'First, I want to tell you Sandra that I think you are amazing! You have a God-given gift for working with children and their families! Children gravitate to you for a reason-you listen to them, validate them, set boundaries for them, and they feel loved and safe with you in this very scary world! I want to thank you for introducing RIE parenting (like Sandra and Janet Lansbury teaches) to me! Here's 2 recent examples of it I'd like to share- Yesterday I gave my 4 yr old a raw carrot to eat at lunch (knowing she's not a big fan) because I was too lazy to cook some. She saw it and started complaining and whining saying "I don't like raw carrots! I don't want it!" I calming, empathetically replied, "You don't like raw carrots. I know you prefer cooked carrots. I do too!" That's all I said. Without another word or other "negative" behavior, she proceeded to eat the entire carrot. In the past, I have reacted differently and so has she (with more whining, "tantruming", and refusal to eat). Today, my 8 yr old was using a "whiney", fretful tone and pacing back and forth because she couldn't find something. The usual response (mine and most parents' from what I've seen) would be to say calm down, don't worry, you'll find it, blah blah blah. Thanks to Sandra (and RIE parenting) I calmly acknowledged her emotion by saying "You're really worried you won't find your ...! Try retracing your steps." Her tone and demeaner immediately changed! She calmly said "ok." And literally the next instant found it! I've reacted very differently in past similar situations and seen how the "negative", albeit normal, child behavior continued or escalated. In both above instances, the girls felt validated and understood! What a difference that makes, not only in children, but all of us! Thank you, God, for Sandra and her wise instruction about children and the tough job of parenting!'
~ Parent of 8-year-old, 4-year-old, and 10-month old girls
~ Parent of 8-year-old, 4-year-old, and 10-month old girls
"We met Sandra when my daughter was determined developmental delayed at 16 months. We were puzzled and didn't know what to do. Sandra helped us understand the basics of the theories of early children development, and guided us through the daily practice of dealing with behaviors and emotions of our little daughter. She is knowledgeable and an expert in her field. She is patient communicating and educating us first-time parents. She is wise and resourceful, providing us with theoretical and practical suggestions. Most importantly, she is a person with love; she sincerely cares. We are very luck to have her. Six months later, my daughter had to leave the program because she'd caught up with the development level of her peers, thanks to Sandra."
~ Parent of a toddler in Early Intervention
~ Parent of a toddler in Early Intervention
"It’s difficult to imagine what our lives would be like now had we never met Sandra, but I am certain that our family is a happier one for having known her. About half a year ago (my daughter having recently turned two), I was suddenly feeling very lost and confused in my role as a mom. My husband and I agreed we didn’t want to be overly-strict and controlling parents – we wanted to give her freedom to explore and discover and play. But we also knew we couldn’t be too relaxed and lenient either. Caught somewhere between the two extremes, I felt absolutely paralyzed. We desperately sought a clear parenting plan, one that would help introduce the discipline we knew she needed. But we were having a difficult time devising our own. And then we met Sandra. From our first day together, I knew her methods were exactly what we were looking for. Every single word she said just made so much sense! And even with the first small changes, things around here improved immediately, becoming calmer, easier, happier. By simply gaining a clearer picture of how we wanted to parent, we suddenly felt so much more comfortable and confident when it came to actually doing it. And our daughter in turn grew more and more comfortable and content. Week upon week Sandra has brought us magical bits of wisdom, and we continue to learn and grow as a family. Our experience with her has been in a word, invaluable. And as a family we could not be more grateful for the work she has done."
~ Parent of a 2-year-old
~ Parent of a 2-year-old
"I am an early childhood teacher and I met Sandra Hallman when she was working with a child in my class. After our first conversation I knew that I was lucky to have met such a wonderful therapist. Not only is she extremely knowledgeable but she is also respectful and clearly had a passion for helping children. The progress that Sandra made with the child in my class was unbelievable. I can honestly say that I am a better teacher thanks to all that Sandra has taught me. She took the time to educate me on her practices and she explained to me, not just the what, but also the why. Since meeting Sandra I have recommended her to many other parents who are seeking a developmental therapist for their children and I will continue to do so."
~ Early Childhood Teacher
~ Early Childhood Teacher
"Sandra has been beyond helpful! We were struggling with how to best parent our 4 year old - from defiant behavior to staying in bed to not listening. Enter Sandra. She's a real life Supernanny without the cameras. Her approach is based on the RIE method which was new to us. We have had her come to our home weekly for the past 2 months and the change is noticeable. She will step in and coach you through how to both acknowledge your child's feelings and assert your role as a parent in a loving way. We can't imagine where we'd be without her! She's been instrumental in helping us become patient, understanding parents. Although we are still learning but we definitely are on the right path thanks to her guidance. If only we had called earlier....."
~ Parent of a 4-year-old
~ Parent of a 4-year-old