Francisco who is the current chair of the California AAP, and has been on the board of the California Immunization Coalition. She will answer questions about the new vaccines and help us understand how Covid has affected young children's health.

Want to get your child vaccinated for Covid? Check out covid19.ca.gov/vaccines/ to learn more!

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