Halloween is quite literally at our doorstep complete with pumpkins, giant spider webs, inflatable monsters…and Trick or Treat bags waiting to be filled. This Halloween is still haunted by many ghouls and goblins – social distancing, little ones with no vaccine available, scaled-back celebrations and events, and real masks to wear under our costume masks. […]
It’s a month into the new school year and children are still adjusting to their new classroom, new teachers, and new routines. A child, Chloe, arrives at school already in the midst of a tantrum. Chloe’s mom looks frustrated and is raising her voice. What do you do? While this situation is all too common […]
Imaginative and creative play is important for every child. Having fun exploring and discovering their world whether indoors or outdoors is essential in developing the foundation for social, emotional, and cognitive skills. In fact, play is a child’s work. ~Dr. Donna Housman Founder of Housman Institute and creator of begin to ECSEL At long last we can finally […]
As educators and parents, we know how important routine is for the children we love and care for, but what about our own? The back-and-forth of school environments in 2020 have caused us all to lose our footing. Our new norm is a revolving door of in-person school, Zoom classes, and remote learning with no […]
A child’s relationship with their pet is a cherished one, filled with constant companionship and lifelong memories. Pets become part of the family – a comforting presence that provides affection, protection, and reassurance in times of need. For children especially, pets bring unconditional love along with the opportunity to share all of their feelings without […]
This year has delivered us one unpredictable blow after the next. Parents, teachers and kids alike, have coped with school closings, travel cancellations, social and political unrest, isolation from friends and family, and an endless barrage of disruption and uncertainty. We all have been forced to pivot and get super creative during these unusual times […]
In some areas of the country, families have been isolating at home for over 3 months. As we enter the summer months, many parents are wondering how to maximize summer fun while staying home and staying safe. As a central tenant of the begin to ECSEL program, educators are instructed to establish a consistent routine […]
Among other important life lessons, this global pandemic is highlighting just how much we depend on social relationships. As social animals, some of us are struggling to establish a new normal while learning how to maintain relationships in this bizarre time of social distancing. Some of us may still be trying to figure out how […]
Let’s Turn Off the Screen, This Earth Day, And Read a Book The experience of having a book read aloud to children prompts conversations about what’s happening in the story, what the characters are feeling, the meanings of words, and especially how what’s happening in the book might relate to the child. In a world […]
At the Housman Institute, we recognize the profound importance of building the foundation for emotional intelligence in children from birth. Our begin to ECSEL program helps children recognize, understand, regulate and express their emotions in a healthy way that sets them up for a lifetime of well-being, mental health and success. Within our program, we […]
Parents are a child’s first teacher and children’s earliest years are critical for their lifelong development, well-being and mental health. The earliest years of life represent the most sensitive and rapid period of brain growth and development. Housman Institute stands together with Infant Mental Health Professionals in Massachusetts who are critically concerned and deeply opposed […]
