What is Family Time?
The Family Time program welcomes our youngest children into the B’nai Torah community. Classes are available for babies through two years of age with mommy, daddy, grandparents, or other significant adult.
Each class is one-and-a-half hour in length and includes child-centered play activities, music and movement, storytelling, and parenting discussions. Judaic values come alive for children and families through weekly themes and an inspiring play environment. Family Time offers a first step towards an outstanding education at The Ruth and Edward Taubman Early Childhood Center.
Childhood is something precious to be celebrated and shared. Come and enjoy a fun-filled time with your child. You’ll be amazed to see your child’s individual journey of discovery and learning. You will also make wonderful new friendships.
Each Class Includes:
• Thoughtfully planned activities that encourage your child’s curiosity and exploration
• Singing and dancing that will make your child laugh and smile and nurture positive connections
• Sharing a snack and story time with friends (saying a bracha together)
• Theme activities and discussions to make parenting easier
• Time to share magical moments and become part of a caring family community
Click here to visit the Family Time Inc. website.
Three Semesters:
• September through December
• January through May
• June through August
About Karen Deerwester:
Karen Deerwester is the owner of Family Time Coaching & Consulting, inspiring and supporting parents and professionals in all aspects of “living with children.”
Karen is the author of The Entitlement-Free Child (Sourcebooks 2009), The Playskool Guide to Potty Training (Sourcebooks 2008) and The Potty Training Answer Book (Sourcebooks 2007) which won the 2008 NAPPA Gold Award for parenting resources.
A highly requested speaker/trainer for parents and educators since 1985, Karen’s high energy presentations touch the hearts of teachers and parents everywhere as they renew their commitment to children and to themselves. In August 2005, Karen conducted Lifelong Learning Events for Cartoon Network in a five city tour. Karen was the National Spokesperson for Hasbro Family Game Night (2010) and for Clorox Clean-Up Creative Messy Play (2010-2011).
Family Time currently operates the parent-child program at the Ruth & Edward Taubman Early Childhood Center in Boca Raton, Florida. Karen’s influence in the field of parent-child programs can be seen throughout the public and private sectors where Karen has developed award-winning programs for public schools, faith-based programs, hospitals, and private for-profit centers.
Karen reaches thousands of parents each month as the parent “expert” for Examiner.com, BlueSuitMom.com, the “Toddler/Preschooler Column” for South Florida Parenting Magazine and numerous parenting websites. Her parenting advice is always grounded in the best research-based developmental practices and a keen awareness of the strengths of each family. Karen has contributed parenting/early childhood advice to Parents Magazine, Parenting Magazine, OK Magazine, Life and Style Magazine, Real Simple Magazine, Women’s Day, Essence Magazine, and the books: The Experts’ Guide to the Baby Years and Worst Case Scenario: Parenting. Karen has appeared regularly as the parenting expert on The Morning Show and NBC6 in the Mix in South Florida, as well as nationally on MSNBC, NBC, and NPR.
Karen also served as the past president of the Broward Association for the Education of Young Children and is a lifelong advocate for developmentally appropriate early childhood education. She enjoys the sun and the sand of South Florida but dreams of northern forests.
Family Time Class Descriptions:
The Discover Me class is a baby’s first Family Time experience – where each child and grownup play on their own personal blanket space, “discovering” the world through the eyes and heart of a baby. We offer weekly texture massage experiences, sensory activities and developmental play highlighting all the wonder of this newborn stage. Grownups get to see the individual personality of each baby while also seeing how much learning is shared as babies discover the world around them. Each class also includes a Music & Movement Time, Story Time and time for parent conversations. It is truly a great place to make friends and share the joys and challenges of this stage.
The Lovable Me class celebrates all the ways we fall in love with babies as they grow into new stages. Babies and their parent or special grown-up begin to explore new areas in the classroom as we introduce new floor textures and eventually table activities. We introduce new activities for busy fingers and wonder-filled learning. All classes include developmental play experiences, Music & Movement Time, Story and Snack Time and Parent Discussion Time.
The Curious Me class encourages baby-explorers to move with confidence from sitters to crawlers to cruisers. Babies are on-the-go! They are also leading and joining in exciting new social play. Movement comes with age-appropriate risk-taking so we will also discuss encouraging curiosity while keeping babies safe and also respecting each child’s pace and comfort level. All classes include developmental play experiences, Music & Movement Time, Story and Snack Time and Parent Discussion Time.
The Active Me class is the beginning of standing activities and the transition to more “interesting” art and fine motor activities. This class also includes more climbing and movement activities. Plus, more interactive language – using language for directions and for more “sportscasting” to encourage problem-solving and choice-making. All classes include developmental play experiences, Music & Movement Time, Story and Snack Time and Parent Discussion Time.
The Powerful Me class is a celebration of “No!” and “MINE!” It is all the fabulous art, textures, movement, language and hands-on exploration and experimentation of the earlier ages with a new attitude. All classes include developmental play experiences, Music & Movement Time, Story and Snack Time and Parent Discussion Time. The Independent Me class is the “transition” class for children turning 2 years old. This class offers all the developmental play-and-learning experiences to engage very busy minds and bodies with a purposeful social-emotional curriculum to help children thrive in an independent setting. Parents gradually “separate” from the class as children acquire new skills to manage big, complicated emotions and feel confident and safe in a classroom setting. We are here to guide, support and love your child on this big journey to independence and to hold your hand as you learn to trust your child and your
teachers. All classes include developmental play experiences, Music & Movement Time, Story and Snack Time and Parent Discussion Time. This class can be repeated a second session for families who are not in any hurry to “graduate” from Family Time.