What Readers Are Saying about Social Emotional Tools for Life: An Early Childhood Teacher’s Guide to Supporting Strong Emotional Foundations and Successful Social Relationships
“Social Emotional Tools for Life: An Early Childhood Teacher’s Guide is informative, practical, and important. Its thoughtful approach helps educators see the everyday moments with children, as well as the more difficult moments, as opportunities for building social and emotional skills. These strategies empower teachers to be more intentional about creating environments and interacting in ways that allow children to thrive.”
- Tina Payne Bryson, PhD; co-Author, The Whole Brain Child and No Drama Discipline
“Written with compassion, wisdom, and insight, Social Emotional Tools for Life: An Early Childhood Teacher’s Guide offers practical guidance for educators who seek to nurture young children’s social and emotional development through their relationships with them. Experienced and novice teachers will learn about the power of observation, the significance of language, the importance of self-regulation, the value of play, the influence of each child’s individuality, and the importance of an adult’s thoughtful, reflective approach. With the knowledge that early learning is based on social experiences and emotional well-being, SET for Life offers a volume of best practices to support all areas of development for young children in the classroom. A valuable, valued resource.”
- Ross Thompson, PhD; Distinguished Professor, Department of Psychology, University of California – Davis
“Social Emotional Tools for Life is a great resource that will be very helpful to teachers.”
- Bruce Perry, MD, PhD; Senior Fellow, The Child Trauma Academy
“Forrester and Albrecht have created a practical guide teachers can return to again and again. The developmental stages of early childhood are clearly presented, illustrating why the strategies suggested work. Social Emotional Tools for LIfe makes a unique contribution by addressing the well-being, self-awareness, and self-care of the educator. Vignettes bring strategies and language to life, and based on my career working with preschool aged children, I can testify to their effectiveness.”
- Jill Brown Fryar, MEd, MSW; Department of Pediatrics, Texas Children’s Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine
“Social Emotional Tools for Life is a wonderful contribution and an invaluable resource not only for teachers, but also parents, therapists and all those concerned with helping children establish the social emotional foundations necessary for learning, relating and coping with life. Turn to any page and you will learn how to encourage each child to feel competent, aware of his feelings, and able to evaluate challenges and solutions. Each page is compelling, not only in its beautiful presentation, but in helping us understand the stepping stones to helping children develop capacities for self-regulation, self-control, self-awareness, as well as relating, thinking, learning. You will no longer has to ask yourself, ‘How do I say that?’ as this book guides you seamlessly through identifying and analyzing challenges, to strengthening relationships to help each child communicate and problem solve, with real life examples on every page. Although the authors indicate this book is for teachers, you can be sure each person interacting and caring for a child will find remarkable guidance to feel successful and rewarded in this role. I really appreciate this book and so will you!”
- Serena Wieder, PhD; clinical director at Profectum Foundation; Co-Developer of the DIR Model, and co-author of The Child with Special Needs, Engaging Autism, Visual Spatial Portals to Thinking, Feeling and Movement, and Infant and Child Mental Health
“This book belongs in the hands of every early childhood teacher and every education course. It embodies the often sought but seldom attained principle of ‘theory into practice.’ Every theoretical point made by the authors is buttressed by clear, ‘real life’ examples of how it applies in the classroom. When the book gives such excellent advice as, ‘Don’t try to ‘fix’ children’s feelings; acknowledge them instead,’ it is followed by an example of how the idea can be applied in the classroom, including ‘SET for Life’ Language. As a former professor of education and a current Director of a therapeutic school, I applaud Drs. Forrester and Albrecht for such an easy-to-digest book with carefully chosen photos and well-designed graphics to accompany their equally meaningful words. They have filled a gap in the literature that will be valued for years to come.”
- Diane Manning, PhD; Amazon review
“Reading Social Emotional Tools for Life: An Early Childhood Teacher’s Guide, I am both moved and inspired to be a better special education teacher. This guide will go with me to my classroom, so I can revisit the helpful and easy to use teaching strategies.”
- Parrish McDonald, elementary and special education teacher, Lincoln, Nebraska; Amazon review
“As an educator, I fully endorse this book for any school district. Its treatise on how to teach the preschool and early school-age child is all encompassing. The book itself, with its colorful insets, wonderful photographs, many examples and concise summaries at the end of each chapter, is a very easy but very thorough read. All counselors and teachers should have access to this book.”
- Margo Withers, educator; Amazon review
What readers are saying about Five Parenting Strategies to Support Emotional Development
“Parents today face many demands on their time and attention. These pressures often leave little time to be mindful of close relationships until our children’s behavior demands our attention, sometimes in unpleasant ways. This practical and powerful book can help parents avoid these relationship struggles.
Five Parenting Strategies to Support Emotional Development is a much needed guide to parenting the young child, grounded in our latest understanding of how parents support their child’s healthy emotional foundation. Parents will enjoy the playful interaction strategy of SET Time enjoyable, and the language strategies alone can improve the quality of the relationship with your child. Benefits of putting these five strategies into practice in your home will be less stress, more communication, and more enjoyable moments with your child.”
- Pamela Wilder, MSEed, Clinical Assistant Professor (retired), Human Development and Family Studies, University of Texas, Austin
“Perfect amount of information-enough for parents to put into practice but not be overwhelmed. Also, written in a way that is easy for parents to understand, and with a respect for their knowledge.”
- Barb, grandparent and parent
“I love the diversity in photos, names, and language in this book! I also appreciate that you include working mothers, and how you point out that adult frustrations, like a partner or spouse working late unexpectedly, mirror challenges children face, too. It’s like you know me!”
- Amy, mother of 6
“Five Parenting Strategies is easy to read and understand, and offers strategies I can use in my parenting repertoire. I love that there are so many story examples and that several age groups are targeted. Great book overall!”
- Raina, mother of 5
“I wish I’d read this when my kids were little!”
- Dave, father of 2