Testimonials
I have found Emma’s article for parents of kinder and primary school kids to be the most comprehensive resource for anyone wanting to help their child separate from them into a new care environment or transition into a new school setting or class. I love how Emma has, with her usual sensitivity, provided many options to assist teacher/carer/school attachment so that each family can choose those that suit them.
I have been using Emma’s article to assist my oldest daughter, who has an anxiety disorder, to transition to school. I’ve used lots of laughter play, school visits and we’ve talked a lot about what to expect from the school and her teacher. She was happy to go to school orientation, has even made some new friends and is looking forward to school starting. I know I have the tools to help her move through her feelings when she starts school.
I wish I had Emma’s article years ago to save me having to read a lot of different resources over the years. I’ll be passing it on to my friends.
I’ve known Emma for several years, and have stayed in her home when I’ve been in Melbourne running workshops.
There are few people in this world as diligent and devoted to being with their child with full presence, compassion, listening and play, as I have seen in Emma.
I am deeply inspired by her parenting, her relationship with her daughter, and how she shares the knowledge she has gained with other parents.
Her articles about helping children with school are the most helpful resources for parents and teachers that I’ve seen in this field.
As someone who has 28 years in the field of psychology, and 25 in developmental psychology, with a Ph.D. on the mother-baby relationship from Cambridge University, and as a mother of two (9 and 14), I thought I knew a lot about babies and children. And yet Emma continues to help me learn new things about babies and children and what is possible in the relationship between parents and children.
I highly recommend her, and her work.
Emma’s way of relating and teaching is something that every educator should be fortunate enough to experience. Emma brings years of research and knowledge to helping students adjust to transitions in their lives. Emma’s articles offer simple and practical suggestions that honour connection, exploration and respect. Awareness around the way we talk to children and how we interact with them is often the difference between children feeling accepted and excited to learn and feelings of disconnection. These articles are a must read for every educator and parent.
Emma is inspiring, as both a mother and as an Aware Parenting instructor. She is devoted, dedicated, loving, uplifting, energetic, determined, fun, inventive, creative, imaginative, original, innovative, resourceful, insightful, inspired, perceptive, intuitive, sensitive and real.
Anyone who is lucky enough to cross paths with Emma will be enlightened.
I recommend her articles to parents, carers and teachers. Her deep understanding of Aware Parenting is evident in both the way she lives her life and in her writing – it is a gift to the world.
Emma, I love your article for parents. It is excellent advice and I totally agree with everything. It is calm and non-dictatorial in tone, informative and probably parents are waiting for it! I would make virtually no changes at all but thank you for the offer of re-versioning it specifically for our school. I’m thinking it would be fabulous to create as a glossy handout for new parents in their pack before starting!
TEARS!!!!! I loooooooooooove it!!! Takes my breath away Emma. Yay it has expanded my mind!!! Well done you talented Mumma you!!! All the Steiner stuff was so beautifully written it just flowed for me. I didn’t even need to think about if it worked it just did!! I honestly love it and it’s really a gift to the world. I wish I had this when my first was struggling with Kinder!!! Luckily I have it for my other two.
I had a chance to read your article today. It was fantastic and very informative and engaging. Really made me think about some things and the way I use words with my children. I like how you’ve given examples and explanations. I think it’s really great. I would be so happy if I had a teacher using all this with my child.
I just wanted to let you know I think this article is excellent – it would make a great school resource for new families especially. It covers everything in one place. If you could ask my Principal to hand it out before children start with our Handbook it would be so useful. There are many things that also apply to older children so it could be easily adapted or read by other parents for ideas on how to manage transitions there too.
Regarding the article you sent. It’s great! I love all the suggestions and I’ll use them.
Great article, I really got a lot out of it, especially the parts about not asking your child how School was and how to manage crying. Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read it.
Wow, that is a lot of great information. I would love to see this in my Schools newsletter or on a website. It could be used to help your child settle back into school after school holidays/long absences. Families having trouble at drop off. These ideas will help. Great article. Lots of information to digest.
I your article for kinder and primary teachers today and thought it was FANTASTIC! Extremely well written and loaded with beneficial information. I love the supporting quotes and evidence by Maria Montessori and other authors etc. I also learnt a lot.
I wanted to tell you that I was asked to provide a school with talks on separation anxiety next year. Maybe I could give your article in conjunction with my talk?
It was taking 1 hour to put my 2 year old daughter to bed and was dreading it. After talking things through with Emma, I found more connection with my daughter and found what was important for myself and for my daughter to fullfil everybody’s needs. It made it more enjoyable.
Her ideas helped so fast I am so grateful I found her.