Treat your children the way that you want your boss to treat you – “Mr. Chazz’s Principle”
I envision a world where a vast majority of humans enjoy the process of becoming the best version of themselves. I believe if we all enjoy the process of becoming the best version of ourselves, then the world becomes an exponentially better place.
We are the Big Humans guiding the Little Humans. Every human is a superhero with super powers as unique as our personalities.
How do you talk to your teacher about your child’s behaviour? It can be real easy for both parties to come to this interaction defensively due to how each other may be feeling. So how can we come together to collaborate and partner when there are challenges in the classroom? Chazz shares some ideas for both parents and teachers.
How do you talk to your kids about their report cards? This can be a very triggering topic for all of us as we recall how our parents spoke to us about our report cards. This may have included punishment, yelling, berating or humiliation.
Chazz shares a way to engage in conversation so children are willing to share their thoughts and their feelings on school work in a space that is non-judgemental and supportive.
Have you had the experience before when you go and pick up your child from school and you are excited to hear about their day and maybe you have missed them. You ask, “What did you do today?” The child says, “Nothing.”
In this video Chazz shares ideas on how you can engage with your child to support them in sharing their day.
This is one of the most common things parents and teachers struggle with, getting children from point A to point B. Otherwise known as transitions. To understand why this is so difficult is to understand a child’s brain development. So what do we do?
Chazz will share some strategies to assist parents and teachers to transition children.
Why is it so difficult for children to transition from home to school? Children are moving from the comfort of their home and their parents to a place that can sometimes be overwhelming for lots of reasons.
Chazz shares a beautiful poetic performance (spoken word) of ‘Build that World with Me’.
Have you heard of the term redirection before? As Chazz shares a simple explanation is when you help a child think of something else. So why is redirection important? This video by Chazz explores the different levels of redirection and how to put them in place in your classroom and/or home. The process helps them identify their needs and take action to meet their needs in a healthy and appropriate way.
What are some of the common mistakes parents make when they start to homeschool their children? A lot of the time it is similar mistakes that teachers make when they first start teaching. Chazz shares some wonderful tips on how parents can engage in homeschooling with their child that brings out the best for both child and parent.
In this video Chazz talks about how we can make lessons real and relevant for children and how we should adjust the way we teach to match the way children learn.
Chazz shares a wonderful spoken word (poem) as an example of an alternative way to teach.
Montessori is a program that focuses on helping children choose work individually and take control of their learning independently while the teacher provides the environment so that children can do that optimally. It is a philosophy created by Maria Montessori. Chazz in the video discusses Montessori education and is it the right educational fit for my child.
It is a new year or a new school and you are wondering how best to prepare yourself as a Parent to build connection with the teacher. Chazz shares some great questions that you can ask your child’s teacher that will assist everyone for the rest of the year and encourage a partnership in your child’s learning.
In this video Chazz shares a Montessori technique that teachers and parents can use anywhere to teach children anything. It is also a good way to assess where a child is in their learning and development and therefore where you may need to go next with their learning. This process is called the ‘Three Period Lesson’.
How do you calm down and respond to your child as opposed to reacting to your child? A reaction is an unconscious response that we do not even think about. A response is a thought out response or action. Therefore do we want to raise children that have more responses from parents than reactions? Chazz discusses ways we can get into the habit of responding not reacting to our children.
You know when you have that appointment and you are trying to get the kids out of the house on time. Why is it so hard for them to get their shoes, get out of the house and into the car?! Chazz shares two key strategies for preparing children for transitions.
This is an interesting topic to talk about because kids are funny about germs, adults get triggered by germs when our kids are touching things and licking things. Chazz explains how we can start having those conversations with children about germs and the importance of washing their hands. Watch till the end for Chazz’s hand washing song!
We teach our children to say sorry though is an apology more than that? If we are forcing children to apologise are we really teaching them how to genuinely apologise? Chazz shares some strategies on how to teach children to genuinely apologise which includes role modelling, talking to children about making a commitment to what they can do better next time and working through our own triggers.
How do you problem solve with children when they are dealing with something they are facing? Chazz shares 3 key steps which include ensuring that the child feels like they have been seen, been able to put the problem out there and have been given strategies to solve the problem.
Have you ever been in a situation when your child has got mad at you or their teacher and they say ‘I hate you’? How do you respond? Chazz in this video provides some great strategies on how to respond to children and not react to what they have said.
Chazz’s favourite saying is, Avoid being a perfectionist, be an ‘improvenist’. The goal is not to be perfect every day, the goal is to improve every day. Perfect does not exist, there is no perfect parent. Parenting is also ongoing. The most important thing is you are taking the little steps to improve everyday day and mistakes are the important part of the process.
Did your parents ever acknowledge their mistakes? So when we become parents do we acknowledge our mistakes with our children. When we are down on ourselves and trying to be perfect we can get closer to that mountain top of perfection that does not exist. There is no destination, only the journey of parenting. We are going to make mistakes and learn from those mistakes and teach our children what we learnt from those mistakes and we are all going to be better for it.
How do you handle a child hitting another child? This topic can definitely be a triggering topic for most people which is understandable because everyone has the right to feel safe. Chazz in this video gives some thought to why children hit and how then to best support a child that is hitting.
How do you help a child regulate and teach them those skills? Chazz talks about breath as a strategy for parents but sometimes telling a child to breath when they are upset is like telling someone to calm down when they are angry. Chazz shares one tool to help teach a child how to regulate.
Listen to Chazz’s Regulation Song or as children call it The Breath Song.