Old Firehouse School Chat

Holidays are a time of joy -- and stress -- for us all! Alexandra Dutton and Judy Haus, Old Firehouse School directors, share some strategies to help all of us enjoy the holidays more by simplifying our expectations and schedules.

OFS Program Director Alexandra Dutton talks with teacher Madison Montoya about the importance of Gratitude. Gratitude is shown to help improve mental health and ward off negative emotions, while helping us to be more present and positive. Madison and Alexandra share activities and games that encourage building the gratitude muscle.

Halloween is a fun, but sometimes scary, holiday for young children. Alexandra Dutton, OFS Program Director, and Rachel Turtledove, OFS Lafayette Preschool Teacher, discuss ways to make this holiday fun, safe, and memorable for our young ones.

All living things bite! But when that means your little one is biting you, or worse, biting other children, that is not an easy pill to swallow. Dorothy speaks with the OFS directors, Amy Baker, Judy Haus, and Alexandra Dutton, about why children bite, how to stop it, and how we deal with it at our schools.

Sometimes it can seem like an uphill battle to get children to eat! Nutritionist and former OFS parent Cary Berkley talks with Dorothy about how to help your children eat better and why it can be such a challenge. Get some really good, interesting tips about making mealtimes more pleasant for everyone.

For more information on Cary's work, or to consult with her, check out her website:

http://www.newfamilynutrition.com/

Kindergarten is around the corner for many of our children! Dorothy and Alex talk with former Old Firehouse School teacher Stephanie Vollmer, who has taught Kindergarten up to 3rd grade. Stephanie shares her insights about the big transition for children and families as they enter Kindergarten, as well as the important things to consider for these first few months of school -- like getting fingerprinted! Hear more about how that's important in this episode.

Mindfulness has been a part of Old Firehouse School's work with children for many years. Alex talks with Katharine Peck (OFS Mill Valley)and Maylis Treuil (OFS Lafayette) about how and why they use mindfulness in their classroom, both for the children and for themselves. Being able to be present in the moment is a skill that you can develop at any age. They share some activities they use with children and also some other resources.

Some of the resources they mentioned are here:

Sitting Still Like a Frog: Mindfulness Exercises for Kids (and Their Parents)

I Am Peace: A Book of Mindfulness by Susan Verde

What Does It Mean to Be Present? by Rana DiOrio and Eliza Wheeler

Go Noodle (YouTube channel with some yoga and self-regulation exercises)

For young children, self regulation is a skill they are developing. They are still working on understanding how to respond to both positive and negative moments. Dorothy and Alex talk with Cheryl, an OFS Walnut Creek teacher and MFT, about how to help children develop self regulation and what our role is as parent or teacher.

Ever wonder how preschool teachers manage so many children throughout the day? Judy, OFS Walnut Creek director and Alex, OFS Lafayette director discuss some of our tried and true strategies that help make the day go better for everyone! They also share some child development knowledge that helps to understand what is happening in those little brains.

OFS Mill Valley Director Amy Baker interviews Dorothy, who discusses the importance of attachment. People have an innate need to feel love and be connected to others, and these attachments are formed in the earliest years in our lives. Dorothy talks about how our parenting is affected by how we were parented, as well as how advancements in neuroscience support attachment relationships.