Larissa Neilson, RIE Associate

Larissa Neilson, RIE Associate Born in Lima, Peru, Larissa Neilson holds degrees in Business Administration and Law. She currently lives in Santa Barbara, California.

Infant & Toddler Specialist | RIE® Associate
Educating caregivers & parents in respectful care
Author • Educator • Founder, RIEsers for Babies
Courses | Trainings | New blog posts ↓
SB | LA | SF | Online She moved to Los Angeles, where she discovered her passion for child development while working as a nanny. Her interest led her to the philosophies of Dr. Emmi Pikler and Magda Ge**er, and she beg

an formal training at the RIE® Center in 2006. In 2016, she furthered her studies at the Pikler® House in Budapest under Anna Tardos. Today, Larissa is a highly respected Infant and Toddler Specialist and RIE® Certified Educator. She is the founder of Riesers™, an organization dedicated to training and supporting caregivers. She teaches RIE®-certified classes and workshops for parents, nannies, and early childhood professionals, both in person and online, in English and Spanish. Larissa is also the author of The LA Nanny Book, a practical and philosophical guide for childcare professionals that integrates resume-building, job navigation, and respectful caregiving principles. She has presented at national and international conferences including National Nanny Training Day, the International Nanny Association (INA), and the Annual RIE® Conference. Her work has taken her to Mexico, Peru, and China to share the RIE® and Pikler® approaches globally. When she’s not teaching or caregiving, she enjoys beach walks, hiking, and spending time with her daughter, Esther.

Every time it's back to school, or it's time for our child to go to preschool or kindergarten, I see the overwhelming pr...
08/27/2026

Every time it's back to school, or it's time for our child to go to preschool or kindergarten, I see the overwhelming pressure on parents to make sure their child is ready for school.

🎒We worry about letters, numbers, socialization, and whether our child is going to get along with the teacher. But here is the truth:
The biggest transition isn't academic. It’s emotional. 💛
Your child doesn’t need to be super happy on the first day of school. They just need to feel safe, seen, and supported.

Here are 5 simple, powerful shifts you can make right now to ease this big milestone:

1️⃣Create a Predictable Goodbye: Keep it simple, consistent, and don't sneak away.
Try saying: "I love you. Your teacher is here. I'll see you after lunch.”

2️⃣ Make Room for Their Feelings: They can be excited and nervous at the same time. Validate them: "You can feel whatever you’re feeling. I’m here.”

3️⃣ Give Them a Routine: A predictable morning

Wake up
Dress
Eat
Shoes
Backpack
Goodbye

This helps children know exactly what comes next.

4️⃣ Trust Their Ability to Discover: Instead of anxiously asking, "Did you make friends?" try a gentler approach: "I wonder what you discovered today.”

5️⃣ Give Them Time to Come Home: After a massive transition day, your child's brain is exhausted. Instead of an interrogation with a hundred questions, just smile and say: "I'm so happy to see you."

Parents, home is their safe space to land.

💬 How are you and your little one feeling about the start of school this week?
Let’s support each other in the comments!👇

✨Feel free to Share this with a mom friend who needs this reminder today!

08/24/2026

RIE rests on three simple foundations: Respect, Freedom of Movement, and Observation. 🤍

Together, they shape how we care for and connect with children.

Next reel: Gross Motor Development.

Curious to learn more about RIE?
I’d love to help you bring these principles into everyday caregiving.
Learn more through the link in my bio. 🤍



My first rodeo… and oh boy, did I learn something. 🤠I went expecting cowboys, horses, dust, and a little Wild West adven...
08/18/2026

My first rodeo… and oh boy, did I learn something. 🤠

I went expecting cowboys, horses, dust, and a little Wild West adventure.
What I didn't expect was to be completely captivated by a group of tiny cowboys riding sheep and once again, children surprised me.
They reminded me of something I've witnessed throughout my career: children are often far more capable than we imagine.

Watching them hold on, fall, get back up, and proudly walk away made me think about courage, trust, independence, and the moments when we have to decide whether to hold on… or let go.
I wrote about what my very first rodeo taught me about children and, honestly, it taught me a little something about myself too. 🤠

Up for a little rodeo-night adventure? You’ll find the in the first comment!

Have you ever had one of those moments when a child reminded you that they were more capable than you realized?

Photo: IG

Lately, I’ve been thinking about how much we ask of women when they become mothers.Pregnancy. Birth. Hormonal changes. S...
08/18/2026

Lately, I’ve been thinking about how much we ask of women when they become mothers.
Pregnancy. Birth. Hormonal changes. Sleep deprivation. Recovery. Feeding. Caring for someone completely dependent on you while you are still finding your way back to yourself.
And yet, so often, mothers are expected to simply manage.

I wonder what would happen if, as a community, we became better at asking:
How are you really doing?
What do you need?
Who is helping you?
Can I take something off your plate?

Support shouldn't begin when a mother is already in crisis.
It should be woven into motherhood from the beginning.

What can we do, as a community,
to support mothers?
What is one thing we can do
in our own little corner to make
motherhood feel a little less lonely?
🤍🤍🤍

One of the most tender dynamics I’ve witnessed in my 25+ years as a nanny is the fear that can sometimes come when a chi...
08/15/2026

One of the most tender dynamics I’ve witnessed in my 25+ years as a nanny is the fear that can sometimes come when a child becomes deeply attached to another caregiver.
I’ve seen it.
And I’ve also seen how reassuring it can be for a parent to remember:
Your child loving someone else does not take love away from you.
A child can have a beautiful, secure relationship with their parent AND deeply meaningful relationships with a nanny, grandparent, teacher, or another trusted adult.

There is room for all of us. ❤️
Love multiplies. It doesn’t divide.

Have you experienced this in your family or caregiving relationship? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

If you are a parent navigating the relationship between your child, yourself, and a caregiver and you’d like an experienced, professional perspective feel free to reach out to me directly. I am happy to help you think it through.💛




Sometimes the smallest phrases become the biggest memories.✨“I believe you.”
“I’m listening.”
“Thank you for telling me....
08/03/2026

Sometimes the smallest phrases become the biggest memories.✨
“I believe you.”
“I’m listening.”
“Thank you for telling me.”
“Let’s figure it out together.”
“I love you no matter what.”
These are simple words, but they tell a child:
You can come to me.
Your feelings matter.
You don’t have to face things alone.
Think about your conversations with your child lately…
What are the moments when they need to feel most connected to you?
Maybe it’s after a big emotion.
Maybe it’s when they make a mistake.
Maybe it’s when they are trying to tell you something that feels small to us, but feels big to them.
Every child is different. Every relationship is unique.
What words help your child feel most connected to you? 💛





07/29/2026

Respecting a child isn’t about saying yes to everything he or she wants.
It’s about treating children with the same dignity and respect we all hope to receive.

Respect means saying, “I see you. I hear you. Your feelings matter.” It means acknowledging their frustration, disappointment, or sadness without trying to make those feelings disappear.

Sometimes respect means offering help. Other times, it means calmly holding a loving boundary.
In the RIE® approach, we can honor a child’s feelings without changing the limit.

🌱How do you respond when a child is upset because you’ve said “no”? I’d love to hear your thoughts below.

Follow along as we continue unpacking RIE®, one concept at a time.✨

Becoming a healthier parent is a lifelong journey not a destination.Maybe the first step is learning how to become healt...
07/27/2026

Becoming a healthier parent is a lifelong journey not a destination.
Maybe the first step is learning how to become healthier ourselves.
Save this post for the days you need a gentle reminder.✨

Which slide spoke to you the most? 💛




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