But Why Does That Matter?

A blog about childhood - made in association with The Olive Branch Preschool

Hi, everyone!

I’m Lindsey. I’m an Early Educator and founder of The Olive Branch Preschool in Livermore, CA. Early Education is where my heart lies, and you can read a bit more about my professional experience here. Otherwise, I’ll cut right to the chase: I’ve created this blog because I am too uncomfortable with the overall societal view of childhood.

We’ve all heard people talk about “kid stuff.” “That’s just kid stuff.” “I’m too grown up for that kid stuff.” But what does that mean? “Kid stuff” is a phrase that’s used synonymously with “trivial.” “Insignificant.” “Unimportant.” But in reality, kid stuff is the most important stuff there is.

Children of today will soon hold the reigns of our planet, and we know that the earliest years are the most crucial for neurological development. So why, then, do we label the grandeur that is Early Childhood as…”just kid stuff”?

Often times when I share an idea that I use to shape my personal pedagogy, I’m met with a tone that implies, “But why does that matter? It’s just kid stuff,” as if the details of a child’s early educational experiences are trivial…as if they don’t help to construct the people inheriting the reigns of the world.

This blog is here to discuss why what seem like the littlest details can have the biggest impacts on these littlest citizens. To talk about the details that are too valuable to be ignored or downplayed. This blog is here to discuss why it all matters.

5 Ways to Vet Your Sources of Childcare Advice

Lindsey DaleDecember 3, 2019Comment

Saying No Matters.

Let’s talk about saying, “No.”

Parents and teachers, are you struggling with defiance? Is it a challenge to get your children to do the things you tell them to?
I’m here to give you my thoughts.

Lindsey DaleNovember 26, 2019 Comment

Environment Matters.

Let’s talk about the preschool environment.

Here’s something that we all accept as fact: a high quality environment is important for Early Learning. But how can we tell if a preschool environment is of high quality?

Lindsey DaleNovember 19, 2019 Comment

Does Kindergarten Readiness Matter?

LET’S TALK ABOUT KINDERGARTEN READINESS.

First off, what the heck is it? We hear the buzz phrase all the time. We think we understand the importance of “kindergarten readiness,” but what does it mean? Can you define it? And does it matter?

Lindsey DaleNovember 12, 2019 Comment

Choice Matters.

Let’s talk about making decisions.

Have you ever thought about what kinds of decisions children feel empowered to make? If you’ve given this some thought, you probably realize that there really aren’t very many.

Lindsey DaleNovember 5, 2019 Comment

Authentic Play Matters.

Let’s talk about play.

We tend to think that play is a relaxing break from learning. The truth is, though, that for children (and arguably humans of all ages), play is learning in action.

Lindsey DaleOctober 29, 2019 Comments