Big Conversations with Little Children: Addressing Questions, Worries, and Fears (Free Spirit Professional®)

Big Conversations with Little Children: Addressing Questions, Worries, and Fears (Free Spirit Professional®)

Lauren Starnes
$34.99
Publication Date: April 15th, 2022
Publisher:
Free Spirit Publishing
ISBN:
9781631986321
Pages:
228

Description

Be prepared to respond to a wide range of potentially tough questions and sensitive concerns posed by young children.

To work with young children is to constantly expect the unexpected. Tough questions are part of early childhood educators’ regular interactions with children and families. Based on children’s actual questions, Big Conversations with Little Children is readily accessible with guidelines for having difficult conversations with children, individually or as a classroom or group, and with families. The book provides guidance on how to approach specific topics related to:

  • family, such as unemployment, divorce, and incarceration
  • illness and death, such as loss of an unborn child, major illness in a child, and death of a pet
  • social issues, such as racism, family structures, and gender fluidity
  • upheaval and violence, such as natural disaster, terror events, and school shootings

Fully based in developmentally appropriate practice, Big Conversations with Little Children helps educators support young children in a way that preserves their dignity and innocence when they encounter world and social events in addition to honoring the family’s preferred approach. An expert in the field of early childhood education, author Dr. Lauren Starnes empowers educators and families to answer sensitive or tough questions children pose, respond to their worries and concerns, and be prepared for an ongoing dialogue. Digital content includes family take-home information sheets for each topic.
 

About the Author

Early childhood education expert Dr. Lauren Starnes has completed doctoral studies in both child development and educational leadership.

She currently holds the position of Chief Academic Officer of Goddard Schools, where she is responsible for the development, implementation, and evaluation of the curriculum, educational programming, assessment, and accreditation achievement for the nearly 600 Goddard Schools across the US. Previously, she was the vice president of early childhood education for Primrose School Franchising Company, where she supported curriculum development, implementation, and evaluation. She also served as the company’s executive director of professional development, leading and facilitating instructor-led and eLearning professional development for all stakeholders in the over 420 Primrose Schools. Prior to that she led the early childhood education department for a private education company, authoring their proprietary early childhood curriculum and leading professional development creation and delivery.

Lauren has worked at every level of early childhood education. While she began her formal career teaching at the university level, she has prior experience teaching within preschools, consulting and serving as a support professional for children with autism, and serving as an embedded instructional coach for preschool teachers. She has worked as a school principal for multiple schools and remains actively involved as a voice for early childhood education in various professional associations.

When not working, Lauren enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and cheering on her two sons in sports. She lives in Marietta, Georgia, near Atlanta.

Praise for Big Conversations with Little Children: Addressing Questions, Worries, and Fears (Free Spirit Professional®)

  • 2023 Independent Press Award Winner, Education

“As I read Big Conversations with Little Children, I kept thinking: ‘Have I been waiting for this book for years—all my professional career?’ There isn’t one topic left uncovered no matter how uncomfortable or challenging. What a courageous author. Lauren Starnes understands that children need us as they try to make sense of our complex world. She thoroughly guides us through each challenging topic with practical suggestions, including reflecting on our own emotional discomfort as we find ways to talk about everything and anything with young children and their families. An important book. It makes me wish I had written it!”
— Tamar Jacobson, Ph.D., early childhood development and education consultant for early childhood programs, organizations, and families, and author of Everyone Needs Attention: Helping Young Children Thrive

“Human relationships must have two components to survive: trust and communication. When our kids ask questions, it is imperative to be honest in our answers to preserve and build trust. But how do we communicate our answers both appropriately and effectively? Big Conversations with Little Children by Lauren Starnes is instrumental in providing both early educators and parents directions on how to navigate through this process. It’s a game changer when it comes to building relationships! A must-have for everyone who interacts with young children.”
— Julia Cook, international best-selling children’s author

“Big Conversations with Little Children is one of the most important books for everyone who works with young children to read during these turbulent and uncertain times. Young children are trying to understand the world around them and rely upon the adults in their lives to answer their questions in ways that will help them feel safe and cared for. Lauren’s thoughtful and thorough approach emphasizes the importance of building and maintaining relationships with the child as well as the families you work with.”
— Barbara Kaiser, co-author, Challenging Behavior in Young Children and Addressing Challenging Behavior: The Leader's Role

“In Big Conversations with Little Children, Lauren Starnes offers developmentally appropriate strategies to early childhood educators on how to address fears and worries surrounding children in their ecological systems, from the microsystem (e.g., incarceration) to the chronosystem (e.g., social upheaval). A timely book that invites educators not only to affirm children’s feelings but also to empower them to understand issues they care/worry about in an age-appropriate way. Dr. Starnes prepares educators to build knowledge and skills to handle the unexpected, inspires educators to scaffold children’s emotionality and agency development, and invites educators to strengthen the connection among children’s ecological systems.”
— Shu-Chen “Jenny” Yen, Ph. D., professor, child and adolescent studies, California State University, Fullerton

“Lauren Starnes has written a beautiful and much-needed resource for our field inside her new book. Early childhood educators, leaders, and parents can all utilize Lauren’s wonderfully crafted communication tools for having elegant conversations with young children in challenging times. The world needs this book. Well done!”
— Kris Murray, founder of The Child Care Success Academy

“Research tells us in no uncertain terms that caring, responsive adults stand to play a hugely important role in helping young children learn to work through their feelings. What becomes far less certain when confronted with complex family and social issues ranging from drug abuse and deployment to death or divorce, however, is just where to begin, much less how to engage in such daunting conversations. That’s where Big Conversations comes in. Rather than steering clear, Dr. Starnes offers clear and concise language and real-world examples to help fellow early educators confidently rise to the challenge. Complete with detailed and developmentally appropriate strategies and plenty of printable pages designed specifically to be shared with families, this book offers anyone who cares about young children’s well-being a framework for respectfully supporting them and their families through tough times.”
— Laura Jana, MD, FAAP, pediatrician, educator, health communicator, and author of The Toddler Brain

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