Showing posts with label Early Childhood Mental Health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Early Childhood Mental Health. Show all posts
Saturday, September 27, 2025
Apply to my Outdoor Preschool
Hi, I reside in Hidden Valley. I run a small preschool in this communnity. You can apply here. I will have openings next year. Thanks for your interest.
Voted Top Preschool 2022. 
Saturday, August 9, 2025
Manners for Toddlers
July 2025
Summer is not OVER! Keep enjoying every minute until... the smell of crisp fall weather arrives. We already have pumpkins at HVS. Is it going to be an early fall? Maybe?
Manners and Toddlers
How do we teach kids manners and why is it important?
- Manners give children confidence
- They must have a role model they trust
- Start with early simple habits
- Understand why we have manners
- This leads to good social skills as they age
📺 2 min video: Etiquette & The Story of King Louis XIV – Cindy Post Senning shares how the word “etiquette” came to represent our social customs through a story of King Louis XIV and his summer celebrations at Versailles.
New Class: Gradual Introduction to Preschool
Caregiver and Me Class – Join us for an hour. You choose: story time, snack time, outside play, or learning time.
Sign up on Calendlyhttps://calendly.com/jivins77/caregiver-and-me-class
UPDATE from Miss Jessica
This summer, I took a trip to New Jersey and visited New York with my daughter Marissa. We enjoyed the shore, relaxed by the pool, and even had a pretend “pool boy” (really my bestfriends husband) bring us drinks. Yes, I still pretend as an adult!
I finally started working out—and I’m enjoying it! I gave the preschool room a makeover, created a new solar system mobile, and installed pulley systems in the classroom. At home, I now have an automatic chicken door—more time for coffee in the mornings!
Marissa, my youngest, will be a senior this year. She bought a moped and has been zipping all over Sandy, Draper, and South Jordan. Give her a wave if you see her!
The Decline of Unstructured Play
by Michael Patte, Ph.D.
In the past, play was child-initiated and open-ended. Today, for many kids, it’s adult-directed and highly structured—impacting physical, cognitive, social, and emotional growth. Michael Patte, professor of education at Bloomsburg University, explains why unstructured play remains essential.
Consistency: A Key to Raising Secure, Well-Behaved Children
Consistency is one of the most powerful tools for helping children grow into emotionally secure and well-mannered individuals. Like a steady compass, it helps kids know what to expect and how to behave.
Benefits of Consistency
- Creates a sense of security
- Builds trust in caregivers
- Reinforces learning through repetition
- Shapes behavior effectively
- Strengthens emotional regulation
Why HVS Excels in Consistency
We’re small, stable, and dependable—always the same teachers, never random substitutes. This predictability makes our environment safe and home-like.
Examples in the World
- Church – studies link religious upbringing with greater success
- The seasons – predictable and reassuring
- Sunrise and sunset
- Flowers blooming and fading
- Evergreen trees staying green year-round
Our Approach to Religion
Religion isn’t part of our curriculum, but if a child talks about church, we listen respectfully. Sometimes a child asks to pray before snack, and they’re welcome to do so.
Living in Utah
It’s common for kids to ask, “What church do you go to?” You can simply reply: “I’m happy you’ve found peace at your church, and thanks for thinking of me. I’m at peace with my choice.”
How Do I Get Through to My Teenager?
Conversations with teens can feel impossible. My creative solution: a picture frame in the bathroom, right above the toilet paper. I rotate the content—jokes, quotes, or reminders. They have to look at it, so maybe they’ll read it!
Sometimes it works, sometimes not—but when they quote something from the frame, I know: mission accomplished. Start this when they’re young so it becomes normal. Change it often.
📄 Printable Top 10 Cell Phone Rules
Emily Post Website
Preschool Hours
This year’s preschool hours: 8:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
If you’re in a bind, I can often accommodate. For full-time daycare, my neighbor runs Canny Kids with two locations in Sandy. I can even drop children off there if needed.
Saturday, July 29, 2023
PRESCHOOL CURRICULUM 21st century
What do you think of when you hear PRESCHOOL? Do you want to send you child? Are you sad? Do you want to control every environment your child will be in? Do you just want a break from your child? Worried? Happy? Stressed?
All emotions are valid. Talk yourself through this. It will be okay. Some people think it is time to teach your child the ABC's. But before you you teach that we should be teaching them to identify feelings. MAD, HAPPY, SAD, EXCITED. This will help them to understand themselves. NOT the ABC's. And they are egocentric at this age any way. ABC's come naturally and so do most things kids need to learn.
Have you ever had a teacher teach a lesson and you didn't care for the content or their voice? Well, how do you think a kids feels? When a child is not interested they get up and run around. They leave the area. They do not sit still. I taught in the classroom and can tell you that there are some kids that will sit through a lesson and some kids will not. What do teachers do with the kids that won't sit? Get a $379 CUBE chair and make them sit. Give them a toy in the cube chair so they do not disturb the other children. That child is getting nothing out of it. The other children may get something out of it. Are they listening?
Education needs reforming. The younger kids are always on the back burner of getting help. Colleges are starting to recognize that Freshman need support because of the high drop out rate and suicide rate. And high schools are trying to help kids. Middle school is starting to have calming rooms and grade school has more psychologist and calming rooms for students and teachers. And Preschool is Preschool.
Obviously, kids and adult need some more help with the sky-rocketing anxiety and suicide rate. Let's teach kids how to recognize anxiety before it becomes habitual thought. Help them develop skills before it's a problem. DBT, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, is a new therapy that teaches that you can cope and there may be more than one truth. Everything isn't black and white. If we look at Piaget's theory
Now. If we are the genius human's that we claim to be wouldn't we perfect education by now. No. We know a lot but the only education system that follows Piaget's theory is the Swiss. They start formal education at age 7. In the United States they start at 5. Preschool is optional in the US and Kindergarten is optional in some states (Utah). With our knowledge of our learning stages the United States Education System still doesn't listen to the specialist. They continue to begin teaching kids younger and younger.
What happens if a child skips a stage of learning? What if he doesn't get enough sensorimotor experiences?
A child will not skip a stage of Piaget's theory. Does that mean that we must go through each phase. In my experience if a child doesn't get sensorimotor, they are still in that phase for a while longer.
Do they move on to the next stage? Do we still believe kids are capable of Formal Operational Stage in the 21st century? Kids are much more immature than in the 20th century.
So the reason we can't perfect being a human is because as soon as we figure out what it means, it changes!
However, the Sensorimotor has not changed much. Baby Einstein tried to mess with this stage by teaching babies to talk on the television.
It didn't work.So! All this points to teaching kids more...
Here is my curriculum.
So have fun and remember all this above means PLAY WITH YOUR CHILDREN.
Tuesday, June 13, 2023
Nothing takes place of Interactions
How can you tell a good school from a not so good school?
Does a good school let child cut with knives?
NO, a good school allows as many interactions to take place as possible. Ratio is 1:4. Kids are not afraid to speak up and are allowed to feel heard.
Does a good school let child cut with knives?
NO, a good school allows as many interactions to take place as possible.
Ratio is 1:4. Kids are not afraid to speak up and are allowed to feel heard.
I would say to judge a place by interactions. Wholesome interactions. Supportive interactions. Learning interactions. If the ratio of teacher/ child is too low, 1:1 it may not get enough interaction. That is why mom's know it is easier with 2 kids vs. 1 child. Because 3 is more fun than 1 and 3 is also a number that is pleasing to the eye in the arts. 3 is also a significant number, with many stories. But don't make this your determinant for having another child.
In this video the child is talking on the phone that his father called him on. His father is in the other room. He has 2 other adults supporting him in his interactions. He is 15 mos. and has the typical babble talk with connotations.
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Self guided study to understanding language.
I believe the most interesting thing about Language is that we all acquire it. We do not have to have sit down lessons on. We learn by doing. We make mistakes. We create new rules. Then, slowly after 3-5 years we got it. Our language continues to grow until age 12-13. By then we have it. Ages 0-3 are the most important years for learning language. We begin listening to language in the womb and continue learning as long as we want. If you are in a dual immersion class we will be able to write and speak, but interacting will always be a struggle until we do it. Interactions are the best.
Next in my self studies are : How do cell phones interrupt interactions?
Click below to read the study:
Language study in early childhood
I delved ... here are the highlights:
By way of summation, according to the behaviorist (e.g., Skinner [9], children learn language through reinforcement and association, whereas Chomsky took the view that children have an inborn capacity for language understanding and use.
The most distinctive print of a culture has been defined as its language.
Notably, interaction has a significant role in language acquisition.
Acquisition of a child’s first language begins at birth and continues to puberty (the ‘critical period’). Spada and Lightbown [6]; DeKeyser and Larson-Hall [2] noted that during the first three years of the child’s life, the child gets exposed to the language in his/her environment.
linguistic environment where they can continually hear, interact and communicate in that particular language.
Language is a social phenomenon. According to Spada and Lightbown [6], children can also be exposed to the language through audio-visual media, but that exposure is without interaction, but, without using the language to express themselves, the children cannot acquire that particular language.
Children communicate first by using different languages, such as body language, sign language and oral language
Therefore, the first words the child learns are those that directly relate to the child’s sensory experience and connect the child to his or her exploration of the environment
age Newborn: This is the first stage of language where children babble and coo according to Tomasello and Bates [12], just to exercise the articulatory organs in an experimentally random and playful manner.
age 6 mos - 9 mos: the second stage is when the child starts to babble in a pattern similar to the patterns of adult speech, this happens between the ages of six to nine months.
age 12mos. one-word stage, where babies use only one word
age 1 yr 8 mos two word stage, "dada chair"
age 2- 2.5 telegraphic stage, rudimentary sentences, "I good girl."
age 2- predictable phonological errors or deviations
children first start by over-generalizing the rules
processing the rules of language
a process of development to full competence of the language use leading them to understand the exceptions to the rules
a process of development to full competence of the language use leading them to understand the exceptions to the rules
language grows organically in the child’s mind rather than artificially constructing it in the process of learning
There is no disagreement about the effectiveness of early language acquisition, but what if the language learner has a positive attitude towards the culture in question. Positive attitudes produce motivations in the students. According to Spada and Lightbown [6], “The overall findings show that positive attitudes and motivation are related to success in second language learning, [and consequently acquiring a second identity]” (p. 56). There are two kinds of motivations at issue in this process: a. Curiosity: A desire to understand a group of people and their way of life; a desire or interest to know why a group of people do things differently from us, or why they believe in so many things that we have never considered. b. Empathy: Upon repeated exposure, one might come to the conclusion that this group of people has a more sensible handle on things than we do.
Saturday, December 24, 2022
Choices, Patience, and Children
"Go to ____________."
And sometimes you have to suck up the feeling of needing a break and sometimes you child has to suck it up. Who has the most understanding of this tolerance level. THE PARENT! So Parents, I know you want a break but now is the time to show your child you will always be there for them. The more you resist, the more they will persist. Some children have more needs than others. And those children that may not need you at all- a child on the spectrum- you may need to interject into their play. They need parents to be persistent, but also give them a break. It is all about moderation on all things.
We all have our tolerane window, and pay attention to yours. Take your breaks not when you kid needs you. Take it when they are asleep, plan date nights, take care of yourself so you can be there for them. When you are on as the parent you need to be there 110%.
Kids have amazing intuition
So At home, love your child. Bite the feeling to sit without a child on your lap. Take a breath and have more patience than the child. If you need a break, tell them, "I am going________, I will be back." Don't leave them in a room alone. We are social beings. Put your child in the arms of someone and come back ready to start all over building that trust again. Children have more patience than adults!
Tuesday, August 2, 2022
Healthy explosions
The Whole Brained Child by Daniel Siegel and Tina Bryson talks about strategies to help when we or our child forget to think/ or use their upstairs brain.
1. Pay attention to our body. Recognize distress in your child. Help them recognize it.
2. Engage the upstairs brain. Remember It isn't under construction until age 2 years.
3. This brain growth is different in everybody. Therefore strategies begin with distraction- controlled breathing.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0070TRH6O/ref=dp-kindle-redirect/143-4105038-6067135?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
Daniel Siegel is all about brain integration. Using the upstairs brain and the downstairs brain. And his research is evidence based. Meaning it has scientific proof that it works or is true.
Engaging the upstairs brain looks differently for many ages and people depending on thieir history. Taking into consideration their traumas, upbringing, situations, and brain development we have a very broad spectrum of expectations. Mindfulness says we should have zero expectations because expectation bring disappointment. All things considered this may be true for a new teacher or someone that doesn't know your child. However, as parents we know what our child is capable of and we would expect them to not show anger is certain ways. However, if they ever did regress...this would be a tell-tale, sign that something isn't right. All messages from the body are trying to tell the person or those around them something. They are expressing how they feel and if they hold in that feeling they may explode.
Healthy explosions. Is there such a thing? In children these are called opportunities to teach. In adults, it is a learning opportunity.
If we don't change we don't learn. If we don't learn we don't change.
Saturday, January 29, 2022
Early Childhood Mental Health Summit (2nd annual)
The second annual Early Childhood Mental Health Summit happened in Utah this month! January 2022.
Hooray for people recognizing the need to intervene at a young age and doing headway into the now very visible problem of adolesence mental health and suicide rates.
Thank you Governor Cox first lady Abby Cox for being on board and seeing the importance of this and for The Children’s Center for collaborating and putting this together.
Early childhood and Mental Health in Utah with the work of the University of Utah works with The Children's Center drafted recommendations.
Goal is: Help every child secure a solid foundation.
Summary:
ECMH 8 Strategies to help with Early Childhood Mental Health:
1. create a baseline estimate of need for early childhood mental health 2. Collaborate and coordinate with a wide variety of partners. 3. Increase awareness, promotion and preventions related activities. 4. Increase integration of physical and behavioral health for children. 5. Create incentives to help develop and retain ECMH Early Childhood Mental Health workforce. 6. Develop and provide training and certificates. 7. Estimate the long term value of ECMH in Utah. 8. Decrease disparities.
The Hidden School’s recognition of these strategies and what we are doing to address them:
1. The HiddenSchool Found this need during Covid. The Extraordinary kids Summit was discovered and multiple speakers spoke on the importance of secure relationships with young children and supporting their development. THis seems so common sense however it is neophyte to many. 2. The Hidden School is seeking ways of working with others and will reach out to The Children's Center. 3. Parents and others are unaware of the importance of early childhood development. Accessing these resources are just starting to be met. 4. This is directed toward Medicaid enrolled children and helping them seek treatment earlier. The Hidden School School is a form of Child Find with a Special Education Teacher with resources to refer children as need to more services. 5. The Hidden School recognizes that there is a tolerance window for every human. We have found our sweet number for being able to help others at a ratio of 4:1 for student teacher. We are seeking more ways of getting the state involved in recognizing this small ratio importance for children by writing our legislation. 6. The Hidden School has found The MIndful Schools as a training and resource for educating caregivers and certifying teachers to enact Mindfulness for children. 7. Conduct a study. The Hidden School is in its first year. 8. Collect data. The Hidden Schools gives discounts to race and other minorities because it is for the good of all children attending The HIdden School to be exposed to diversity ei: vegan, race, socio-economic status.
Early Childhood is a crital time of development. Plasticity is happening at faster rates. Factors that effect this is disparities ei. COVID, race, conflict, low-income, depressed parents.
What they need is a secure relationship. This is what The Hidden School provides. A small class size with a resilent class theory that imploys Mindfulness for the children to know that there is just ONE more Person that loves them.
Thank you to the Children's Center of Utah, University of Utah, University of Oregon, University of Maryland and Governor Cox and Fist Lady Abby Cox.
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