Welcome back, Nia House Families!
We would like to give a big thank you to all the parents that helped dig holes and assemble the monkey bars!
Over the break, Nia House endured some exciting changes!
We have new grey paint on the old building, a bright orange sunshade, new monkey bar posts, and three chicks- one brown and two yellows. Stop by the coop to say hello to Snowball and meet Harriet, Aretha, and Maria- the new chicks!
Nia House has been so lucky to have Rosalie fill in as a summer teacher. Rosalie first came to Nia House in 2015 as a summer intern and we all quickly knew that she was someone to keep close. Every summer since, Rosalie has spent here at Nia House, offering her warmth, playful spirit, kindness, and intuition.
According to Kabir, "Rosalie tells us to get our hats when we go outside. She reads us books, watches the preschool during nap, and helps the kids outside."
We wish we could keep Rosalie all year long. Alas, she is off to pursue a Masters Degree.
We are proud of you and so happy that we got a summer with you, Rosalie. Until next summer?!
Get ready Nia House community for a Roaring 20's Soirée! Dress to impress in 1920s attire (or in anything, really). Live jazz music, dinner, drinks, and a very exciting Auction await you!
We hope to keep the community component of the auctions alive. This means, you all have the chance to give your services, skills, passions, party planning, you name it... you can host a party for kids, adults, or both, teach a class, offer a service, and your Nia House friends will bid on it.
This is fun way to build community and raise money.
Here are some examples from last year:
Send Stacey@niahouse.org an email if you have an idea or want to brainstorm one.
Please submit all community donations by August 31st.
The Nia House community has been deeply impacted by the thoughtful Board of Directors leadership of Jeff Vincent for 7 years.
Jeff joined the Nia House family when his son Willem started in the toddler program. Having met his wife, Laurin, at her parents Montessori school in Nebraska, Jeff came to us as a believer in the Montessori method. Both Willem and Evelyn started Nia House with former toddler teacher, Jeanie Maier, before her retirement. The entire Vincent family came to celebrate Jeanie's retirement after 32 years of service to Nia House, as pictured below.
Jeff's board service began just as the program expansion visioning commenced. With an academic background in community development and school facility infrastructure planning, and an advocate for Montessori, plus commitment to educational equity, and belief in Nia House, Jeff was a natural leader and an amazing support to the program during a challenging and exciting time of Nia House development.
As glamorous as Jeff's Board Service might sound- the countless hours of envisioning, planning, fundraising, and welcoming in new members of the community, there was some real roll-up-your-sleeves-work. Jeff always showed up. Jeff is reliable, smart, committed, sensitive and funny. He advocates for the staff, is a source of trusted counsel, and a true friend.
On behalf of the entire Nia House community, thank you Jeff for the love you've given this to community. You, Laurin, Willem, and Evelyn are family here and are expected to return often, keep in touch, and know how loved and appreciated you are here at Nia House.
Many of the materials we use at Nia House are from for small hands- child-size items, developmentally appropriate toys, and fun games. This is a great place to find birthday and holiday gifts or useful tools for the home.
There are two ways to participate:
Catalogues will be available soon. Visit MontessoriServices.com to check out the beautiful materials.
In her hours away from Nia House, our very own, Nicole Dixon (Preschool North teacher), is busy making mixed media masterpieces. This summer she is gearing up to be in many shows. We will keep you posted. The first one is in effect!
Transcendent Iconography represents Nicole Dixon’s search for healing and her desire to shift the paradigm of how we choose to identify symbols of power, resilience, and excellence from within.
Artist Reception
Tuesday, July 31, 2018
12:00 to 1:30 pm
Exhibit runs from July 3 to August 17, 2018
Exhibit is open to the public:
Weekdays from 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
EBMUD Oakland Administration Building, 2nd floor
375 11th Street, Oakland, CA 94607
Parents and children are invited to come for a fun work day at Nia House. Most work days are parent only events. This work day is one where the children can pitch in (the nature of the tasks are best suited for preschoolers).
We will fill the sandboxes, start our fall garden, and do some general cleaning. We will work from 9-11:30, pause for a short picnic (bring a lunch) on the grass, and finish up the work from noon-1pm.
To honor our community involvement, Disneyland will give Nia House 5 tickets for our fall fundraiser auction!
We can host up to 20 people. Parents must accompany their child.
Please email Stacey if you plan to attend & let me know how many people from your family will participate.
We'd like to introduce you to the families joining our community this summer! You may have caught them in the newsletter, if not, familiarize yourself with these new faces and give them a warm Nia House welcome when you see them around!
Summer time is here. This is the season we start our goodbyes as friends prepare to head to 1st grade, kindergarten, move away, or embark on new beginnings.
We are so thankful for the time we've spent with all of these friends at Nia House.
photo from El Cerrito Splash Park
Of course, there’ll be days you want to bring your child to watch a theatre performance, or go on a cruise ship vacation. But who doesn’t? Even after the kids are here, there are ways to have a fantastic weekend outing that costs little to no money at all!
Here are some:
Lake Merritt - best for botanical gardens, bird and people watching
Tilden Park - best for hikes, walks, picnics, animal-feeding, and nature-play
Berkeley Marina - best for kite flying, picnicking, nature-play, bike riding
Redwood Regional Park - best for hiking, nature-play, bike riding
Point Isabel - best for walks, dogs welcome, picnicking
Berkeley Adventure Playground - best for slightly older kids. They’ll need to “find” screws and nails on-site to exchange for saws and other tools to “build up the playground. Children 4 and younger must be accompanied by an adult.
Bay Model - best for science-lovers, check out the working hydraulic model of the San Francisco Bay area.
Habitot Children’s Museum - $12 children & adults
Rain or Shine - $16 first child, $8 sibling, $4 for adults
The Rec Room - $10 for first child, $8 sibling, infants under 6 months free
Kids Gym Berkeley - $15 for first child, $12 sibling, 5-visit pass for $60
Fairyland (Oakland) - $10 per child or adult
Jumpity Bumpity (Hayward) - $10 per child (Mon to Fri daypass), $11 (1 hr) - $16 (2 hrs) on weekends
Mel’s Play Place (Castro Valley) - $9 per child
High Scores Arcade (Alameda) - $5 per hour minimum donation
El Cerrito Splash Park - $3 per person
If the weather is “nice” can be pretty relative. Well, if it’s sunny, go on a walk with the kids, and engage the environment with them. Check out what lives under stones, lives in creeks, and sail some fallen leaves down a stream.
To keep your children on their toes, challenge them to collect 10 different types of leaves, or 20, or 30! You can use them to make art imprints later, or simply have them paste them in a book so you check find out unique properties of these leaves and plants later on. There’s always an opportunity to learn about the veins in leaves, chlorophyll, shapes, colors and textures.
If your child is a bug-lover, bring a magnifying glass, or pick one up for cheap from a toy store.
If you have an old digital camera lying around, plug it in, charge it up, and let your kid snap away while on the walk! If our 2-year-old can take pictures, so can yours! Just try to get them a neck strap so the camera stays safe even if it slips out of their little grips.
If your kid is an animal lover, they’ll love the vivarium or pet store. We often bring out kid there to satiate her animal-lovin’ without having to get a pet. So far, she’s gotten to hold some lizards, touch a couple of snakes, and even watch one mess with a mouse for lunch. She’s seen snakes molt, and learned about their skins, watched turtles push other turtles off branches for the best sunbathing spot, and seen fighting fish laze around.
Most museums have free days, or nights, but if those don’t work for you and your family, check out tie Discover & Go program, a nationally recognized museum pass program. As long as you have a library card, whether it’s from Sacramento, San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, or Monterey, you actually have free or discounted access to hundreds of places all around the bay area. Check this site to learn more, but it’s time to start learning more about cartoon art, space and science, Japanese-American history, attend a family concert or simply take a dip in a swimming pool!
Get involved with your neighbors and reach out to other parents! Find a Facebook group in your neighborhood for parents, or create one. Get on your Nextdoor.com neighborhood, say hello, introduce your family, and invite them to a potluck picnic at a nearby park, or plan a street party!
The California Visitor Center is located at 1 Jelly Belly Lane in Fairfield. They offer regular free tours, and the best (or worst) thing is all visitors get a little bag of jelly belly’s for free.
Tickets: $35 General; $25 Students/Seniors
Wise words from Nia House parent, Pearly Tan.
Becoming a parent takes more spiritual preparation than physical preparation. These little bundles require pretty little material things to begin with. We found a cheap crib we never used, acquired a changing table and playmat someone else was throwing out, and got lots of clothes and diapers from people who had an excess. I was lucky to be able to nurse our child and never used bottles or pacifiers. Just as well that our little person was so minimalistically needy, since we didn’t have a baby shower, and didn’t have a fat bank account to reach into.
Instead, what needed more adjustment was our lifestyle and mindset. My husband is a business owner, and I am an investigative journalist and book writer. We love our work and work a lot, and even take pleasure in working beside each other on our own work. Here are some of the things I had to think about to prepare spiritually for parenthood:
As soon as I had a child, I knew she would come first. I’ve always wanted a family, but what it meant to put the child first meant having to do research.
I knew I’d still have to help out at the family business, while continuing to work on my book, but still caring for my new human. As capable as I wanted to think I was, I knew I needed to look at resources. That was when I found out about portable pack-and-plays, baby carriers, and baby hammocks, all of which she used in our store while we worked and integrated her into our everyday life.
She ate with me, slept with me, and played with me. But when I needed space, or when my husband recognized that I needed space, he took over. Occasionally even, the child didn’t come first, my partner did. He taught me this. He reminded me that my health was as important as the child’s, and had a great influence on our new creation.
Like most first time moms, I thought I would read. I promised to read. I gathered books on motherhood, childhood illnesses, breastfeeding, being a good partner, responsible parenting, how to raise a grateful child. I didn’t read a single one. They cluttered my windowsill and made me alternate between anxious nervous and calm. When my daughter turned one, I gave them all to the next first-time mom.
It’s ok not to read. But, be resourceful.
Instead, I prepared my heart for the unexpected. I began looking at articles about what not feed the baby, when to introduce solids, and how not to believe Dr. Google implicitly.
Part of the spiritual preparation of being a mother is being comfortable not knowing it all. Accept that you can be surprised, that you don’t know everything, and that it’s ok to ask. But set up a support system you trust to help you with answers, place your advice nurse on speed dial, and be prepared to acknowledge that your mother was right in many ways.
You’ll think you’ve got it down. Prepare your spirit.
You’ll plan to be a Montessori parent. Prepare your spirit.
You’ll believe your friendships won’t change at all. Prepare your spirit.
The bottom line is, remember that your little person has a spirit of their own. They’re changing even as you change. What works for one child, may not work with another. You may have no allergies, and your child have several. You may be a daredevil, with a cautious child. You may be an extrovert that enjoys dinner parties, while your child would rather read quietly in their room. There are many ways in which your child may be quite different from you, and if you’re not prepared for all the differences (that will exist even where there are great similarities), you may feel disappointed in your child, and this will affect your family.
You may have dreamed of continuing your path as a career woman after having a child, your company may not think the same way. Prepare your spirit.
You may have plans to nurse your child. Prepare your spirit.
One of the biggest lessons we learn as parents, is that there is no one way to do anything. There isn’t a single way to be a parent. A stay-at-home mother doesn’t have an easier job than a working mom, a bottle-fed baby is not better or worse off than a child who is breastfed.
Before the arrival of your child, it’s important to come to an understanding of your beliefs, and the loopholes in them. Identify the people around you who truly have you and your family’s best interests at heart, and hear their words and offers of help in a constructive manner.
If you haven't bought/sold any raffle tickets, I want to incite your sense of FOMO on this raffle.
The prizes are really good!
If you you haven't sold your tickets- DO. $3 per ticket, or $20 for a book of ten tickets.
One Acupuncture Treatment or Two Shonishin (pediatric)
CorePower Yoga: One Month of Unlimited Yoga
FUTURE Vanity/Novelty Haircut
Albany Bowling Party
5 Studio Visits to Brushstrokes
Pier 39 Family Fun Pack
Oakland A's, 2 Plaza Outfield Tickets
Grand Lake Theater, 2 Matinee Admission Passes
Berkeley YMCA, 1 month membership
Juan's Place Gift Certificate
Shotgun Players, two tickets
Bay Nature Magazine, 1 year subscription
Sticky Art Lab Gift Certificate
Bay Area Discovery Museum, Family Pass
Smuin Ballet, two tickets
FUTURE Vanity/Novelty, Blow out (wash & style)
Oriental Trading Company Gift Certificate
East Bay Nursery Gift Certificate
Lindsay Wildlife Experience, Family Pass
Habitot, Family Pass
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, two tickets
San Francisco Electric Tour Company, tour for two
Oakland Ice Center
Ruby's Garden
Happy Hollow Park & Zoo
Gaumenkitzel Gift Certificate
Downtown Berkeley YMCA one month membership
Pet Food Express Gift Certificate
Arbonne Goody Bag
We have three small kiddos (ages 5.5, 2.5, and 4 months) and these are our favorite places to hike:
This path is mostly paved (we brought the stroller), super flat and really scenic, with several benches along the way to stop and rest at. It’s about a mile in either direction from the road just behind Montclair village (park on Lasalle Rd or in the parking lot next to the road). If you go on a Sunday you can stroll down to the Montclair Farmers Market for a post-hike snack!
More info here: http://www.montclairrrtrail.org/
If you park at the main entrance where the bathrooms are located and hike up it is a slightly steep climb but super scenic! Less stroller-friendly and lots of dogs (could be a plus or minus depending on your family). Off path are beautiful hills and vegetation and so much space for the kiddos to explore. Also, my oldest thought it was pretty cool to be hiking up an old volcano, and by the bathrooms in the main parking lot there are some cool fossils and an opportunity to learn more about the history of the park!
More info here: www.ebparks.org/parks/sibley
This trail is mostly flat and you feel like you are in an enchanted forest surrounded by the redwoods. My girls loved exploring the ferns, trees and little off trail hiding places. It is also very dog-friendly and can be hiked as a loop. Total distance is under 2 miles and we made it almost the whole way with all the kiddos. We brought the stroller but unless you have a stroller with good tires like a jogging stroller it is probably easiest not to bring it
More info here: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/big-trees-and-sequoia-bayview-trail
The best hike for strollers, skooters, and kids on wheels. Parking can be a pain, but it is worth the struggle, because the views are amazing and the path is completely paved. The trail can be really busy on the weekends but it is a nice, easy, family trip with young ones in tow.
More info here: https://www.yelp.com/biz/inspiration-point-berkeley
Worth the drive and a scenic fun place to spend the day. This place has it all: beach, a bridge to watch trains over, hiking trail, and playgrounds. The beach here is rocky but shallow and fun for the kids, on the San Pablo Bay and the hike starts with a small hill but is fun and can be done as loop overlooking the San Pablo Bay. My girls loved exploring all areas, including the playgrounds which are sand-based and surrounded by grass to lay in.
More info here: https://bahiker.com/eastbayhikes/pointpinole.html
The fabulous Roots & Shoots will be taking portraits for Nia House again!
HOW TO ORDER PORTRAITS
In an effort to be environmentally conscious, we are offering electronic order forms this year.
You must pre-order using THIS electronic order form and submit it NO LATER THAN WEDNESDAY, 5/2. If you prefer a paper order form or need to use cash, the office has paper forms for you to fill out. Any late order forms will incur a $10 late fee.
You are welcome to choose the $8 proofs option if you wish to view and choose your portrait prior to receiving prints. (You will receive your choices via email.)
Otherwise, Roots & Shoots Photography will choose the portrait they think is best.
If you have any questions, please contact Roots & Shoots Photography directly:
Mom of Nia House toddler, Kaya (and also Sienna and Evangaline), Morgan knows how to make art engaging and easy. Thanks for your blog post, Morgan!
I don’t know about you but I love a low prep, fast, and easy project that keeps my little ones occupied and learning. Here are some of my favorite art projects for toddlers and preschoolers.
Materials:
1 container of water
1 paintbrush
A surface that changes color when wet such as concrete, wood, colored construction paper
This is my favorite type of art project because it is waste-free, can be done outside and is mess free! All you do is dip the dry paintbrush in water and then “paint” using the water on the ground, fence, or sidewalk. Here’s a picture of Kaya in action:
aterials:
a few q-tips
paint
Construction paper or paper plate
Using something other than a paintbrush to make art is extra fun for kids. Just dab the q-tip into paint and then dab on paper. In the past, I have used white paint and used this method to make “snow” for a fun winter art project or, like my oldest daughter (who is much more methodical), use this method to make more of a mosaic style picture.
Other Variations on tools to paint with:
An apple cut in half (it will make a cool star shape if sliced the right way)
A carrot
A fork (you can make lines like you’re raking the picture)
An old sponge cut into cool shapes
A lego (use it like a stamp)
A marble (roll it around in a container that has paint and paper in it)
Here’s a cool link with other creative painting tool ideas:
https://www.notimeforflashcards.com/2017/07/paint-without-a-paintbrush.html
Materials:
Any and all scrap paper materials
Gluestick
Cardboard or sturdy construction paper to glue to
Feeling guilty about all the wasted paper during art time with the kiddos? Use scrap paper (we love to use old circulars, junk mail, or any other materials we find in the recycling bin), and get your fine motor on by tearing up the paper into small pieces and turning it into a work of art using a glue stick to glue the pieces onto a new piece of paper. You can also stick with the recycled theme and simply glue onto a paper towel roll or toilet paper roll for an awesome telescope! If you want to get fancy and not so “green”, tissue paper is a great material to use and can make awesome gifts like this one:
Image from: https://www.flashbugsstudio.com/valentines-paper-collage/
I heart Nia House because it gave my child a sense of herself as an individual, in her community and the world at large. I heart Nia House because the incredible teachers taught her independence, courage, strength and compassion. I heart Nia House because it represents what is possible in the world if we all commit to caring for ourselves, our work, our peers and our environment. I heart Nia House because it is committed to educating and empowering the next generation of kind, curious, industrious, responsible, global citizens.
Aleishall Girard Maxon
"I Heart NH" is an opportunity to give small monthly donations to Nia House's scholarship fund. It gets you a cool bumper sticker to show your love of NH and love of equity in early childhood education.
Donations can be directly withdrawn from your bank account or added to your monthly tuition.
Pearly strikes again with a very thoughtful blog on how to make quality time with your child, partner and family happen, even when time feels scarce. Thank you, Pearly!
Bonding with a child is much easier said than done. It isn’t always convenient. In fact, combining work, household maintenance, self-care and bonding is an act that usually isn’t perfected until we drop the ball on something or everything all at once.
Our family unit includes my husband, 2-year-old, and myself. We own two small businesses, which can make bonding with our child a little more difficult, or a little easier, depending on how you look at it.
Here’s our take:
We added a little girl to our family because we wanted to. We were not tricked, we had no delusions, and we knew it’d be challenging. So we integrated her into our lives with plenty of bike rides.
With two businesses, people were constantly telling us how wonderful it was, that we got to spend all our time with her, when in fact, I felt like I wasn’t getting any time with her. My husband saw it otherwise. He had clearly designated pockets of time with our daughter, whether it was in the bath, walking to the shops, or going to pick up food. But for me, I didn’t consider 15 minutes as bonding time. Then it occurred to me that the problem was how we defined bonding time.
To begin with, understand that to a 2-year-old, a walk to the park is VERY far, and 15 minutes IS bonding time. I learned that as I watched my husband’s relationship with my daughter develop, and I found myself trying to multitask while trying to give my child some attention. I managed to carve out larger sections of time to spend with her, but I wish I had not neglected the tiny, valuable pockets, that can and do remind children that they are loved, and never forgotten (sometimes placed aside because we need to pay bills, but not forgotten).
If there’s anything I’ve learned from my husband, it’s the preciousness of routines. Routines don’t just help children practice independence, they also let children know when they can expect your full attention.
A large part of bonding is about sparing space and time with your child. A child that knows they will get your full attention as you walk to school with them, or when you have lunch as a family, can better learn patience as they have something to look forward to.
Setting a mutual understanding that there's a time and space every day or week that’s reserved for family is important. Growing up in Singapore, no matter how busy my family’s days were, my parents, my brother, and I always made time to connect. When all of us were busy working professionals, sometimes we waited up, other times we didn't. We wrote notes to each other that we left on the bathroom mirror or front door. I’ve even stuck notes to the handle of my father’s briefcase. Sundays were designated family days, and because our family made it precious, we valued it and seldom allowed interruptions unless absolutely. Difficult days can be easier to breathe through knowing you will have the full attention and care of your family soon.
Once we become parents, life seems a little more hectic. We read up ways to bond with our child and try to convince them to engage with us. But when our partners need us, we often have a lunchbox to pack, a bag to prepare, or a child to run after.
It’s important to show your child how to bond, by spending bonding time with your partner. Set aside time to bond with your child, where your partner takes space to self-care, and set up bonding time with your partner, where your child learns to engage in their chosen work or acceptable mode of self-care.
In the end, children imitate many things in order to grow, they learn the ways we take care of ourselves, which for our family is taking long, hot baths. They also learn how to bond, by seeing it happen. So, if our children are bouncing off the walls, brushing us off, and fiddling with too many things at once, it’s probably because we need to show more, not tell.
I’ve been there. I’ve felt like there’s nothing to do, and my husband suggested we take a walk. We couldn’t afford to bring our kid to indoor gyms and museums that other parents seemed to be bringing their kids. Then my husband reminded me that the world was just outside our door.
Children love walks, especially if they’re going to a playground. They can both learn from nature, and engage in nature; the earth is a playground. Attending free concerts and festivals just means planning ahead (bookmark events on social media, and set up reminders).
Because we have a child who loves orchestral events, and we can’t always pay for full price tickets, I’ve approached orchestras and concert halls to ask if there are any discounted tickets available. Event planners are usually understanding and some will point you in the direction of cheaper tickets (E.g. student tickets when you’re not a student) and some may even offer you free tickets. The worst that could happen is that they’d say no, and then you just turn to another event!
And if you’re a family that can afford a little more, buy another family an experience where they can have a bonding experience that they usually can’t afford.
Sometimes, when it rains, it pours. If you don’t feel like playing in the rain or jumping in puddles with your kid, what can you do?
There are plenty of home activities you can do to engage your child, whether it's simple baking, building a bedsheet fort or playing “cleanup-throwout” (anything that hasn’t been touched in over 3 months either finds a home or is packed for donation).
Want to head out, but scarce on pennies? If you’re not afraid of the crowd, IKEA’s always a fun place. Learn about plants, look at funky arm chairs, and pick up those batteries you needed all at once. Make sure you’re spending time with your child though, and not just going on a shopping spree. Feeling less adventurous? Check out a library, free museum, or your nearby pet/ aquarium store.
Of course, there’s the option of settling in with some microwave popcorn and a family movie, but how about settling in with a game of Pictionary with a toddler? Don’t have Pictionary? Again, all you have to do is plan ahead and borrow a board game, this one will even help build up your little one’s vocabulary.
In closing, it is possible to bond even without an activity. Set aside time to share space, cuddle, and just enjoy each others presence quietly.
As business owners, we talk to people all day long. Sometimes, talk is frivolous and we, as a society, have forgotten the value of non-verbal communication. We can often tell how a person’s day has gone by sharing an embrace. Science has also shown that hugging for longer than 20 seconds helps us reduce anxiety and stress, and in today’s busy world, where hugs can easily be misconstrued, perhaps we should all relearn how to melt into the arms of our families.
