Thank you @lanarkcounty1 for inviting me to speak Thank you @lanarkcounty1 for inviting me to speak on the important topic of Educator Well-Being!☀️

Well-being is much more than ‘self-care’…it’s about living with INTENTION. You have the power and the right to steer the trajectory of your life. The shift from being ‘obedient’ or ‘good’ to being truly ‘well’ is a BIG one. And, when we can begin to do this for ourselves — we are able to truly navigate our practice through the same lens of ‘well’ for children, families, and colleagues. 

We seek to follow children’s natural rhythms, honour their competencies, respect their voices—but, are we affording ourselves the SAME gifts? And, if we’re not, how can we truly move into our work with these good intentions? 💭🧐

#earlychildhoodeducator #educatorwellness #fromtheinsideout #earlylearnıng
✨What an honour to speak in front of almost 500 ✨What an honour to speak in front of almost 500 educators last week at the County of Renfrew @cor.childcareearlyyears May Day Annual Conference!! 🥰

I presented on the topic of Trauma-Informed Care in ECE Settings, focusing on the ground-breaking research as well as informed practices like: Rhythm, Regulation, and Relationship. 

It was such a thrill to see all of my past college students, fellow colleagues, politicians, and decision-makers all focusing-in on a subject we all need to be placing at the forefront today: children’s mental health & well-being💞

Thank you to all the dedicated ECEs who attended, for those who shared their thoughts and reflections afterwards, and the @cor.childcareearlyyears for entrusting me with delivering this important message for our community!🏡
📝 This week, it was wonderful to work with educ 📝 This week, it was wonderful to work with educators and leaders at @cbcelgccwcc2024 to discover & commit to deeply intentional VISIONS for individual programs across both locations!

“Visioning”🔭 is about more than expressing our hopes and dreams for our program. It’s also about discovering our values and deepest intentions for our work as Educators 💭🧐

And by doing so, not only does the research say that those intentions are more likely to become REALITY, but this essential practice also re-ignites our PASSION and PURPOSE!🔥

#earlychildhoodeducation #valuestovision #intentionaleducators #earlylearning #earlylearningprofessionaldevelopment #professionaldevelopmenttraining
What does it mean to be truly SEEN? 👀 For me, b What does it mean to be truly SEEN? 👀
For me, being truly seen means that someone knows my heart ❤️. Despite how I might show up on any given day, it’s being offered grace—from myself and others—with the understanding that I’m inherently good and worthy at my core. 

In difficult moments…Can we offer this to Children too? Families? Colleagues? And perhaps the most difficult: offer it to Ourselves? 

#earlyyears #earlychildhoodeducation #seenheardvalued #worthyoflove #children
If I could reach-back into the past, I'd tell her If I could reach-back into the past, I'd tell her it would all make sense one day 💛...

That she would become a passionate educator and advocate for supporting children's well-being & the importance of nurturing those who are entrusted with the sacred role of caring for children.

#acestoohigh #childhoodtrauma #complextrauma #earlyyearsmentalhealth #earlychildhoodeducation #childrenswellbeing #educatorwellbeing
I stumbled across this quote and instantly loved i I stumbled across this quote and instantly loved it! 💛 Play is SO much more than “doing things that are categorized as play” (aka “activities”). 🎉Play is ✨robust, awe-inspiring, messy, challenging, deep, life-giving, remarkable…✨

🎈What do you do to PLAY? Play is an essential human need, so let’s share the many ways we PLAY!👇

I love to get lost in my garden, paint, sing, dance, and explore nature! All of these things are “playful” for me when I: let go of outcomes, live in the moment, and notice the little things. ✨

 #earlychildhoodeducation #play #curiosity #wonder #getlost
🪁Do you ever wonder about your role as an Educa 🪁Do you ever wonder about your role as an Educator during PLAY? 
🪁Do you ask questions like “when do I step in?” & “when do I step back?”
🪁Here’s some things to consider when reflecting on this aspect of our work…

✨Share your thoughts in the comments section, too!

#earlychildhoodeducator #theroleoftheeducator #playbased #earlyyears #neurodivergence
🧐Do you ever notice the pressures our culture p 🧐Do you ever notice the pressures our culture places on young children?

👉Do you ever feel the pressures our culture places on you as an educator? Or, as a parent?

As educators/parents, we're not focused on raising "good children" or being "good caregivers"...we're focused on raising "well children" and being "well caregivers". Good is: surface-level performing. Well is: deep wholeness.

In my sessions, I encourage educators to approach all areas of their work with this question: "What would 'well' look like...(in the cubby room...in my response to this moment...in creating our daily schedules/routines...when interacting with parents...when supporting children in solving a dispute...etc.). 

The shift from encouraging children (and ourselves) to "just be good!"...to... being 'authentically well' is significant. 

Here's some ways I like to think of “well" instead of "good" as a guiding principle:

💛 Well is...supporting children in meeting their emotions with kindness and understanding, instead of stuffing them down in compliance.

💛 Well is...'listening and observing' more than I 'speak and show'. 

💛 Well is...engaging in slow, rhythmic pedagogy instead of fast, goal-oriented routines/activities.

💛 Well is...encouraging children (and ourselves) to express our authenticity and speak our truth, even when it causes temporary friction. 

💛 Well is...assessing when to provide children with structure (boundaries) and when to offer more flexibility in our approach. (or, "In this moment, what will serve the child best: Do I need to be a sturdy caregiver or an extra-soft place to land?")

✨ How do you promote "well" (instead of "good") in your classroom? Let us know in the comments! ✨
🤎☕️But first, coffee!!☕️🤎 🤎☕️But first, coffee!!☕️🤎
Follow on Instagram
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Understanding Young Children: The Blog

Do you want to deepen your understanding of young children?


Whether you are a parent, caregiver, or a professional who works with young children and families–these blog posts can serve to guide you in meeting up with the hearts & minds of young children.

We know that relating more closely with children can be cultivated in a variety of ways. In the UC Blog, I offer quick but impactful reads from several perspectives: The Child, The Self, The Environment and Materials, and The Culture. Enjoy!


The Child · March 6, 2024

How My Elementary School Fostered Resiliency in the Midst of Trauma

At the beginning of grade three, I moved to a new elementary school, and I will never forget the first time I walked through the front doors.  As I entered…

Read More

The Child, The Culture · February 13, 2024

More than Measurable Outcomes: A Holistic Perspective of “Play”

When we think of the concept of “play” in the context of childhood, perhaps specific ideas come to mind of what this ‘looks like’: a child exploring in a sandbox,…

Read More

The Child, The Self · February 7, 2024

Introduction to ‘Conscious Care’: Re-examining the Self to Better Serve Children

Whether you are a professional or a parent, working with children is a labour of love. When we support and guide children, it comes from the heart (I know this…

Read More

The Child, The Self · January 24, 2024

Come As You Are: Cultivating Belonging with Children

“Being able to feel safe with other people is probably the single most important aspect of mental health; safe connections are fundamental to meaningful and satisfying lives”. -Dr. Bessel Van…

Read More

The Self · April 27, 2023

The #1 Research Study We Need to Know About: ‘ACEs Too High’

What is the ‘ACEs Too High’ Study? We all know that children who experience trauma will endure a ripple-effect of short and long-term outcomes. But, did you know that the…

Read More

The Environment & Materials · March 21, 2023

VLOG: Why Children Belong in Nature

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Thank you @lanarkcounty1 for inviting me to speak Thank you @lanarkcounty1 for inviting me to speak on the important topic of Educator Well-Being!☀️

Well-being is much more than ‘self-care’…it’s about living with INTENTION. You have the power and the right to steer the trajectory of your life. The shift from being ‘obedient’ or ‘good’ to being truly ‘well’ is a BIG one. And, when we can begin to do this for ourselves — we are able to truly navigate our practice through the same lens of ‘well’ for children, families, and colleagues. 

We seek to follow children’s natural rhythms, honour their competencies, respect their voices—but, are we affording ourselves the SAME gifts? And, if we’re not, how can we truly move into our work with these good intentions? 💭🧐

#earlychildhoodeducator #educatorwellness #fromtheinsideout #earlylearnıng
✨What an honour to speak in front of almost 500 ✨What an honour to speak in front of almost 500 educators last week at the County of Renfrew @cor.childcareearlyyears May Day Annual Conference!! 🥰

I presented on the topic of Trauma-Informed Care in ECE Settings, focusing on the ground-breaking research as well as informed practices like: Rhythm, Regulation, and Relationship. 

It was such a thrill to see all of my past college students, fellow colleagues, politicians, and decision-makers all focusing-in on a subject we all need to be placing at the forefront today: children’s mental health & well-being💞

Thank you to all the dedicated ECEs who attended, for those who shared their thoughts and reflections afterwards, and the @cor.childcareearlyyears for entrusting me with delivering this important message for our community!🏡
📝 This week, it was wonderful to work with educ 📝 This week, it was wonderful to work with educators and leaders at @cbcelgccwcc2024 to discover & commit to deeply intentional VISIONS for individual programs across both locations!

“Visioning”🔭 is about more than expressing our hopes and dreams for our program. It’s also about discovering our values and deepest intentions for our work as Educators 💭🧐

And by doing so, not only does the research say that those intentions are more likely to become REALITY, but this essential practice also re-ignites our PASSION and PURPOSE!🔥

#earlychildhoodeducation #valuestovision #intentionaleducators #earlylearning #earlylearningprofessionaldevelopment #professionaldevelopmenttraining
What does it mean to be truly SEEN? 👀 For me, b What does it mean to be truly SEEN? 👀
For me, being truly seen means that someone knows my heart ❤️. Despite how I might show up on any given day, it’s being offered grace—from myself and others—with the understanding that I’m inherently good and worthy at my core. 

In difficult moments…Can we offer this to Children too? Families? Colleagues? And perhaps the most difficult: offer it to Ourselves? 

#earlyyears #earlychildhoodeducation #seenheardvalued #worthyoflove #children
If I could reach-back into the past, I'd tell her If I could reach-back into the past, I'd tell her it would all make sense one day 💛...

That she would become a passionate educator and advocate for supporting children's well-being & the importance of nurturing those who are entrusted with the sacred role of caring for children.

#acestoohigh #childhoodtrauma #complextrauma #earlyyearsmentalhealth #earlychildhoodeducation #childrenswellbeing #educatorwellbeing
I stumbled across this quote and instantly loved i I stumbled across this quote and instantly loved it! 💛 Play is SO much more than “doing things that are categorized as play” (aka “activities”). 🎉Play is ✨robust, awe-inspiring, messy, challenging, deep, life-giving, remarkable…✨

🎈What do you do to PLAY? Play is an essential human need, so let’s share the many ways we PLAY!👇

I love to get lost in my garden, paint, sing, dance, and explore nature! All of these things are “playful” for me when I: let go of outcomes, live in the moment, and notice the little things. ✨

 #earlychildhoodeducation #play #curiosity #wonder #getlost
🪁Do you ever wonder about your role as an Educa 🪁Do you ever wonder about your role as an Educator during PLAY? 
🪁Do you ask questions like “when do I step in?” & “when do I step back?”
🪁Here’s some things to consider when reflecting on this aspect of our work…

✨Share your thoughts in the comments section, too!

#earlychildhoodeducator #theroleoftheeducator #playbased #earlyyears #neurodivergence
🧐Do you ever notice the pressures our culture p 🧐Do you ever notice the pressures our culture places on young children?

👉Do you ever feel the pressures our culture places on you as an educator? Or, as a parent?

As educators/parents, we're not focused on raising "good children" or being "good caregivers"...we're focused on raising "well children" and being "well caregivers". Good is: surface-level performing. Well is: deep wholeness.

In my sessions, I encourage educators to approach all areas of their work with this question: "What would 'well' look like...(in the cubby room...in my response to this moment...in creating our daily schedules/routines...when interacting with parents...when supporting children in solving a dispute...etc.). 

The shift from encouraging children (and ourselves) to "just be good!"...to... being 'authentically well' is significant. 

Here's some ways I like to think of “well" instead of "good" as a guiding principle:

💛 Well is...supporting children in meeting their emotions with kindness and understanding, instead of stuffing them down in compliance.

💛 Well is...'listening and observing' more than I 'speak and show'. 

💛 Well is...engaging in slow, rhythmic pedagogy instead of fast, goal-oriented routines/activities.

💛 Well is...encouraging children (and ourselves) to express our authenticity and speak our truth, even when it causes temporary friction. 

💛 Well is...assessing when to provide children with structure (boundaries) and when to offer more flexibility in our approach. (or, "In this moment, what will serve the child best: Do I need to be a sturdy caregiver or an extra-soft place to land?")

✨ How do you promote "well" (instead of "good") in your classroom? Let us know in the comments! ✨
🤎☕️But first, coffee!!☕️🤎 🤎☕️But first, coffee!!☕️🤎
Follow on Instagram

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