Author Archives: kira Solomatova
When children are small they learn to crawl, then eventually walk and climb. It is essential that they discover and practice these new skills on their own. Our role as grown-ups is to provide a safe, age-appropriate environment and emotionally support them through […]
Learning from mistakes is a very valuable skill. What do we have in mind when we are giving our children suggestions, helping, fixing, trying to smooth frustrations? I will answer from my perspective: I want my child to experience less […]
We’re under lock-down and there’s finally all the time in the world to be productive. Yet, even though there are so many things I feel like I *should* be doing, for some reason, I don’t feel like doing any of […]
Susan pulled out a book from the bookshelf and handed it to Teacher Kira. Teacher Kira asked her, “Would you like me to read it to you?” Susan beamed, “Yes!” In no time, six more children gathered around Teacher Kira […]
Last week, more than ever, I received questions from parents on what to do with children at home. How do I keep them busy and entertained? First, of course, I start by reminding everyone that boredom can be a good […]
In our RIE® Parent-Infant Guidance™ Classes, we talk a lot about giving trust to very young infants. We talk about how it is important to allow a struggle for some time and let the baby work on his challenges. And of […]
Young children are actively exploring the world and learning about their identity and the people around them. Babies between 12 to 36 months old often explore grabbing, pinching and pushing. Though not socially acceptable, it is an age-appropriate behavior for children […]
One day in my RIE Parent-Infant Guidance class, one of the children, Lacy, brought a baby doll to her mother. The doll’s clothes had Velcro instead of buttons, to make it possible for her to undress the doll, which she […]
Many of you probably saw the beautiful pictures of snacks in our RIE Parent-Infant Guidance class or maybe you were lucky to participate in this ceremony. Today one of our parents asked me at what age I would introduce a […]
When I worked in a preschool, the Clean Up Song was popular: teachers, parents, and children would sing it at the end of the day. I would sing it as well, thinking, “what a great way to encourage children to […]