We Nurture: Waldorf Inspired Parenting

Latest Episodes:

12 Types of Play Your Child Needs Jun 22, 2022

Show notes

As parents, we know how important play is for young children. For the young child, play and learning are one and the same. Through play, children try out their ideas and develop new capacities at their own pace and in their own timing.

It's been said that the most effective way for a young child to be educated is to let them learn through play at their own pace. - To let them learn when they are ready and interested.

The types of play that I’ll focus on is based on research that was used as a tool for assessing whether play in early childhood programs was providing adequate opportunities and materials for all types of play. Although this research came out of this need, it’s also a useful tool for us as parents to know if we are providing the variety of play that our child needs and if they have access to different types of play in the program they attend.

Listen to learn more!

Here are a links to Alliance for Childhood articles

Crisis in the Kindergarten - Why Children Need to Play in School

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5d24bb215f3e850001630a72/t/5d389f785f713d0001a33797/1563991929109/Summary+Crisis+in+Kindergarten_8-page_summary.pdf

Alliance for Childhood - Importance of Play

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED485734.pdf

12 Key Types of Play

https://images.shulcloud.com/1039/uploads/docs/Resource-Bank/Parent-Resource-Bank/Twelve-Key-Types-of-Play.pdf

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Nurturing Your Child's Ability to Self-Regulate Jun 21, 2022

Show notes

Welcome to another inspiring edition of Blossoming Tuesday on the We Nurture Podcast.

Today, I talk about how to nurture your child’s ability to self-regulate. I highlight three stages of learning - supporting self-regulation, co-regulating, and achieving self-regulation that, when nurtured, builds your child’s ability to regulate. You’ll come to understand what role your triggers, as a parent, play in your child’s self-regulation journey. I share insights on the importance of breathing, talking, seeking help, and, of course, the undeniable benefits of play. Finally, I take a detailed look at the importance of self-regulation in children and adults alike. Tune in to listen and please share this episode with family and friends.

Key Points From This Episode:

The three stages of learning that build your child’s ability to self-regulate.
Stage 1: Supporting self-regulation.
How to be a calm, nurturing presence for your child.
Stage 2: Co-regulating.
Stage 3: Achieving self-regulation.
Why understanding your triggers as a parent will help your child’s self-regulation.
How children develop self-regulation through self-directed play.
The reasons why self-regulation is essential.

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The Effects of Screen Time on the Young Child Jun 20, 2022

Show notes

Welcome to a new episode of the We Nurture Podcast! Today on Mindful Monday, I will be chatting about the effects of screen time on our young ones. I'll open a dialogue around why screen time should be limited for younger children. I'll talk about how I raised my children, the research and resources I used, and the methods of observations that better equipped me to create and maintain a screen-free home. While acknowledging that this is a difficult task, I'll give advice, tips, and powerful questions to ask ourselves which will help listeners to better observe and perceive the ways children behave and interact when having screen time. From understanding important cognitive, sensory, and physiological nervous system developments in our children, to the power of boredom and nature, I talk about how to take on the challenge of minimizing screen time in your homes to improve all aspects of your child's life. I'll talk about how chronic stress, overstimulation, and concentration barriers can be combated with simple play-oriented, movement-centered, grounding techniques. I hope you can join me to feel empowered to tackle minimizing screen time in a world that revolves around screens!

Key Points From This Episode:

A brief look at my personal parenting style with regard to screens.
The age at which I introduced screens into my children's lives.
Discussing the development of a young child’s brain with respect to certain age markers.
The developmental processes a brain misses out on when a child is having screen time.
Why I avoided screen time when raising my children in their early years.
The importance of children feeling and processing their boredom.
The effects of screen time on children's cognitive, sensory, and physiological nervous systems.
How screen time can affect your child’s focus, attention span, and sleep.
A scientific understanding of a child’s developing brain.
Three critical questions you can ask yourself when making decisions around children’s screen time.
How to look out for and pay attention to the negative effects of screen time.
10 key points from Dr. Dunckley’s book, Reset Your Child's Brain.
The power of observing your child.

PDF Reset Your Child's Brain - A Four Week Plan to End Meltdowns, Raise Grades and Build Social skills by Reversing the Effects of Electronic Screen Time

Reset Your Child's Brain by Dr. Victoria Dunckley

What Do We Really Know About Kids and Screens

The Case for Screen-Free Childhood

Associations between screen-based media use and brain white matter integrity in preschool-aged children

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Navigating Resistance and Aggressive Language Jun 17, 2022

Show notes

Today on Q&A Friday, I talk about how to mindfully navigate resistance and aggressive language in our children. With no simple one-size-fits-all approach, I guide you in understanding that each situation requires a personal tailored response: one that is in the best interest of your child. You'll learn the importance of a child being able to express themselves, and how to look beyond their behavior with kindness and empathy for underlying issues that they may be trying to express. Discover seven reasons that can cause resistance and aggressive language, which include being overwhelmed, the inability to express emotions, mimicking their personal experiences, and changing communication styles. Plus, you'll get some suggestions to navigate this behavior, from creating consistent home rhythms to holding boundaries, remaining calm in resistant situations, and acknowledging major developmental milestones. I hope you’ll join me for this informative and encouraging episode!

Key Points From This Episode:

Navigating your child’s resistance while considering potential underlying causes.
How allowing your child to express themselves builds connections and strengthens relationships.
A list of seven things to consider when understanding resistant behavior.
Suggestions on how to combat resistant behavior.
Why adults must make bigger decisions and let children choose between two smaller choices.
How being overwhelmed can mirror being resistant.
The ways an adult can support their child through situations that trigger resistance.
What the Waldorf Education system defines as the individuation process.
The healing power of telling stories.
How to tame, work with, and deal with aggressive language and behavior

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

We Nurture Collective

We Nurture on Instagram

We Nurture on Facebook

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Connecting your Child to Life Through Gardening Jun 16, 2022

Show notes

“Gardening isn’t just an activity that we do. In so many ways, it shows us the essence of the cycles of life, from the seed to the aging, dying plant.” Today on Seasonal Thursday, I’ll be talking about a Waldorf inspired approach to gardening with young children. Once again, I will invite you to place yourself in the young child’s world of feeling instead of knowing, experiencing instead of overthinking. I'll take a look at the importance of nature in early childhood before taking a deep dive into ‘the willing phase’. Then, onto gardening, where you’ll learn how to plan your garden and decide what to plant, making sure that you have the right tools, as well as the importance of designated gardening clothes, and so much more! And, of course, you’ll get some ideas for fun gardening activities, some of which are there to extend the experience beyond just gardening. Make sure to tune in and come grow with us.

Key Points From This Episode:

Living into an experience, instead of thinking your way through it.
How ‘feeling‘ is more important than ‘knowing‘ for the young child.
The importance of nature in early childhood.
Waldorf Educations’s three phases of the growing child, paying closer attention to ‘the willing phase‘.
Planning your garden and deciding what to plant.
The importance of organic seeds/food.
Making sure that you have the right tools.
How to create a separate play area for your child.
Another reminder that children play themselves into life.
Some fun gardening activities for children aged 18 months and older.
The importance of having the right clothes and why distinctively different clothes for gardening matters.
I talk about how to keep it simple.
Little things that you can do to add to the experience, beyond just gardening.
Creating a small, personal garden bed for the slightly older child.

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The Benefits of Cooking with Your Child Jun 15, 2022

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Welcome to a new episode of the We Nurture Podcast! Today is Inspirational Wednesday, and we will be chatting about the power of cooking with your child. In this episode, I share personal experiences I had with my mother, my experience as a Waldorf educator, and experiences with my children in their early childhood years. I use all of these experiences to guide you through the benefits of cooking and preparing food with your child. From social-emotional and cognitive development, building self-esteem, promoting hand-eye coordination, and creating an awareness of their senses, the list of benefits seems endless. You'll begin to understand how, by allowing your child to participate in the kitchen, you'd can create lifelong memories, foster positive relationships, and cultivate a connection to the natural world. My aim is to provide comfort in the face of this potentially daunting task, and encourage a shift in your mindset to move away from your potential fears of mess and imperfection. I hope you can join us for this informative and advice-filled episode!

Key Points From This Episode:

Children’s interest in adults’ day-to-day tasks.
A look at my childhood in Nigeria as the beginning of my relationship with food.
Cooking as an early childhood experience is integral to the Waldorf curriculum.
The holistic perspective of nourishment as an experience that promotes a healthy relationship with food.
The importance of children being immersed and included in their surrounding environments.
Accepting that including your child in cooking may be messy and be imperfect.
How cooking nurtures your relationship with your child and builds their self-esteem.
How helping prepare food promotes pre-maths thinking and helps build hand-eye coordination skills.
How cooking develops language skills, social-emotional and cognitive development, and problem-solving skills.
Age-appropriate considerations to make in the kitchen.
Recommendations on how to ensure your child’s safety while preparing food.

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Activities to Calm and Ground Your Child Jun 14, 2022

Show notes

Do you feel like your home needs more calm? Well, get ready for some peace at home as we welcome you to another episode of the We Nurture Podcast! Today, on Blossoming Tuesday, I talk about activities that you can do to ground and calm your child. Behavior is something that needs to be carefully considered and in this episode you'll learn how your child’s behavior determines which calming activity best suits their needs. You'll also discover just how important it is to identify your child’s individual needs. You’ll come to know why the ‘time of day’ makes a difference in your child’s behavior. There are four foundational senses that we are made aware of and there is a calming activity that speaks to each one of them. I talk about about warmth as a calming essential, water as therapy, and the benefits of creating a little fort for your child. Make sure that you tune in to find out how you can bring calm to your home!

Key Points From This Episode:

Things to notice about your child’s behavior.

How behavior determines the necessary calming activity.
The importance of identifying the ‘need’ of your child.
What different types of calming activities look like.
Why time of day is an important factor to consider.
How sense is important when choosing the right calming activity.
Looking at the four foundational senses.
Four calming activities that relate to the senses.
Grounding experiences for the imbalanced child.
Why warmth is used as a calming essential tool.
How water is akin to therapy.
The importance of cozy nooks and blanketed forts for you.

You'll find our recipe for Homemade Warm Lavender Scented Play dough in today's instagram post.

Link to Waldorf Play Frame

Link to Waldorf Play Stands

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Why It's Important for Children to Know There's Goodness in the World Jun 13, 2022

Show notes

Welcome to another exciting edition of Mindful Monday on the We Nurture Podcast! In this episode, I’ll be talking about the importance of letting children know that there is goodness in the world. Life is hard, so children need to know that even in difficult times, goodness does exist. You'll learn that parents need to protect our children from our adult fears and anxieties and that we, as adults, need to be a model of happiness that our children can look up too. We come to understand that fear can make a child shut down and that we shouldn’t expose them to news and other adult content while they are still young. We should, instead, shower them with love and positivity. Positive affirmations can help your child develop a sense of being safe. And, we can positively affirm that today’s episode is not to be missed!

May this episode encourage you and help you to discover hope and joy in life everyday and that you'll find the strength and courage to show your child that there is indeed Goodness in the World!

Key Points From This Episode:

• Why it is important for children to know that there is goodness in the world.

• Why children need to be protected from adult fears and anxieties.

• The way Chinyelu’s childhood experiences of war formed her beliefs!

• Discovering ways to be a model of happiness for our kids.

• How to help your child develop a sense of safety.

• What it means to meet the world with warmth and an open heart.

• How to create moments of stillness.

• The importance of positive affirmations.

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Bossy and Aggressive Behavior Towards Siblings Jun 03, 2022

Show notes

In this episode, I talk about my parenting experience with bossy and aggressive behavior. I discuss the importance of having unconditional love, compassion, and empathy as a way to understanding how our child's behavior stems from their internal fears and desire to control (because of their fears).

In sharing my personal story my hope is that it will help you if you are facing this kind of behavior. If you think my story and advice might help a family member or friend, please share it with them.

Throughout the episode, I challenge you to shift how you view aggressive behavior to see that what your child is actually needing, is actually asking for is you. They’re asking for your unconditional love, your compassion, your empathy, your understanding and your kindness.

Key Points From This Episode:

My personal experience with bossy and aggressive behavior
The power of judgment-free observation.
A consistent approach to moving through the locked aggressive feelings of a toddler.
How to understand your child’s behavior with unconditional love and empathy.
How to support all your children when one is hurting from the actions of their sibling.
Remodeling aggressive actions to become respectful communication and healthy interactions.
The main goal when dealing with challenging behavior.
The importance of a parent’s kindness, empathy, unconditional love, and compassion.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

We Nurture Collective

We Nurture on Instagram

We Nurture on Facebook

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Restorative Foods for Spring Jun 02, 2022

Show notes

Today, the We Nurture Podcast is all about making your child blossom like a spring flower! We have the added pleasure of being joined by health and beauty coach, Jolene Hart.

Jolene speaks about the importance of getting your child into the rhythm of eating with the seasons from an early age. And that it’s possible to make healthy eating fun for them!

Tune in to hear Jolene's advice and tips from her own personal and professional experience.

Key Points From This Episode: