RIE™ classes take place in eight-week sessions. Children are grouped according to their developmental stage
INFANT CLASS
Backs and Bellies
Creepers and Crawlers
TODDLER CLASS
Walkers and Talkers
I will form a class upon request for any group of four or more families.
Please contact me for information on the new series of classes being offered at
Yomama Yoga Studio in Boulder
For the first time to the Boulder area, Eileen Henry introduces the parent education program whose core principles – respect for the child, sensitive observation, and trust in the child to be an initiator, an explorer and a self-learner – ease parenting stress and help infants and toddlers (3 months to 3 years) develop physical and emotional security.
What is RIE™?
Resources for Infant Educarers is a non-profit membership organization founded in 1978 by Magda Gerber, M.A., child therapist, lecturer and author of Dear Parent: Caring for Infants with Respect and Your Self-Confident Baby, which is featured on Oprah’s Books. Since educating and caring for an infant should be inseparable, Magda coined the word “Educarer” many decades ago. An educarer uses sensitive observation to understand and respond to the needs of the individual child. Magda Gerber’s goal as an educator was to bring consciousness, respect, and authenticity to parenting and caring for young children. In her book, Dear Parent she says, “Parenting is a most difficult job for which you cannot really prepare yourself. Can we make it easier? My answer is yes!” Her motto was, “Observe more, do less.” Magda believed Jean Piaget, the well-known developmental theorist when he said, “Every time we teach a child something, we keep him from inventing it himself.”
What are Parent/Infant and Parent/Toddler classes?
Parent/Infant classes are weekly classes where parents and children (3 months-2 years) come together for 90-minute sessions. The groups of children are at the same developmental stage not necessarily the same age. These classes are best described as a parenting awareness class or parent education class. The last thing Magda intended was a “cookie cutter” approach to parenting. Her goal was to teach us how to look at infants with new eyes, to see each one as a unique individual. To accomplish this we learn to appreciate what they are doing and what they are capable of now, instead of what they should be doing. Part of the class includes a quiet observation where the facilitator demonstrates the RIE principles in her interactions with the children by modeling “selective intervention,” showing when and how to intervene in the children’s play by remaining available without being intrusive. This is generally followed by questions and discussion, snack (for toddlers), tidy time, and circle and songs at the end of class. RIE encourages parents to relax, observe and enjoy. During class we cover the basic principles of RIE and the role of the "Educarer" in all aspects of care. We discuss these principals as they apply to all areas of development such as gross motor development, sleep, the feeding relationship and many more. The class is fun, informative and offers a supportive environment for parents to get their needs met as well as their child's.
These are a few topics we discuss in class:
• Given the developmental readiness of this individual what might be a reasonable expectation around food, sleep, sharing, being able to sit still.
• How to build ritual and routine into the rhythm of the day. When a child knows what is happening next it fosters a sense of security and confidence.
• We want so much for and from our children. This class offers parents an opportunity to learn how to incorporate what Magda referred to as “Wants nothing quality time” into their busy day. This is time where we are 100% present and simply "with" our child. Wanting either nothing for them or from them. Simple yes…easy not.
• When to intervene or interrupt the baby’s activities and even more importantly, when to leave him/her alone.
• How to set up an age appropriate environment in the home.
• What is “unassisted gross motor development” ?
“What we teach is ourselves” ~ Magda Gerber
The curriculum for RIE is daily life. We educate children in the daily care giving routines by involving them in the process and treating them as active participants rather than passive objects. Through the predictable routine and rhythm of the day they gain a sense of security. Since the activities in class are child initiated and child directed the learning happens in the moment. Insofar as there are “lessons,” they arise out of the situations and interactions that the children present to us.
RIE parent/infant classes
"I consider the path of parenting a practice. As in any practice whether it be health related, spiritual, etc. the depths can not be touched in a lifetime much less one eight week class.I participated each week in RIE classes with my two children over the course of 4 years. I then trained in this philosophy for over two years. I am still learning and try to enter into each class with wonder, curiosity and the sense of myself as a beginner in a lifetime practice."
Eileen Henry
Eileen's classes were my weekly parenting therapy. I left each week feeling a renewed sense of confidence in myself and in my son, Seamus.
Jeramie PeacockBoulder, COMy daughter's RIE class became a haven for me each week. Eileen taught me how to be comfortable with the questions and not need answers all the time. We laughed and cried and learned together. I feel more confidence and less stress as a mother because of the beautiful teachings of RIE.
Mary RichardsSanta Monica, CAEileen taught us that one of the best things we can do as parents is to model self-care for our children. So she let me sleep in the pillow corner when I was really exhausted.
Steve LowSanta Monica, CAI am now offering private parent coaching
in the RIE Philosophy
called
Mindful Parenting
Please email me for
packages
and pricing
