My name is Kira Solomatova. I am an early child development specialist, RIE Associate, supporting parents with infants and toddlers. I teach RIE parenting classes for parents who want to learn more and have a better connection with their children. I believe in parenting with respect to encouraging children to become attentive, active, inner-directed, and aware of themselves and others. Our Parent-Infant Guidance classes are a great opportunity to observe and learn from your child. Facilitated by experienced RIE® Associates, small groups of parents and babies come together for 90 minutes in a relaxing and intentional environment that supports children’s overall development and parent's confidence. During class, babies play, explore and discover new skills, ideas and friendships while the parents learn about problem-solving, conflict resolution and setting limits. We talk about finding the best ways to connect with our children and how to establish clear limits. It brings me great joy to talk to parents about environments - the optimal environment for babies to learn, discover and grow. Topics for our discussion may include: • What to expect at each age/stage • What children learn through play • Balancing your own needs with your child’s needs • How to make the most of your time with your child • Should we entertain and stimulate our children or should we give them the freedom to discover by themselves? And how does this look like in practice?