We Nurture: Waldorf Inspired Parenting

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Using Stories to Help your Child Handle Change Jul 12, 2022

Show notes

Welcome back to another bountiful episode of blossoming Tuesday on the We Nurture Podcast. I’m your host, Chinyelu. Today, I talk about how you can use stories to calm your child when they are distressed. Your child could be agitated due to a break from routine or nervous about an upcoming event. In any case, stories are a way to capture your child’s attention and imagination, in an effort to bring calm to a situation. I will tell you how descriptive language is great for early childhood development, and how you, as a parent, do not need to tell the perfect story, only one that helps you connect with your child with a message that they can relate to. I will share two stories with you today, as examples of the ways that you can create imagery to bring peace to any moments of stress. I can’t wait for you to tune into this one!

Key Points From This Episode:

Using stories to help children manage behavior that has become disruptive.
How to use language to conjure up images that guide your child’s emotions to a calm state.
Why the loss of a sense of security and safety can cause dysregulation.
Descriptive language as an aid for early childhood development.
The way stories can capture a child’s attention and imagination.
Creating your own stories, as a parent, to bring calm.
The types of stories that you can use to create imagery.
Making sure that you do not direct your child through your stories.
Creating imagery that your child can relate to.
How to navigate through an unexpected event that interrupts the usual routine.
Your story does not have to be perfect, so rather focus on connecting with your child!
Using animals in stories to better connect with your child.
An example of a preview story: The Fox Family.

Waldorf Education

We Nurture Collective

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Why Time Outs Don't Work and What to Do Instead Jul 11, 2022

Show notes

Welcome to a new episode of the We Nurture Podcast! Today is Mindful Monday, and I will be discussing why giving a child a timeout doesn’t work. Timeouts, which are ineffective and punitive, never serve their intended purpose. While delving deep into the topic, I explain why we need to change our perception of dealing with negative behavior, and how by doing this, we create an opportunity to support our children, connect with them, and build a relationship. I try to help you understand the importance of being present when your child reflects and processes their behavior, how to teach your child emotional regulation, the ways to guide them with your own strengths and boundaries, and how timeouts cause our children to create beliefs that they are worthy of punishment. Plus, I give you suggestions and helpful strategies on what to do instead of timeouts, how to acknowledge why you desire to send your child to timeout, and the importance of giving your child autonomy and choice. I hope you can join me!

Key Points From This Episode:

How to change our response to our child’s negative behavior.
How to figure out what our child is trying to communicate when they have negative behavior.
Helpful strategies to use when dealing with a child’s misbehavior.
Understanding what the flawed goal of timeout is.
Why we need to be present when our children reflect on their behavior.
How we help our children with emotional regulation by being present.
Why our children need to feel comforted and guided when they are presenting negative behavior.
The lessons to teach our children when they are processing their feelings.
How to reflect on why you are sending your child to timeout.
The power of giving a child autonomy and choice.
How to incorporate the outside when you’re dealing with misbehavior.
The importance of reflecting on your child’s negative behavior.

Managing Bedtime With Multiple Children Jul 08, 2022

Show notes

Welcome to a new episode of the We Nurture Podcast! Today is Q&A Friday, and I am going to be talking about how to manage bedtimes when you have children of different ages. I am going to talk about the power of healthy, daily rhythms and having a holistic overview of the day. Before I get deep into today’s episode, I recap the six foundations of a healthy rhythm and give some quick examples of how to make sure you achieve these. Then, I will help you understand the effect a busy day has on the tiredness of your child, and I will draw on my own experiences to give you tips, tricks, and advice on how to juggle managing bedtime routines. I help you understand how to let go of the day and make peace with what has been, in the hopes of finding harmony tomorrow. From reading books before bed and having early dinners, to managing bathing and showering routines, this episode is helpful for parents and caregivers with children of all ages!

Key Points From This Episode:

Chinyelu discusses why she was at home with her three children (of all different ages).
The power of a healthy, daily rhythm and having a holistic overview of the day.
Talking about how different emotions are expressed at the end of the day, normally at bedtime.
Why children can become clingy at the end of the day.
How to have a harmonious bedtime.
The link between the end of today and the beginning of tomorrow.
Investing in a front carrier for your baby.
Why you should have early dinners, and how to create a bathing/showering routine.
Why you should read books (and the different kinds of books to read) before bed.
How you can put your day to rest and give yourself peace during bedtime.

Summertime Rhythm to Nurture Your Child and Family Jul 07, 2022

Show notes

Welcome to a new episode of the We Nurture Podcast! Today is Seasonal Thursday, and I am going to be chatting about how to create, and maintain, a nourishing, balancing summertime rhythm to nurture your child and family. We all know that the summer season is notorious for unplanned, changing activities. So, when reflecting on our rhythms, we need to focus on creating predictable and consistent routines that will support our child's ability to self-regulate, have a sense of normality, and support their sense of wellbeing. I discuss the three essential cornerstones of support (sleep time, mealtime, and playtime) and how they promote a healthy daily rhythm. I will help you recognize when your child is expressing, their feelings of being unsettled and overwhelmed; whether it is through behavior or actions, and how to approach and implement a balanced routine to get them back to feeling their best. I hope you tune in to hear my personal summertime rhythm guide, which includes estimated times of the day, for creating a sustainable and supportive rhythm!

Key Points From This Episode:

How the summer season brings a change in rhythms.
Creating predictable and consistent routines.
The foundation of rhythm and the three cornerstones: sleep time, mealtime, and playtime.
How to help your child self-regulate, have a sense of normality, and support their sense of wellbeing.
Understanding your child’s negative behavior (and boundary-pushing) as communicating feelings of being unsettled and overwhelmed.
The major role of balancing your day-to-day life
The power of slowing down (and expanding) the activities we do with our children.
A framework for creating your summer rhythm.
Sleep time: the correct number of hours for restorative sleep.
Mealtime: helping keep the system in balance, nourishment, and blood sugar regulation.
Playtime: nourishing cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being and language and communication skills development.
The power of being in nature during your summer mealtime.
A summertime rhythm guide, based on times of the day, for creating a nourishing routine.

Sleep Foundation

How Opened Ended Toys Build the Imagination Jul 06, 2022

Show notes

Did you know that when your child plays with a toy, they actually build a relationship with the toy and the material that the toy is made from can affect how they play with the toy. It’s important when we are intentional about the kinds of toys or play materials that we give to our child. Does it have warmth? Does it invite your child to play? How does it feel? How does your child engage with it? These are all good questions to ask.

Just by watching your child, you can see how much their toys stimulate their imagination, their curiosity and approach to exploring their world. Children learn about their world through play and the toys and play materials that they use are a medium for this exploration.

The less formed a toy is the more room there is for your child to imagine and create their own ideas. Open-ended toys give children freedom to create and because they aren’t fixed they can be used in any number of ways.

Join me in this episode to learn more!

Nurturing Compassion with Doll Play Jul 05, 2022

Show notes

Welcome to the We Nurture Podcast. Today, I will be talking about the importance of doll play in your young child’s development. Doll play can nurture compassion in your child, and give them the ability to care for someone or something else. Waldorf education states that dolls are the archetype of the human being and I have seen this to be true in my experiences with preschool children. I will show you how doll play can lead to you, as a parent, being more mindful, what to avoid when you are handling a doll in front of your child, how a doll as a toy can be your child’s best friend, and how a simple doll will allow your child to fully express their feelings. I’ll take you on a journey through the experiences I had when introducing my children to their Christmas dolls, and how my kids (and others) built relationships with their cuddle companions. Doll play can help your child work through their thoughts, feelings, and experiences, so you, as a parent, should always be mindful when showing nurturing care to your child. Tune in to find out why doll play is one of the most important types of play that a young child can have.

Key Points From This Episode:

Exploring how you can nurture your child’s ability to be compassionate through doll play.
Doll play is valuable to all children, boys and girls.
How dolls are the archetype of the human being in Waldorf education.
The way a child will imitate how you, as an adult, handle a doll.
How doll play can lead to a parent becoming more mindful.
What to avoid as a parent when handling a doll.
Why a toy can be a young child’s best friend.
My experience of seeing a Waldorf doll for the first time.
How a simple doll allows a child to fully express their feelings.
The perfect Christmas gift: a make-your-own doll kit.
How kids build relationships with their dolls.
How children are able to work through their thoughts, feelings, and experiences through doll play.
The importance of being mindful when showing nurturing care to our children.

Waldorf Education

The 4 Temperaments - A tool to Better Understand Your Child’s Personality Jul 04, 2022

Show notes

Today on Mindful Monday, I will be talking about the four temperaments as a tool to better understand your child’s personality. By understanding temperaments, we, as parents, can meet our child's needs in a more effective way. The four temperaments, which can be defined as traits and characteristics, are known as air (sanguine), water (phlegmatic), earth (melancholic), and fire (choleric).

“Although each temperament has specific qualities, we can expect that every one of the qualities will be seen in each individual.”— Chinyelu Kunz [

I talk about how, although each person has one or two dominant elements, qualities of each temperament is present in everyone. I advise on how to recognize, observe, experience, and manage each temperament in your child. Plus, I offer a guide to understanding how to bring all four elements into balance and harmony. I hope you will join me for this episode!

Key Points From This Episode:

The power of understanding your child’s personality.
The four temperaments and how they relate to the four elements.
How Waldorf uses the temperaments as a tool to bring children to balance.
Exploring how each element can present itself in children.
A perspective from a Waldorf teacher and Waldorf mother.
How to support our children by understanding and recognizing their characteristics as a part of their elements.

Books on Temperaments (short list)

Between Form & Freedom by Betty Staley

Children and Their Temperaments by Marieke Anschutz

Authentic Parenting by Bari Borsky & Judith Haney

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

We Nurture on YouTube

Daily Self-Care for Stressed Parents Jun 24, 2022

Show notes

In this Q & A Friday Episode , I’ll be talking about Self-Care for Stressed Parents.

This question was asked on our instagram poll when we asked parents to submit their questions for Q & A Friday on the podcast. It received a lot of votes which made it the clear choice for this episode.

If you would like to ask a parenting question you can submit it on Instagram @we (underscore) nurture on Mondays during season 6!

Listen in as I guide you through how to acknowledge your stress, process stress triggers, and even potentially prevent stress altogether. You’ll learn the negative effects of high-stress levels and how you can recognize this through your elevated emotions.

When your self-care practices make it possible for you to have a deeper understanding of why your stress exists, this helps you understand ways to heal yourself.

However, you need to remember that your stressors and emotions are valid, even if they make you feel like you are an incapable or imperfect parent. With examples such as going for a walk, having a bath, and resting when your child does, you'll begin to understand how you need to nurture the parts of yourself that needs it the most.

I hope this episode will inspire you to dig deep and start your daily self-care practices today!

Listen to hear more and learn ways to reduce your parenting stress!

Key Points From This Episode:

The knockdown effects of high-stress levels.
Recognizing the beginning stages of elevated stress levels.
The implications of emotional disconnection.
The feelings of regret at the end of the vicious stress cycle.
How to determine the origin of your stress.
Examples of emotions that trigger stress.
Different practices to incorporate into your day-to-day life to alleviate stress.
The deepness that should take place during your self-care practices.
Examples of self-care practices that nurture the parts of yourself that need to be nurtured.
Different parts of self: emotional, social, physical, sensory, intellectual, creative, and spiritual.
How to achieve personal growth while you’re on the journey of reducing your stress.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

The Benefits of Forest Bathing and Why It's a Healthy Activity Jun 23, 2022

Show notes

In this episode, I talk about Forest Bathing, the benefits and why it's a healthy activity.

What is it about forest life that draws us, heals us, and brings us joy?

What does it mean to bath our senses in the atmosphere of the forest?

In the forest, nothing is asked of us so we find ourselves listening, observing and noticing what’s around us. We relax. And when we are in a place where we can calmly take in our surroundings, particularly in a forest where our senses are bathed, we become peaceful just by the very fact that our body is in a restful state and that we’re breathing more deeply.

Join me as I take you on a journey through the forest to experience how and why it's healing for the senses and the soul.

Key Points From This Episode:

Understanding what forest bathing is.
The health benefits of forest bathing.
Why I built a forest at a Waldorf pre-school program.
Why forest life heals and nurtures our emotional well-being, physical bodies, and soul.
What it means to bathe our senses in the atmosphere of a forest.
How to craft and cultivate a simple and better forest experience.
Nature as a powerful antidote for sensory overload and challenging behaviors.
The ways children absorb experiences and how to use this to foster healthy development.
The four foundational senses as our child’s sensory building blocks.
How to observe your child in a forest bathing experience.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

http://box5157.temp.domains/~healipj6/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/12sensesahe.pdf

We Nurture Instagram

Association for Healing Education - Article - Observations Based on the Lower Senses

We Nurture on YouTube