Hi Janet, My son is 3 years old and is a very happy child! He is at a RIE accredited Montessori school since he was little. I’m a working mom. I will never forget that after his first days at the infant room, his teacher told me that it was amazing how much he observed. … Continued
“What parents teach is themselves, as models of what is human – by their moods, their reactions, their facial expressions and actions. These are the real things parents need to be aware of, and of how they affect their children. Allow them to know you, and it might become easier for them to learn about … Continued
Time and time again I see toddlers benefiting from impulse control – ours, not theirs. Our natural tendencies to project and protect when our children seem challenged invariably lead us to intervene too much or too soon. These good intentions can then spoil rich opportunities for physical, cognitive, creative, social and emotional development. Rule #1: … Continued
Hi Janet, I am 9 weeks pregnant with baby #2 and my son is now 14 months old. He is a very happy boy, but loves getting into EVERYTHING! When we say no, he has started throwing tantrums, crying, flailing himself as we try to pick him up, etc. He also pinches my face, scratches … Continued
Dear Janet, I stumbled upon your website a few weeks ago and have been slowly reading my way through the articles (which I love!). I appreciate your guidance and your gentle and respectful approach to parenting. I am a single mom to a 14-month old baby boy, Aidan. While he is a delight 99.99% of … Continued
Hi Janet, Basically, we’ve been in extreme tantrum zone for about 6 months now. They can be over things that seem relatively small – usually around independence. For example, today my toddler had a tantrum because my husband put a straw in her smoothie instead of her doing it. Yesterday she had a tantrum because … Continued
Please, don’t let them grow up like me… I have three vivid memories of growing up: The first is of my mother when I was five or six years old. I was getting ready for school and had difficulty putting my shoes on the correct feet (being slightly dyslexic), and my mother went ballistic. She … Continued
Hi Janet, My question is about my almost 13 month old son. He is extremely curious and engaged in the world around him. We have always tried to empower him and make him feel safe and supported to try anything and everything (within safety, of course). Drawing from my experiences working as an educator in … Continued
Hi Janet, I am very fortunate to have been introduced to RIE, as my children’s childcare providers shifted to a RIE based program. We have been very happy and impressed with this shift, and we are trying to incorporate much of the RIE philosophy into our own parenting. I found it very helpful to read … Continued
I’m not one to question the value of demonstrative love and affection. Giving hugs is such a reflex for me that I embarrass myself by hugging people I barely know. I’ll often come to my senses midway through the ‘hello’ or ‘goodbye’ hug — too late to catch myself. This creates some awkward moments, but … Continued
It’s chanted on every playground and enforced at the park, parties and play dates. It’s a word that has become the social mantra for parents of toddlers everywhere: Share! We are all desperate for our children to share. Sharing is vital. The future of the world depends upon our children’s spirit of generosity. We fear … Continued
When an infant approaches the end of his first year, parents begin to struggle with boundaries. Soft-hearted parents allow a child to climb all over them in my parent/infant class. The child is searching for limits and boundaries for his behavior. But moms and dads are often afraid to say, “I don’t want you to … Continued
