Online Engagement Series: Episode #1

Episode #1: Supporting Children's Behaviours

FDCA Advocacy and Engagement Manager Michael Farrell is joined by Maggie Dent and Sylvia Arotin to explore and discuss strategies and mechanisms that can be used to support children’s behaviour in in the family day care setting. Topics such as separation anxiety, impulse control, life changes and how different approaches can be required to suit the individual needs of a child.

This session is ideal for educators and service staff, members are also more than welcome to share this session with their families.

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About our Guests

Maggie Dent

Commonly known as the ‘queen of common sense’, Maggie Dent has become one of Australia's favourite parenting authors and educators. She has a particular interest in the early years, adolescence and resilience, and is an undisputed 'boy champion'.

Maggie’s experience includes working for almost two decades as a secondary teacher before moving into counselling, and working in the palliative care/funeral services and suicide prevention. Maggie is an advocate for the healthy, common-sense raising of children in order to strengthen families and communities. She is a passionate, positive voice for children of all ages.

Maggie is the author of nine major books, plus several other e-books and a prolific creator of resources for parents, adolescents, teachers, early childhood educators and others who are interested in quietly improving their lives. She is also host of the ABC podcast, Parental As Anything.

Her books include the 2022 release Girlhood: Raising our little girls to be healthy, happy and heard, Parental As Anything (a based on her podcast and released in 2021), her bestselling boys’ books From Boys to Men and Mothering Our Boys, plus Real Kids in An Unreal World, 9 Things: A back-to-basics guide to calm, common-sense, connected parenting Birth-8, Nurturing Our Children’s Hearts & Souls and Saving Our Adolescents.

Maggie is the proud mother of four wonderful sons, and an enthusiastic and grateful grandmother.

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Sylvia Arotin

Sylvia has had over 11 years of experience in Montessori teaching and is the founder and director of My Montessori (0-6 yrs) School in Sydney.

Her passion for children’s learning and development, as well as supporting and educating caregivers, has been fundamental in developing her well-established Guide & Grow brand - the largest online Montessori support platform in the world with approx. 200,000+ members.

She is an international speaker and trainer for educators and parents specialising in communication and guiding children's behaviour. Sylvia holds an International Montessori 0-3yrs diploma, 3-6 assistants’ certificate, International Communications degree and a Masters in Teaching, specialising in early childhood (0-5 yrs) (Honours) from Macquarie University.

Sylvia was also named the North West & Hills District (NSW) Regional Winner in the 2020 Excellence in Family Day Care Awards.

Extension Resources and Information

Maggie and Sylvia have been kind enough to provide a link to a large catalogue of information that members can access. To view any of the items, please click on a link below.

‍Maggie’s resources:

‍Maggie’s YouTube channel (over 140 videos)

Blogs

Childhood stress: Why (and how) we all need to calm down

10 Tips to Ease Separation Distress

When children are hard work …meltdowns, tantrums, screaming and whining.

Invisible enemy of anxiety a real worry

Tricky transitions – why they happen, what can help

Become an energy detective for your child

Strategies to help your child deal with big feelings

Interoception: Kids, energy and the body budget

Podcasts