03/04/2019
Overview Star’s House “Parent – Child” program
Parent/Child Program Overview:
Twice a week: from 9 am to 11 am
Note: upon shown interest evenings sessions may be added for working mothers
Age: group 1 for children under 2 years old; group 2 for children above 2 years old
Number of participants: four to five families per group (females and children only), one child per adult ideally
Fees: monthly, based on 5 BHD per session
Star’s House offers a unique Parent/ Child program located in a warm home based environment to parents who have an interest in Waldorf Education and/or Montessori philosophy.
This program, which is Waldorf and Montessori inspired, not only guides steps by steps on how to implement those philosophies in the home, it also stands as a great transition for the young child preparing to enter the nursery program where children who are ready to separate from their parents can continue their social development.
Star’s House desire for the Parent/Child program is to support families in their parenting while giving them the necessary understanding of their child’s developmental stages.
Last but not least, this program is the occasion for the parents to meet with other same minded families with children around the same age as their children in order to build a strong supportive community.
Parent/Child Family program
Our program is offered as a year- round program meeting on (two days to be decided) mornings from 9 to 11 p.m. at Star’s House home based daycare.
The teacher, myself Oum Saad, prepares in advance the home turned classroom with appropriate toys for the developmental stage of the children depending on the group they belong to.
Upon arrival, parents will find a place where to transition themselves and their child from the energy of the outdoors to the energy of the indoor setting. After helping their child to put on their indoors shoes, all adults are offered a cup of tea or coffee in the kitchen (made available in the counter in thermos and out of reach of the children).
Then, while remaining in charge of their children, parents have the opportunity to engage in conversation while observing with attention the children’s play, movements and interactions.
Note: each week the teacher will propose a short article related to Montessori or Waldorf Education for the parents to read in advance to help foster conversation if necessary. Additionally, a monthly book (PDF), or two depending on its length, will be sent to each family to reflect upon. Those books will then be discussed during the sessions as part of our Book Club.
Parents are expected to use gentle and peaceful parenting to solve any issue that may arise with and in between the children. They are also encouraged to use a rich language at all given time to foster early literacy. The teacher invites to the use of the American Sign Language by signing as frequently as possible.
Every week, a developmentally appropriate activity is proposed such as:
- Story time
- Cooking with Kids program
- Learning a new Montessori activity (pouring, traversing, colors tablets, etc.) to be repeated as desired individually by the children
- or participating in a sensory seasonal activity or craft
Throughout the session, families are encouraged to sit at or besides the table (either the child size table in the kitchen or the coffee table in the living-room) in order to share with their child the healthy snack that has been prepared in advance by the teacher. Parents are asked to start the meal with a blessing of their choice and to model both proper table etiquette and putting away the dirty dishes in the bin prepared to this effect. The child enjoys swiping the table along with their parents.
As the session come to an end the children watch the teacher and their parents singing while they happily tidy the room, carefully putting away each toy, swiping the floor if needed and putting the chairs away. The goal here is to model the expected behavior to the children who may participate when developmentally capable.
As a main rule, the program is approached by the teacher and parents with appreciation and care for all that is done with and around the children.
Finally, a small circle time follows the tidying of the room right before departure. Parents learn lap games and finger plays that are meant to nourish play in their own homes. Nursery rhymes and seasonal songs are also offered as a window into Star’s House pre-k program.
