Teachers and therapists help Teddy blossom
Four-year-old Teddy’s interests are diverse, and currently include being a ninja or a snake hunter, and he is ready to take these interests and all that he’s learned at Rainbows to kindergarten. “While we’re happy to see Teddy progress, it’s sad to know he is graduating from Rainbows,” said Kaci and Nelson, Teddy’ s parents. […]
The Magic of Singing with Children
Some of my fondest memories as a kid are of singing silly songs with my dad. He would always change the words to popular songs to fit whatever activity we were doing at the moment. And together we would sometimes make up our own little jingles. There was the red light, green light song, the […]
Alice Boutz Honored With Prism Award
The Prism Award was established in 2013 to recognize an outstanding staff member who demonstrates excellence in many of Rainbows’ Guiding Principles; is an example in the role they fulfill for Rainbows; demonstrates leadership; makes children and families their highest priority; and represents Rainbows in a way that reflects positively on the entire organization. The […]
Patient Adults=Happier Children
Patience is a very important part of our daily lives as we work with children and families; especially for those of us who work with children in classrooms. Sometimes it’s not easy, but we must remember to always slow down. Moving too fast through an activity or through a transition will not help but instead […]
The Naughty List Negatives
I am not ashamed to say that I love Santa. The magic that Santa brings to the holiday season for kids is unmatched. I even did a research-based persuasive speech in college about the benefits of believing in Santa Claus for kids. As I’ve become a parent and a mental health specialist, I’ve become more […]
Trust Your Parent Gut
My husband and I had our first child in December of 2021. Shortly after Ellie was born, we started having concerns about feeding her. She was not able to latch to breastfeed and seemed to struggle to drink out of a bottle. We asked questions while we were at the hospital, but these were dismissed […]
The Importance of Empathy
Why is empathy critically fundamental? Empathy is important for our personal development, building relationships, and important for the social world around us. When working with children and families, we start with building relationships with them to gain trust and understanding to be able to serve those children and families better. Empathy allows us to understand […]
Early childhood mental health services improve communication for the whole family
“It was easy to choose Rainbows for childcare since we were familiar with the organization,” said Shannon Pope, mother of two preschoolers. Shannon herself had volunteered at Rainbows, her aunt has worked in the office for many years plus her kids get to see their cousins who also attend every day. “We wanted them to […]
Impacts of Trauma and Toxic Stress on Young Children
As a Mental Health Specialist who works with children ages birth to five years, I often hear parents who are struggling with BIG FEELINGS from their little ones. Big feelings are common and developmentally appropriate for infants and toddlers. However, when big feelings are caused by trauma and ongoing toxic stress, it is important for […]
Is this just a stage?
Raising a child can be challenging. Even under the best circumstances, their behaviors and emotions can change frequently and rapidly. All children are sad, anxious, irritable, or aggressive at times, or they can occasionally find it challenging to sit still, pay attention, or interact with others. In most cases, they are just typical developmental phases. […]
