When Jessica came to work with our family we were going through a transition. Jessica was able…read moreprovide structure in our home while managing my two very energetic boys. My boys can be very strong-minded and she was able to establish rules, make sure they were enforced and at the same time make a connection with them. We were very happy to have her work with our family. Jessica is a very capable, strong, and caring childcare provider. Anyone who makes the decision and commitment to use her consulting services will find that they will gain the tools and routine they need to work better with their children. They will benefit greatly from her knowledge.

My husband and I took Lisa's class this fall. It was great to have a community of parents to talk…read moreout parenting strategies and issues. Much more useful that just reading a book. She is a great resource and we continue to follow up with her. I feel confident now that I have more tools to address parenting struggles.

My husband and I took Lisa's Positive Discipline course together and we both found it to be…read moreinvaluable. I have a four year old son and I had read "Positive Discipline for Preschoolers." The theories resonated with me, but I was having a hard time putting the theory into practice. When I heard about Lisa's class, I was apprehensive about the time commitment (seven 2-hour sessions), but I decided to give it a try. I think that was one of the best decisions I've made as a parent yet. The 7 weeks flew by and by the end, I found myself craving even more. Through role playing and a series of really powerful demonstrations, Lisa taught us about parenting with kindness and firmness (as opposed to being authoritarian or permissive). We covered a wide range of options for non-punitive solutions to common parenting/behavior challenges. We also learned about teaching our kids self discipline, problem solving skills, responsibility, self-reliance and cooperation, among other things. Some of the concepts that most resonated with me: "Asking vs. Telling" ("Where do your shoes belong?" instead of "Put away your shoes."); "Connect before Correct"; and especially the idea that children do better when they feel better. I hate role playing, but it was unbelievably powerful to role play being my child and also to practice different parenting techniques. The classes have transformed the way that my husband and I interact with our son. We all enjoy each other so much more now and there's a lot less conflict. This doesn't mean that we're letting him get away with more. We're just involving him more in problem solving and making him feel like he's a contributing part of the family. Things certainly aren't perfect and we certainly still experience non-compliance and temper tantrums, but we feel more much prepared to deal with these challenges now and we're less likely to get angry. I'm really appreciating the progress we've made and I'm enjoying the journey of parenting much more now.

Marcilie is an exceptional parenting coach. Reading books is useful, but Marcilie helps me see…read morethrough the internal emotional stuff that muddies my vision when it comes to conflict with my kids. She has successfully guided me through a number of really difficult situations and instilled in me a greater confidence in approaching those same types of situations on my own. I highly recommend her.

This class is a must for all educators, parents, counselors, and anyone who is working with…read morechildren. Marcilie class format was engaging and she made two very significant points that as a parent I consistently use. The first point is both people have to be on level headed to engage in a decent conversation where there will be any resolution. Timing is everything! My six year old daughter now tells me "Let's calm down and then talk." Our relationship feels more loving and less tense. Using solution focused problem solving with empathy allows children the capacity to solve their own problems. Don't we all want to have children who grow up and our great problem solvers? Most of all Marcilie's class has been invaluable to my professional career as a marriage and family therapist where I work with many hostile families. Perhaps, the most memorable take away from Marcilie's class is "Kids do better when they feel better." As a therapist, I try and remind frazzled parents to look for other reasons for their kids unwanted behavior. I would highly recommend this class!

At Little Wonders, the teachers are warm, knowledgeable, and genuinely care about every child and…read morefamily who walks through the door. They create a space where children can explore, get messy, build confidence, and simply be kids. One of my favorite things about Little Wonders is the sense of connection. I've watched friendships grow not only among the children, but among the parents as well. Parenting can feel isolating at times, and having a community of people who are going through similar stages of life has been invaluable. The play-based philosophy is something I love. There is no pressure, no rush, and no expectation for children to be anything other than who they are. Instead, they are given the time, space, and support to learn through play, curiosity, and building relationships. For me, Little Wonders has become so much more than a children's program - it's a community that has brought joy, support, friendship, and wonderful memories!

I can't say enough wonderful things about Little Wonders! I stumbled on Little Wonders when my…read morefirst child was roughly 6 months old and it changed my life. LW is my weekly safe space to connect with other parents who are going through the same struggles, to build community, and to steal everyone's best parenting tips! The teachers create the warmest environment and a safe space for parents to ask questions and learn. Watching my son (and now my daughter!) thrive and grow into kind, curious humans and getting to spend precious time with them has been such a gift.

I'll be honest: when my wife first told me she wanted to spend our first week as parents at a…read morepostnatal retreat, I didn't fully get it. I get it now. The Village was one of the best decisions we've ever made, and I say that as someone who was not the one who just had a baby. Jen and her team are exceptional: warm, deeply knowledgeable, and somehow able to anticipate needs neither of us even knew we had yet. From lactation consultants and infant CPR classes to massage therapy, couples counseling, and round-the-clock baby care, every detail is designed so that new parents can actually recover. My wife finally had people taking care of her, not just the baby, and watching that shift happen in real time was everything. She could sleep. At 7 days postpartum, we were having coffee on the rooftop together, which felt like a miracle! I also want to note, for the record, that the whiskey selection was excellent. The staff made me feel like an empowered, prepared parent rather than a complete disaster, which was not where I started the week. We did our baby's first photoshoot there, made friends with other new parents, and left with a level of confidence I genuinely didn't expect to have this soon. When we broke down the cost versus hiring night nurses and day nannies separately, it wasn't even close. I've already recommended The Village to every expecting parent I know. My wife says she'd have another baby just to go back. I'm not quite there yet, but I'd absolutely come back for the whiskey.

The services and amenities provided vastly did not align with the premium cost hence the 1 star…read morereview. We booked 14 nights here because the 5 stars reviews online look promising and the tour seems alright. However, the actual experience fell short. Issues: We got a pest infested filthy room during our stay. On the first night, we saw a roach crawling in the shower. I was horrified and didn't use their shower for the rest of our 14 nights stay. We reported the roach issue to the owner and staff but there was no offer of a room change, deep cleaning, or any remediation other than an apology. They did asked the building management to set up some roach traps but no one came back to collect them or check on it. Yes, there were more roaches caught on the roach trap. On the second night, my husband went to take a shower and saw a huge flying moth. He managed to catch it and reported it to the owner and staff. But again, they only apologized and told us to close our windows in that dry stuffy room. The windows were already opened when we checked in but it was implied we opened the windows too much. There were also mosquitoes. On the third night, we noticed a jar of moldy q tips near the sink. We didn't open it as we don't use q tips but it was placed very close to where I placed my toothbrush. Absolutely terrifying and really questions if the room was cleaned before we moved in. Again, we reported this and only got an apology. The owner checked on us in person a few days later but throughout our 14 night stay, she came to check on us only once. It was implied the previous guest must've left food in the room which caused roaches. At that point, I stopped bringing up other issues as I'm too tired postpartum and want to focus on rest and taking care of my baby. The room was also very dry and stuffy. My skin was constantly cracked and my baby's nose was stuffy. We had to go out to buy nasal solution to clear baby's nose as he has a hard time breathing. There's a small humidifier in the room which we had to figured it out ourselves and it only humidified a small corner of the room. No AC in the room. Room layout was also very odd with the sink outside of the bathroom and across the other side of the room making it inconvenient to wash hands. Wifi was very slow and unstable. The video call with the therapist was very choppy. No changing table in the room, so we changed our baby in the bassinet which got peed on a lot. No one came to clean the peed bassinet. Robes, slippers, diapers were poor quality. Supplies were scarce, we asked for a refill on diapers and they only gave us 4 diapers. Location - neighborhood has many unhoused outside and the cvs in the area was robbed while shopping for the nasal solution. Building is old and outdated with creaking floors. Windows were done poorly so pests got in. Guidebook in the room referenced the Fairmont hotel, their old location but this new location was a real letdown and management did not clean the place prior to guests moving in nor kept the place clean. Services - No room cleaning, no changing the sheets, robes, regardless of length of stay. Towels are refilled if asked, same for dirty towel collection. No housekeeping on the weekends so no refills on toilet paper, towels and garbage collection. The village staff occasionally picks up garbage in the weekends but we had to ask. Staff - maybe 2 were great but some were not very responsive or helpful. Took very long to respond to help weigh our baby or to help clean bottles which delays the time for us to feed our baby. Food - I wasn't too picky on food, maybe too greasy and it's the same food choices every day. Some of the food brought over was not covered and exposed to the air which didn't feel sanitary. Food portion was inconsistent and sometimes they forgot a side or a drink. Breakfast time was also too late in the morning. Parent lounge - the snacks and refreshments never got restocked. Classes - not enough classes to offer. We ran out of classes after a week. Some classes were not very useful and only 5-10 minutes long. Spa - had a facial that left my face oily. This was included with the 14 night stay but the quality did not align with price. Tip was not included and felt obligatory. Owner said esthetician was a contractor which was odd because the esthetician's picture was on the staff board. After - the exit interview was very awkward as there's no interviewer. They forgot to collect the room key and asked us 24 hours after we checked out, so we had to make an extra trip to return them the next day. They also sent an email to ask for tips. Really? My advice - I don't recommend booking your stay here. With this price, the services and amenities are very lacking. We should've just walked out on the first night we saw roaches and asked for a refund or file a chargeback. Instead, we were too tired so we ended up putting our health at risk for living in a pest infested room for 14 nights.

We started our baby in Peggy's RIE-inspired classes when she was only 2 months old. Her guidance…read moreover the past several months brings me reassurance, confidence that I'm communicating well with my baby, ideas for playtime, and community with a group of like-minded parents. Peggy is wise, open-minded, always ready to learn more directly from the parents she serves, and integrates my feedback on a genuine level. The baby has so much fun in class and I look forward to it every week!

I highly recommend Peggy Herring as a parenting coach. My family recently moved to Alameda, and we…read moresought Peggy's advice on local preschools. Her recommendations were excellent and were in alignment with our values. In addition she coached us on how to re-sleep train my 2-year-old son. After 3 nights of applying her peaceful methodology, our son is now sleeping through the night. She gave us our life back!

Note: This review is about the Anger Management course. I…read morehave nothing but great things to say about this place! It is a very welcoming and friendly place. If you are like me, Introverted and afraid to share your personal details to complete strangers, don't be. Both the Tuesday Evening 6:30- 7 :30 p.m. Proctor Sabrina and the Wednesday Afternoon 4 p.m- 5 p.m Proctor Roxanne were very attentive, non judge mental and supportive. (Note: Roxannes classes were last on Hold due to Covid.) Your class or group members are also very supportive and friendly. We are all trying to accomplish similar goals. Due to Covid, since April, classes are currently held through zoom. The instruction is just as great as in the in-person meetings. The classes are structured. You will be using a workbook, however there is a lot of group interaction. Your name will be called in every class and you will be expected to give input about a specific topic discussed. What is so great about this class is that what you learn goes beyond just anger related knowledge. You learn a lot of life skills that apply to any age. No matter what your background is you will learn a lot of helpful strategies on how to deal with stress , frustration, anger and how to react positively to challenges that come our way. I must give a shout out to Ellen, who deals with the administrative side of things. She is super warm and friendly. She is also very responsive if you have any questions or needs related to the course you are taking. She's very organized and on top of things. I know the opposite is a complaint of many businesses or programs. You won't find disorganization here. Lastly, if you are hesitant for any reasons to attend, don't be. There are people joining for all sorts of reasons. Some come for court mandate and some just want to improve themselves. It is a very welcoming environment. It was a very positive experience. I believe most people who take this course will be very glad they did.

My experience with this organization has been extremely disappointing and, in my opinion, reflects…read morea system that prioritizes billing over meaningful support for families. I was ordered by the court to participate in co-parenting counseling through COPE, which effectively left me with no practical alternative provider. Prior to beginning services, I was informed by Megan that the cost would be approximately $45 per session. I was later surprised to discover that I was being charged approximately $160 per session instead. When I raised this concern, Megan Van Carpels advised me that she would investigate the discrepancy and recommended that I request reimbursement. Despite multiple communications, I never received a follow-up or resolution. I was ultimately directed to contact Headway on my own, leaving me to navigate the issue without any meaningful assistance from the organization. I was equally disappointed with the quality of the counseling services provided. My sessions with Isabel often lacked structure, guidance, and actionable feedback. Rather than facilitating productive communication, identifying areas for improvement, or helping develop effective co-parenting strategies, many sessions consisted primarily of passive observation. As a result, I found myself questioning the value being provided relative to the substantial fees being charged. For a service that is frequently court-ordered and intended to support families during challenging circumstances, I expected greater transparency, accountability, professionalism, and therapeutic value. Instead, I was left frustrated by the billing practices, lack of follow-through, and overall quality of the services received. Based on my experience, I cannot recommend this organization.

Christina's class has been THE most supportive thing I've done for myself and baby boy. We joined…read moreher playgroup class when he was only 4 months old (over a year ago) and he's thrived so much because of it. Our weekly play group-classes have provided invaluable social skills, bodily coordination development/learning, and parent education; my now one and a half yr. old is thriving, confident, secure & super coordinated! Christina holds a 1.5 hour class, almost all free play, with simple age appropriate objects/toys in a light-filled play space (at Then Comes Baby in Oakland). The RIE principles that she teaches has supported my son's natural development; like letting him roll, crawl, walk, etc, at his own natural pace as opposed to propping him up or helping him in ways that might by-pass his own learning & discovering. It's been such good practice to learn to let them figure things out on their own and resist the temptation to "help" or interrupt their natural curiosity and frustration as they learn new skills and limits. Of course we also get plenty of practice of setting boundaries for and with our children as well. This group has really helped my partner & I have a healthy and balanced parenting style and reduced our stress as new parents. The community of babies and parents has also been super sweet; you don't have to do this alone! Christina is experienced, knowledgable, and very encouraging. I highly recommend working with her!

From the owner: Respectful Caregiving: Balanced Families, Secure Babies…read more Respectful Caregiving is dedicated to supporting families with babies and toddlers throughout the Bay Area. My work is inspired by Magda Gerber's Educaring® Approach (RIE®). This Approach encourages trust in the infant for knowing how and when to develop. We caregivers do not consider it our responsibility to "teach" children how to move, play, or learn. Instead, it is our responsibility to provide a safe environment conducive to self-initiated play and discovery. The Approach places emphasis on the quality of the nurturing relationship between caregiver and child, and has many specific suggestions for how to make that relationship as respectful and cooperative as possible. Parents using the Educaring® Approach report significant a decrease in the perceived burden of parenthood, and a corresponding increases in their confidence and enjoyment as parents. Children raised with this Approach are emotionally aware, confident, graceful, creative, independent, and secure in their sense of selves. I offer RIE® certified classes such as Before Baby™ and Nurturing Nanny. I also offer sleep consulting, parent coaching, nursery design/babyproofing, workshops, and individualized nanny training.