Raising Them Right-ish

What if the way we interpret a child's behaviour says just as much about us as it does about the child?

In this episode of Raising Them Right-ish, I'm joined by Carolina Alvarez, Registered Psychotherapist and Certified Child-Centered Play Therapist, for an important conversation about understanding children's emotional and mental health.

Together, we explore:

• How adult biases influence the way we see and respond to children.

• Why children's mental health deserves our attention.

• What child-centered play therapy is and how it supports children in expressing themselves.

• 🌱 The importance of looking beyond behaviour to better understand a child's needs.

Whether you're a parent, educator, or caregiver, this conversation encourages us to challenge our assumptions and see children through a different lens.

Because sometimes understanding children starts with examining how we see them.

Welcome to the village and to Raising Them Right-ish.

Want to connect with Carolina, you can reach her at www.anchorchildtherapy.com or www.connectedclassroom.net.

When should children start developing literacy and language skills? What signs should parents be paying attention to? And what does executive functioning have to do with learning?

In this episode of Raising Them Right-ish, I'm joined by Tova Vertes, literacy and learning specialist and owner of Phenomenal Kids, for a conversation about how children develop the skills that lay the foundation for learning.

We explore:

• Early literacy and language development.

• Potential red flags parents and educators should watch for.

• The role executive functioning plays in learning and development.

• Why understanding how children learn matters.

Whether you're a parent, educator, or someone who works with young children, this episode offers valuable insights into recognizing developmental needs and supporting early learning.

Because understanding how children learn is just as important as what we're teaching them.

Welcome to the village and to Raising Them Right-ish.

Want to know more about Tova's services. You can find her at www.phenomenalkids.ca

Do you ever feel like you're not spending enough quality time with your child? Between work, meals, laundry, and everything else life throws at us, finding time to connect can feel like one more thing on an already overwhelming to-do list.

But what if connection didn't have to be complicated?

In this episode of Raising Them Right-ish, Nichole draws on 25 years of childcare experience to explore how simple, everyday interactions can make a meaningful difference in children's development.

We're talking about:

• Building emotional safety, security, and trust.

• Encouraging learning through everyday experiences.

• Making reading together fun and meaningful.

• Supporting independence and confidence.

• Helping children develop self-regulation through connection and co-regulation.

You'll walk away with practical, realistic ways to connect with your child, without expensive activities, elaborate plans, or added parenting guilt.

Because connection isn't about doing more. It's about making the most of the moments you're already sharing.

Kids deserve understanding. Adults deserve understanding too.

You don't have to get it right. Right-ish will do.

Welcome to the village and to Raising Them Right-ish.

Your child's educator tells you they've had a wonderful day. They played, laughed, listened, and participated.

Then you get home... and suddenly everything falls apart.

Clinginess, crying, screaming, hitting, or meltdowns over the smallest things.

Sound familiar?

In this episode of Raising Them Right-ish, Nichole draws on 25 years of childcare experience to explain why some children struggle emotionally after daycare, even when they've genuinely had a great day.

We'll talk about:

• Why children sometimes save their biggest emotions for home.

• What might be happening underneath those after-daycare meltdowns.

• Why clinginess can be a sign that your child needs connection.

• Five practical ways to make the transition from daycare to home easier.

• How parents and educators can work together to better understand children's behaviour.

Because a good day at daycare and a difficult evening at home can both be true.

Kids deserve understanding. Adults deserve understanding too.

Welcome to the village and to Raising Them Right-ish.

Why does your child melt down over something that seems completely insignificant? And why do kids sometimes seem to “misbehave” when they know the rules?

In the first official episode of Raising Them Right-ish, Nichole explores one of the most important lessons she has learned from 25 years of working with children:

Behaviour is communication.

We’ll talk about what might be happening underneath challenging behaviour, why developmental expectations matter, and how we can understand a child’s feelings while still holding boundaries.

Because understanding the behaviour doesn’t mean excusing it—it means getting curious about what the child might be trying to tell us.

Kids deserve understanding. Adults deserve understanding too.

You don’t have to get it right. Right-ish will do.

Welcome to Raising Them Right-ish!

After 25 years in childcare, I’ve seen it all, heard it all…and cringed at some of it. 😂

In this first episode, I’m sharing how I accidentally found my way into Early Childhood Education, what 25 years of working with children and families has taught me, and why I believe raising little humans really does take a village.

We’ll talk about how childcare has changed, child development, behaviours, why perfect parenting doesn’t exist, the things kids say that probably should have stayed at home, and so much more.

Parents, educators, caregivers, grandparents—the whole village is welcome.

We may not always get it right…but right-ish? We can do that.