Free to Be parent-child support

a special place & time for children and their parents…

Free to Be parent-child support is a specially-dedicated place and time
to discover your baby as the competent, whole person they are, because,
just as the child’s first teacher is their parent, the parent’s first teacher is their child.

There are opportunities for caregivers to learn this approach, too!

All classes and individual family support are rooted in Magda Gerber’s guiding principles that infants are born as competent individuals who can actively problem-solve, will develop fully when allowed to freely explore their world (in a safe, age-appropriate environment) and have the right to be engaged with authenticity, appreciated for what they can do now and touched with regard and respect.
I offer:

RIE® Before BabyTM classes

1:1 newborn parent home visits:
“Free to Be from the Start”

RIE® Certified Parent-Infant GuidanceTM classes:
“Free to Be Infants” & “Free to Be Toddlers”

Introduction to EducaringTM for parents, caregivers and programs

“I had so many worries about ‘not doing enough’ and ‘not being enough’ for my new baby, but Jennifer calmed all those fears for me and showed me how doing less and trusting more is profoundly effective and beneficial for our son!

~A.C., newborn parent

RIE® Before BabyTM

Learn about RIE’s relationship-based approach to caring for your newborn before baby is in your arms.

An introductory course for those expecting, waiting to adopt, or thinking about becoming a parent, Before Baby is designed to start you on your journey with confidence in yourself as a parent and trust in your baby’s unique ability to show you the way. 

Before Baby will help you meet the needs of your baby and establish healthy patterns from the beginning.

Course content includes:

What crying means and how to respond

Setting up the baby’s room

Sleep for baby and parents

Caregiving times built for connection

Working with baby’s biological rhythms

Self-initiated movement

Using observation to guide your decisions

“Quality” time together

Before Baby is held in small public or private groups in my cozy dedicated classroom in Novato.

This 8-hr in-person class is $350 (includes up to 2 adults per family) and is offered in 2 formats:

4 evenings, weekly; 2-hr classes
or
2 weekend days (split over 2 weekends); 4-hr classes (plus a lunch break)

Please visit my class calendar for upcoming public class dates, times, location and registration information.

Let’s connect if you would like to create a group!

“We love the respectful parenting approach, but it’s hard to just read a book and know what to do. Talking about real life situations and getting specific strategies from Jennifer has helped us bring more RIE into our home.”

~T.K., Free to Be class participant

Free to Be from the Start

Once baby is here…

Free to Be from the Start, 1:1 home visits for parents of newborns, is an intimate opportunity to discover the joy of interacting with your baby as the competent, whole person they are – creating ease & connection for all, from the start!

Learn about early communication, respectful care and how to develop authenticity and attunement, in a less-is-more approach.

Meeting 1:1 on a weekly basis in the comfort of home, you will be supported to explore your respectful parenting goals for your unique family. I will provide active modeling, customized guidance & helpful resources to further support you on your new journey.

Free to Be from the Start newborn family home visits are booked in 4-week increments; 1 visit per week, 1.5 hours per visit. May be repeated as desired until your baby is 4 months of age.

$390 for 4 home visits ($325 for birth clients).*

Let’s connect to schedule your Free to Be from the Start in-home series.

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*there is a travel fee for locations outside of Marin County

We were so happy to have had the opportunity to have you here and we benefitted very much from it. J and I both had some “ah ha” moments… The last two days have been amazing with R and the communication has been a million times better. J… told me that it was great to have you come cause you were able to explain things to him that help him understand so much more.

We are happy to be starting this journey with the new skills you have helped us learn.”

~B.C., consultation client

Please check out my video interview with Isabelle Bridges Boesch, for her Mom-ME Circle, discussing “how to surrender” to things in parenting that are beyond our direct control:

“[Free to Be] is a journey for caregiver and child to bring out the best in each other from infancy.” 

~A.D., Free to Be class participant

Free to Be group parent-child classes

RIE® Certified Parent-Infant GuidanceTM classes

Free to Be Infants & Free to Be Toddlers group parent-child classes offer real-time practice of the respect-filled, trust-based approach pioneered by infant development specialist Magda Gerber in a dedicated small group setting.

Held in an inviting, predictable, developmentally-appropriate environment, over a series of 8 weeks you are invited to observe and fully appreciate your child’s capabilities while learning authentic and respectful ways to support them becoming all they came here to be. You will encourage your child’s independent play, foster their critical thinking skills, and deepen your relationship—all in a thoughtful, less-is-more approach.

Free to Be group parent-child classes are for parents or caregivers with Infants, 4 – 10 months, or Toddlers, 10 – 20 months:

$380 per 8-week series. 
A $340 early-registration rate applies until approximately 2 weeks before the start of each series.

Classes are held in a beautiful dedicated classroom in Novato, CA

Please visit my class calendar for upcoming series dates, times, location and registration information.

“Your presence is such a gift. Your deep sense of the true nature of the child and ability to translate it into the language of love, compassion and respect is as close to magic as I’ll ever see.”

~B.H., consultation client

Introduction to EducaringTM

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For parents, caregivers, and anyone who supports them.

In this 3-hour adult education class, you’ll learn how the Educaring® Approach encourages caregivers to see young children as competent and capable humans from birth. This approach helps parents and professionals build stable, secure, healthy relationships with infants and toddlers, encouraging children’s natural abilities from within.

In this overview of the Educaring Approach, you will explore:

Trust in the child

The guidelines of sensitive caregiving

Facilitating optimal development through play

Communicating respect through everyday interactions

Introduction to Educaring is $190* per individual or $240* per family unit (includes up to 3 adults). For program rates, please see below. This is an in-person adult education class held in 2 sessions of 1.5 hrs each in my classroom.

Introduction to Educaring can be scheduled as a 1:1 private class or you can attend a public group class. Let’s connect to schedule your private class, or check out the class calendar for upcoming group class dates.

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Are you a leader in a group care environment?

I would love to share this introduction to Magda Gerber’s Educaring Approach with the caregivers in your organization! I can also customize trainings based on staff and program needs.

I offer program rates* for 4 or more individuals, held in my classroom or in your group care setting (for programs with fewer than 4 caregivers, please see the rates outlined above). Let’s connect to discuss your circumstances and goals.

*there is a travel fee for program locations outside of Marin County

“…you have such a beautiful way of facilitating rich conversations and highlighting the perspective RIE offers without it feeling prescriptive or like there’s a hierarchy of thought in the room. The way you present ideas feels very warm and welcoming (practical, flexible and accessible).”

~M.W., RIE Pathways student
Member of the RIE® Alliance of Associates