The Wishing Star Developmental Clinic
129 - 3388 Rosemary Heights Crescent V3S 0K7 Surrey, BC, Canada

What a fun way to make Christmas Light tours even more exciting! Head to Rae Gun Ramblings to get your own printable Christmas Light Scavenger Hunt!

It won't happen again for another 400 years - look in the sky for the "Christmas Star" tonight! (Or as we like to think of it, The Wishing Star). https://www.ctvnews.ca//how-to-spot-the-christmas-star-a-r

Mark your calendars for this one! Perhaps it is a wishing star?

We might love ourselves a little holiday sparkle over here at The Wishing Star See you in our winter wonderland waiting room soon!

What a fun way to make Christmas Light tours even more exciting! Head to Rae Gun Ramblings to get your own printable Christmas Light Scavenger Hunt!

As we head into cold and flu season, we are asking our clients to stay home if they are feeling unwell. We will be more than happy to move your appointment to an online session, and we will NOT charge any fees if an appointment is cancelled due to illness. Thank you for helping to keep our clinic a safe and happy environment!

This is such a beautiful thought for this time of year. Words by Amy McCready Graphic by The Life On Purpose Movement

Our own Dr Vanessa Lapointe, R Psych is offering a webinar to talk about how we can transition into the new year with courage and calm by our side! Tickets are $15, but upon registering, you will be emailed a code to take $15 off of your next purchase at www.shopdrvanessa.com! Click the link below to learn more!

via Karen Young - Hey Sigmund

via Barb Schmidt Words by Pam Leo

We might love ourselves a little holiday sparkle over here at The Wishing Star See you in our winter wonderland waiting room soon!

LOVING this poem from Nikita Gill. "We are all stars that have people names."

Yes! Our children learn emotional regulation when it is modelled for them. Through the practice of being guided back to calm with a big person by their side, they will be more able to move through their big feelings when they are ready. Thank you, Perth Children's Occupational Therapy for this graphic!

This is such a beautiful thought for this time of year. Words by Amy McCready Graphic by The Life On Purpose Movement

Jamie of Cosmic Kids leads exciting yoga practices designed just for kids. She's just launched her Cosmic Kids Yoga Quest - with free downloadable map - to encourage kids to try a variety of her practices. This is a great family-friendly activity - and in comfy clothes, no less!

"All of us, and especially children, need hours of outdoor time every day. It's a boon to the mind, body, heart, and soul. It makes us smarter, stronger, and happier. Indeed, it's so obvious that I almost feel foolish for pointing it out, yet once again we're faced with an enormous gap between what we know children need and what we provide for them." The wonderful Teacher Tom talks about the importance of getting our children (and ourselves!) outside. He shares staggering statistics about how "indoors" we have become, and what our children truly need.

Development is a marathon, not a sprint. Savour each stage. via Magda Gerber

Amazing! Thank you, Mona Delahooke, Ph.D.! found via Janet Lansbury

Development is a journey, one that we all walk at our own pace, in our own time. via Unschoolers Collective

via Raised Good

Don't miss Dr Vanessa Lapointe, R Psych's FACEBOOK LIVE this evening! As we're nearing the end of our first week of full-time school, many parents have been asking about separation anxiety. Join Dr Vanessa this evening for a chat all about how to be the best possible guide for your child as you manage the drop off at school or daycare! Grab a cuppa and your questions and join her on her page this evening at 8 pm PDT!

Our Dr Vanessa Lapointe, R Psych has a message for families, teachers and staff as they return to the school building this week! Don't miss your chance to register for the Parenting 2.0 Summit on September 25th and 26th! Join Dr Vanessa and an incredible panel for a conference as well as a VIP Live Q&A with Dr Kristy Goodwin, Maggie Dent, Dr Jody Carrington, David Loyst and Dr Vanessa! It's going to be an incredible event! https://bit.ly/parenting20summit

via Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D.

"We are all of the ages that we have ever been". In this chat with @Kerwin Rae, he and I spoke about the reactivity that many parents experience when they are c...aught in a heated moment with their children. Don't miss my upcoming Parenting 2.0 Summit on September 25th and 26th where we will be taking this concept to the next level! Join me and an amazing lineup of speakers for this exciting conference. And when you buy a VIP ticket, you are invited to a live Q&A at 5pm PDT on Septmeber 26th (CAN) with the entire panel of presenters! Click the link below and save your spot now! https://bit.ly/parenting20summit

TONIGHT! Join our Dr Vanessa Lapointe, R Psych for a Facebook Live on her page at 8 pm PDT. She'll be talking all about the return to school and how we can be the best possible guides for our child as we navigate this month of new routines and procedures.

Don't miss your chance to save 10% on this exciting event! Use the code EARLYBIRD10 until September 7th!

via Eckhart Tolle

"I sat next to my 6-year-old as she repeatedly bounced a tiny-white teddy bear from her knees to mine. Shes simply full of joy all the time. I decided to ask, Sweetie, why are you so happy? She thought for a few moments, and then responded in that bubbly voice of hers, I dont know. It was an honest answer. She truly didnt know. She had no standard to really define her happiness. No medium to grade herself upon.... Shes simply just happy. Sometimes little moments are so profound. My thoughts drifted to my own self-awareness. I began to feel a little discouraged because the happiness I know doesnt seem to come that easy. We have to earn happiness, right? It doesnt come for free. Maybe when we hit that milestone were pushing for, when the kids are self-sufficient, or when we have the perfect amount of funds in our retirement account. Then we can be happy." Do you identify with this? That we have to wait until we EARN our happiness? This is a worthwhile read from Becoming UnBusy! https://becomingunbusy.com/understand-life-again/

via Hiding in the Closet with Coffee by Amy Betters-Midtvedt

via Rita Pierson Graphic by Roots of Action

Dont miss your chance to get your Early Bird tickets for the Parenting 2.0 Summit!

via James Hollis, Ph.D.

We must ensure that there is ample time for play - that messy, imaginative, explorative type of play! via Amanda Morgan Graphic by Raised Good

Love this. via GoZen: Anxiety Relief for Children and Renee Jain

via Becoming UnBusy

A wonderful read from the wise Janet Lansbury!

A reminder that it is okay to be feeling a gamut of emotions as we travel through these times of transition (and non-stop newsfeeds). Give yourself the permission to feel ALL of your feelings. via Simple Families

Only five hours before they're live! Don't miss Dr Vanessa Lapointe, R Psych and Maggie Dent's masterclass this evening, designed for parents of the under-5s. Can't make the 6pm PDT live start? Watch the recording when it works best for you! Click the link below to save your spot now! https://bit.ly/maggieanddrv

Save your spot for Wednesday's webinar! The wonderful Maggie Dent and our own Dr Vanessa Lapointe, R Psych are together again! Their webinar, Meltdowns To Precious Moments, will be live in only 48 hours! This online event is geared towards parents of the under-5 set, and will show you how to parent from a place of calm and compassion! Click the link below to learn more!... https://bit.ly/maggieanddrv See more

Dr Vanessa Lapointe, R Psych talks about why we yell at our children in her latest piece for EcoParent. Click the link below to read the article!

Our own David Loyst Speaks spoke with Rachel Cram of Family 360 Podcast about the importance of growing ourselves as we grow our children. Their interview is available both to listen to or to read! Click the link below to access their conversation! https://www.family360podcast.com/ep-19-david-loyst-its-nev/

Dr Vanessa Lapointe, R Psych recently spoke with Global News's Laurel Gregory about how to best support our adolescents during this unprecedented time, as well as some of the emotions they may be feelings as their world has so drastically shifted as a result of the pandemic. Click the link below to watch the interview: https://globalnews.ca//health-matters-teen-mental-health-c

We thank you for your patience as we conduct maintenance on our website. If you are unable to access our site, we encourage you to email us at [email protected] or call us at (778) 294-8732.

"You know that feeling, when theres a storm brewing. Tempers feel fragile, like theyre wafer thin and ready to shatter with a wrong look from you or a word or when you take take a deep breath out instead of a deep breath in. When the shattering happens and the emotion is big, there is little you can do until theyre ready. Your gentle words might inflame. Your attempts to walk away might so the same thing. And all the while, your own anger, sadness or confusion might be lighting up. Theres a reason for this." Karen Young - Hey Sigmund is a parenting educator specializing in childhood and adolescent anxiety. If you don't already follow her, you should!

Yes! via BrainPower Neurodevelopmental Center

Children don't need to be "toughened up" to face the world. They need to feel secure in the fact that there is someone compassionate and confident who has their back every step of the way. via Lelia Schott graphic by The Gottman Institute

Dr Vanessa Lapointe, R Psych talks about what it means to have courage when our child is feeling worried or stressed over a situation. In her latest video, she shares a script for coming alongside your child when he or she is feeling anxious.

We woke up to a rainy morning here in the Lower Mainland! But that doesn't mean that we have to stay indoors! Who is going puddle jumping today? via Good News Movement

Rituals are a wonderful way to create predictability and connection among family members. What kinds of rituals do you practice in your home? via The Gottman Institute

What a fun activity! Do you have food colouring and corn starch in the cupboard? Then you have sidewalk paint! via MOTHERCOULD

"In his book Range, David Epstein argues that breadth of experience is often overlooked and underappreciated. Focusing on excellence in a single activity may be appropriate at some point in life. But the people who thrive in our rapidly changing world are those who first learn how to draw from multiple fields and think creatively and abstractly. In other words, our society needs well-rounded individuals. Well-roundedness is especially important for children from ages 2 to 7. ...Their developing brains are ready to soak in a wide range of skill sets. This sampling period, as Epstein calls it, is integral. This is the window during which to develop childrens range. There is plenty of time for them to specialize later." This is a very interesting read that focuses on the huge leaps and bounds in brain development that occur between the ages of 2-7. Rather than honing in on a specialty or drilling traditional education, this article shares that we should focus on emotional learning, growth mindset, and exposure to a breadth of experiences and activities.

Dr Vanessa Lapointe, R Psych has just announced an online Masterclass with the one and only Maggie Dent! Designed especially for parents of under-5s, "Meltdowns to Precious Moments" will show you how to parent from a place of calm and connection. Can't watch it live? You can watch the recording later? Sign up now and gain access to supplementary materials to support the class! Save your spot now by clicking the link below! https://bit.ly/maggieanddrv

A wonderful article to begin the week - 15 things you can let go, right now. via Motherly

What adventures are you taking on this weekend? via Happy Simple Mom