Old Firehouse School Chat

Dorothy speaks with Alexandra Dutton and Dr. Judith Van Hoorn, author and professor, about the art of grandparenting. As a grandparent herself, Judith is writing a book about the role of play and the art of being present and available to support both her children and grandchildren. They share insights on how powerful grandparent figures can be in the lives of children.

Shakespeare wrote, "Parting is such sweet sorrow," but it's not always sweet when you have children who are loathe to let you go! Dorothy speaks with Alexandra Dutton and Judy Haus about ways to ease separations, whether you're going to be apart for just the school day, or gone for a longer trip. (And pardon the noise of the fan in the background -- it was 100 degrees when we recorded this!) Books...

In a special episode of Fireside Chats on the Young Mind, Alexandra Dutton speaks with Valentina Torres, who did a workshop on the "Circle of Security" for parents and teachers. The Circle of Security offers ways for families to understand how attachment plays a role in children's development and behavior. Lydia Benevides and Mona Kim, two OFS teachers, share their takeaways from the talk and how...

Grief is something we don't want to have to talk about with young children, but saying the right thing can make a difference in how children process a sad event. Dorothy talks with Judy Haus and Rachel Turtledove about handling grief with young children, both as parents and as educators. They discuss why it's important to NOT say that someone has "passed away" or "We lost him," and how parents ser...

Do you feel guilty about how much your child uses technology? Dorothy talks with Alex Dutton and Danielle Roach about the ways preschoolers and parents can use technology -- and you may be surprised at what they say! The truth is, the more educators and parents know, the more they can make informed decisions about appropriate use of the technology in our world. Websites recommended for viewing: co...

Dorothy is joined by Dr. Nazia Sheriff of Olive Leaf Pediatrics, who shares some hints about keeping healthy all year long, which can be challenging when you have little ones! Learn about what you can do to prevent illnesses in your children, and when you should bring your child to the doctor vs. just riding it out. Learn more about Dr. Sheriff's practice, which includes doing house calls, at http...

While we may not all have great memories of math, we can shape our children's minds about math through simple and easy strategies and games. Dorothy talks with Alexandra Dutton and Michele Bailey, an OFS Lafayette teacher about how to create an environment where children will love math. They discuss the importance of Sets, Number Sense, and Counting.

In August 2018, Old Firehouse School hosted the speakers from the national organization, Zero to Three. The speakers, Christy Stanton and Katrina Macasaet, discussed brain development in children 0-5 years old -- specifically executive functions, which are key skills, like problem solving, that all children need. Listen here to learn more about executive function, how it relates to your child's de...

When siblings fight, it can drive parents crazy! Dorothy Stewart talks with Judy Haus and Alexandra Dutton about how to help create positive relationships between siblings and specific language to use. They discuss why comparing your children is unhelpful (02:23), what to do when name calling occurs (05:30)and how to handle the classic, "That's not fair!" (10:56) We were greatly inspired by Todd S...

Holidays are a time of joy -- and stress -- for us all! Alexandra Dutton and Judy Haus, Old Firehouse School directors, share some strategies to help all of us enjoy the holidays more by simplifying our expectations and schedules.

OFS Program Director Alexandra Dutton talks with teacher Madison Montoya about the importance of Gratitude. Gratitude is shown to help improve mental health and ward off negative emotions, while helping us to be more present and positive. Madison and Alexandra share activities and games that encourage building the gratitude muscle.

Halloween is a fun, but sometimes scary, holiday for young children. Alexandra Dutton, OFS Program Director, and Rachel Turtledove, OFS Lafayette Preschool Teacher, discuss ways to make this holiday fun, safe, and memorable for our young ones.

All living things bite! But when that means your little one is biting you, or worse, biting other children, that is not an easy pill to swallow. Dorothy speaks with the OFS directors, Amy Baker, Judy Haus, and Alexandra Dutton, about why children bite, how to stop it, and how we deal with it at our schools.

Sometimes it can seem like an uphill battle to get children to eat! Nutritionist and former OFS parent Cary Berkley talks with Dorothy about how to help your children eat better and why it can be such a challenge. Get some really good, interesting tips about making mealtimes more pleasant for everyone. For more information on Cary's work, or to consult with her, check out her website: http://www.n...

Kindergarten is around the corner for many of our children! Dorothy and Alex talk with former Old Firehouse School teacher Stephanie Vollmer, who has taught Kindergarten up to 3rd grade. Stephanie shares her insights about the big transition for children and families as they enter Kindergarten, as well as the important things to consider for these first few months of school -- like getting fingerp...

Mindfulness has been a part of Old Firehouse School's work with children for many years. Alex talks with Katharine Peck (OFS Mill Valley)and Maylis Treuil (OFS Lafayette) about how and why they use mindfulness in their classroom, both for the children and for themselves. Being able to be present in the moment is a skill that you can develop at any age. They share some activities they use with chil...

For young children, self regulation is a skill they are developing. They are still working on understanding how to respond to both positive and negative moments. Dorothy and Alex talk with Cheryl, an OFS Walnut Creek teacher and MFT, about how to help children develop self regulation and what our role is as parent or teacher.

Ever wonder how preschool teachers manage so many children throughout the day? Judy, OFS Walnut Creek director and Alex, OFS Lafayette director discuss some of our tried and true strategies that help make the day go better for everyone! They also share some child development knowledge that helps to understand what is happening in those little brains.

OFS Mill Valley Director Amy Baker interviews Dorothy, who discusses the importance of attachment. People have an innate need to feel love and be connected to others, and these attachments are formed in the earliest years in our lives. Dorothy talks about how our parenting is affected by how we were parented, as well as how advancements in neuroscience support attachment relationships.

Ever wonder what potty training is like when teachers do it? Listen to 4 directors chat about their experience potty training their own children as well as working with families in the midst of the process. Understanding the individual children's development and following their physical and emotional cues are the keys to success during this big transition! For those of you interested in the OFS Co...

Darcy Campbell, director of Cow Hollow School in San Francisco, discusses with us the value and necessity of creativity -- specifically in how children can be creative thinkers. The early years are crucial times in which to allow children to explore, think creatively and critically, and to be okay with "not-knowing." Building the children's capacity for creativity means that we are giving them ski...

Join Dorothy and Alex as they talk to Lizz Cohen, an Old Firehouse School Mill Valley teacher, who recently presented a workshop on perspective taking with young children. How children are able to understand the world beyond their own wants is something that we can help develop with very careful and thoughtful language. More information about the OFS Concierge services: www.oldfirehouseschool.com...

Welcome to our first podcast! Here you will find conversations on topics that affect young children in school and at home. In this podcast, you will hear Dr. Dorothy Stewart and Alexandra Dutton talk with Nadiyah Taylor about anti-bias education. Nadiyah discusses how to talk about prejudice with children and help them be open to the many ways that people live in our world.