Is she a kindergarten deviant, or is she revealing her learning…in different ways: What are the Hundred Languages of Children?
Yesterday was the first day of Kindergarten…
…and I was anxious!
Covid-19 & Other Sensitive Topics: How to start the “tough” conversations with your child
“Do we have to leave Peru?” The Wild One asked after I told her school was closed as a preventative measure for Covid-19 aka Coronavirus. She remembered our friends were not able to return to Beijing after their holiday and I could tell she was worried. It’s in our parental job description to answer questions. Often they are really easy. Sometimes they are really difficult, and most of the time they are just plain awkward. Like the time the Wild…
The Incredible Communication Learning Machine: A tale about a parenting obsession
Who remembers the PC game called The Incredible Machine? If you were raised in the 90’s, and had access to a PC, you mostly likely played this game. Most probably at school during “computer classes” when you were supposed to be doing typing exercises, but instead had a separate window opened with the game in the background. This game’s purpose was essentially to create a series of Rube Goldberg Machines. If you’re not familiar with a Rube Goldberg Machine it’s…
Happy 10th Chinaversary to me!
Today marks my tenth Chinaversary. It’s no secret the most significant event I’ve experienced throughout my decade in China is motherhood, but second to that is the journey that led me to working with infants and toddlers and Montessori. “I don’t know how you do it…I wouldn’t last a day!” I hear this all the time and I always ask, “why not?” Often people have never really thought about it, nor asked themselves what exactly it is about young children…
Encouraging young children to engage in non-traditional play encourages positive development
“Now you look like a boy.” “So, I look like a boy because I have short hair?” “Yep.” My heart sank a little. I’d been chatting with two young sisters about differences for my uni assignment. In my years of working with young children, I’ve learned that conversations need to be organic and that you just have to follow their lead. And thus, how we landed on the subject of the differences between boys and girls, specifically hairstyles. When I…