Family privilege is a collection of strengths and supports children gain through healthy, caring primary relationships (Seita, J, 2014 - https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1038836 ). Many children lack the full benefit of these strengths and supports due to factors like insecure attachment, homelessness, uncertain home life, substance abuse, trauma and neglect. The School Family in Conscious Discipline is based on a healthy family model, and builds resilience in children who have experienced trauma and/or lack of family privilege.

In this episode, Abbi Kruse shares her story of creating an early childhood program that builds resilience and School Family-based family privilege for both paying, middle-class families and non-paying families experiencing homelessness. Listen as she describes the impact of her program as it closes the social-emotional gap often embedded in the socio-economic divide. Learn how creating a School Family and shifting your perceptions about challenging children creates an environment of success for all children.

Essential Takeaways

Building a School Family is essential for the success of all children.

Seeing behavior as a call for help and connecting with children who struggle helps build resiliency.

Steps for Tomorrow

Remember that children’s distress and misbehavior is happening in front of you, not to you. Shift your focus from “How do I make this child stop,” to “How do I help this child succeed.” Focus on the child’s need for safety and connection and don’t give up!

Important Links:

The Playing Field https://www.playingfieldmadison.org

Connecting home to the School Family: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LoPISIGAJw

Growing Up Without Family Privilege: http://reclaimingjournal.com/sites/default/files/journal-article-pdfs/10_3_Seita.pdf

Products:

Creating the School Family
I Love You Rituals

Creating the School Family

Conscious Discipline: Building Resilient Classrooms

Conscious Discipline: Building Resilient Schools and Homes e-Course

Show Outline:

:45 What is Conscious Discipline

3:26 Challenges of working with children experiencing homelessness

4:59 Strategies for success when working with children experiencing homelessness

5:38 Resiliency

6:09 Family privilege

8:36 Introduction of guest Abbi Kruse

10:11 Creation and mission of the Playing Field

12:36 Would Conscious Discipline help in a program that serves children experiencing homelessness?

13:30 Finding and training staff willing to take on challenging work with preschool children

14:41 Success story, child of trauma

17:12 Involving the parents of children experiencing homelessness

20:36 Bringing in families of privilege to join the program

23:15 Child developmental outcomes

24:01 Procedures for enrolling children in the Playing Field

25:50 Training staff

26:52 Suggestions to get started with children who experience homelessness

28:09 Getting through the hardest moments when working in a program serving the homeless

30:02 Final suggestion for helping a critical problem facing young children

31:50 Immediate steps for teachers to take with students who struggle

www.ConsciousDiscipline.com