ThriveTogether

07/14/2025

Hello everyone! I've been on a bit of a posting hiatus as I transitioned into a new role working with a Head Start agency - but have been busy behind the scenes with some new and exciting ideas!

As I continue revamping ThriveTogether's offerings and my visions for restoring the village, I would appreciate it if you could take a few minutes to complete a content survey. Your insight as parents, caregivers, and teachers who know that children deserve confident, competent adults will help me ensure I'm serving our community in good faith.

Thank you all for your support as I continue to navigate my first year as a small business owner intent on empowering adults and nurturing futures!

- Heather

I am looking for feedback from parents, caregivers, teachers, early childhood professionals, and anyone else who has children as part of their village. Your insight will help me focus on and create content that *actually* helps adults caring for children navigate the ups and downs of early childhood...

01/28/2025

Hello everyone, and welcome to the final installment of my series on Kindergarten readiness! Today's topic is cognitive skills - the "hard" academic skills people often think of when they think about their child entering school.

As with every other skillset in this series, these things develop across a child's lifespan and don't necessarily need to be mastered before a child enters Kindergarten. Remember that you can introduce these things and practice them in the lead up to Kindergarten, and even after they make the transition.

I hope this series helped ease some of the anxiety many parents (and pre-K teachers!) feel around the transition to Kindergarten. It's a big milestone for kiddos and families alike, and it's my goal for everyone to feel excited about all the amazing new things your child will learn as they enter the elementary years.

Still have questions, or want to learn more about what a kiddo needs to know before going to Kindergarten? Send me a DM and we can chat further!

01/14/2025

Are you a parent who soon has to make the decision about enrolling your child in Kindergarten, and you're worried if they're ready? Are you a pre-K teacher who wants to share more insight with families on what getting ready for Kindergarten *really* looks like? Then this new series is for you!

Each Monday in January, we're going over different skills for you and your child to practice in the months leading up to Kindergarten. Keep in mind that these are developmental skills, meaning your kiddo has been developing these skills their whole life and is still working on mastering them!

To kick things off, we're talking about social and emotional skills. Social-emotional skills truly lay the foundation for all other learning, so checking in on your kiddo's development in this domain is especially important.

Do you have questions about getting ready for Kindergarten? Let's chat in the comments - I'd love to help dispel some of the myths and quell some of the anxiety around this huge milestone!

01/07/2025

A question I've been asked *many* times in my career by childcare professionals and parents alike: "Is my child ready for Kindergarten?" Children are unique individuals with different strengths, areas for growth, and early care experiences, so answering this question isn't as easy as we might wish it would be.

My goal is always to share honest, helpful information with parents and caregivers, so for the rest of January I'm going to share the skills your child should ideally be introduced to and practicing before entering Kindergarten. These skills are based not only on the guidelines shared by the Ohio Department of Education, but my years teaching both pre-K and Kindergarten.

I'm excited to share these insights with you all in the coming weeks! Before we get into the good stuff next week, however, I want to make clear that these skills are all developmental skills and each child will master them in their own time. Have patience, give them grace, and trust that if you have questions, I am here to help guide you. With that being said, I can't wait to share this journey with you all!

01/06/2025

Happy everyone! I hope you all had a safe, relaxing holiday! Today we're talking about five year olds and I'm excited to share with you some of my tried and true methods for supporting their development.

✨ Role play problem-solving skills: Some may think that, due to their extensive vocabulary, school-age children need very little direction when it comes to solving social problems. While they're certainly past the "tantrum" phase (for the most part), five year olds still need direct modeling of appropriate problem-solving skills! Role playing offers children opportunities to learn and practice peaceful problem-solving strategies in low-stress situations so when they eventually have a problem with a peer, they have a skill set to fall back on.

✨ Introduce card and board games: I loved teaching Kindergarten because most five year olds are ready for and interested in card and board games! Classics such as UNO, Go Fish, and Connect Four are great games to introduce to five year olds for a variety of reasons: these games involve executive functioning skills such as planning and strategizing, focusing attention, and emotional regulation. Games such as these also offer the opportunity to learn about good sportsmanship - whether you win or lose!

✨ Play cooperative games: Cooperative games such as tag, Duck Duck Goose, and soccer not only encourage cooperation and problem-solving, they provide plenty of physical activity! The CDC recommends up to 60 minutes of physical activity per day for children ages three to five, and these games are sure to get your kiddos active!

I hope you've enjoyed our journey - I know I have! Our Mondays together are going to have a new look the rest of this month 👀 I have something special planned for all those families whose kiddos are getting ready to enter Kindergarten this fall, so turn on post notifications to keep updated!

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01/03/2025

Returning to school or childcare after the holidays can be stressful for kids and parents alike. To ease the transition, think of that first week back like it's the first week of school all over again: your child will need your guidance as they adjust to a new routine (even if it's not *really* new). Below are a few of my favorite tips for getting your family back into the groove of things!

12/23/2024

We're back for another and this week we're talking about those big pre-Kindergarten kiddos who are 4 years old! Even as they get closer to elementary school and move about the world with more independence than ever before, there are still many ways we can support their development.

✨ Have a pet or plant for them to care for: Giving your pre-K child the responsibility of caring for another living thing not only satisfies their desire for belonging and importance, it helps teach them understanding and empathy for the needs of others. Plants are a great first step for families who may not be ready for or even want a pet, as well as classrooms where space can be limited!

✨ Practice writing their name: As a former Kindergarten teacher, I'm here to let you know that your child does NOT have to be proficient at writing anything other than their first name prior to entering Kindergarten. If they show an early interest in handwriting and sounding things out you can definitely nurture that! For our other friends who show less interest in "academics", practicing writing their name in sand, with paint, or with special markers is plenty.

✨ Use scissors and glue: The fine motor skills needed for handwriting in the elementary years are developed in preschool and pre-K, but not how you think. Give your kiddos the opportunity to practice using classroom tools such as scissors, glue sticks, and buttons or zippers so they can develop the dexterity and muscle strength needed to write when it's time.

I taught in a pre-K classroom for three years and watching the children develop the skills they needed to be successful in Kindergarten (and beyond!) was so rewarding. What is your favorite part of working with pre-K children? I'd love to hear your experiences in the comments!

12/20/2024

A hot topic in education these days: executive functioning! What is it, really, and why is it so important?

Executive functioning is a set of cognitive skills that involves thinking, planning, and *executing* said plans. This all requires an extraordinary amount of brain power and impulse control!

As important as these processes are, the part of the brain largely responsible for them is not fully developed until around age 25. Yep, you read that right - 25! This means that executive functioning is a developmental skill: it develops over time with a significant amount of trial and error involved. If you care for young children, they're going to need your understanding and support as they build this skill!

Here's where it gets interesting: we are not always in executive functioning mode, even as fully grown adults. Feelings such as stress, fear, and even hunger have the power to temporarily "shut down" our higher-thinking brain if they aren't appropriately addressed. Ever been hangry before? That was your emotional, survival brain redirecting energy from your logical brain to get your needs met. Isn't the brain incredible?! 🤯

If you're ready to learn what this means not only for you as an adult, but in your role as parent, caregiver, or teacher, DM me today for a free consultation! Professional development days are right around the corner and this is an excellent topic for childcare providers as well!

12/09/2024

On this we're entering the preschool years! All the skills and confidence we've been building in our kiddos leads us to the era of asserting independence while still figuring out their place in the world. Below are some of my favorite tips for meeting your 3 year old where they're at!

✨ Give simple jobs/tasks: Those toddlers who love feeling in control have turned into preschoolers who want to contribute! Use simple jobs such as sweeping up a small mess, pushing in chairs, or turning off/on lights to help your child know they're an important part of your family or classroom. Bonus: these simple jobs also encourage feelings of community and belonging in a shared environment!

✨ Explore simple, multi-step directions: As their brains continue to grow, experimenting with simple, two-step directions can help your preschooler practice their executive functioning skills. Statements like, "Put your toy in the basket and bring me your jacket" require preschoolers to practice understanding the directions given, making a plan, and following through on that plan. Remember that they are still little and will likely need reminders - they're practicing these skills, after all!

✨ Practice fine motor skills: Even big-kid preschoolers still need to practice their fine motor skills! Activities such as threading beads on a string, coloring a picture, and connecting puzzle pieces provide opportunities for young children to refine their motor skills and begin moving toward a more mature grasp. These experiences are the precursors for handwriting in the early elementary years!

I absolutely LOVE working with preschoolers! If you want to learn more about what's going on in their brains at this pivotal age, DM me today so we can chat about how I can support you!

12/08/2024

In case you needed more convincing, here are 6 reasons you should get outdoors with your kiddos during the winter months! Outdoor play doesn't have to be off the table until spring arrives ❄️

12/05/2024

Winter weather is officially here in central Ohio! Today I'm sharing tips on getting outdoors with your little ones even when it's cold. With some planning and patience, we can enjoy the great outdoors while staying weather-aware!