Kia Ora. Hello.
My name is Miriam. I’m a mother of 2: Big Girl (teen) and Little Girl (primary school). I write and teach and generally obsess about all aspects of family life. All of it: child development, social policy, education, and baking.
Before parenthood, I taught child development and early education at Colleges in both the USA and my native New Zealand. I have also worked with little children in both places, and I pretty much reckon that Play will free the world.
At the moment I’m engaged in research & study at my local university, doing something of a deep dive into the impact of parental screen use on the parent/infant relationship. Also, I am the keeper of the castle and a creator of fine salads. I garden, read, write, and learn.
hello sister, was just catching up on your blogs and loving every bit of it. hope all is well there and you are ready bc you know what? WINTER IS COMING.. LOL!!
love and hugs and big fat american kisses
-Marianne
Thanks again for the workshop this morning. Look forward to reading your blogs in here.
(I spoke afterwards to you regarding children and stress in Ch Ch. Shall be keeping my eyes open to the correct research that comes out
Thank you for being there, and I enjoyed our chat. Hang in there … and keep reading all the fine print whenever you read new research! x x x
Hi Miriam,
I’m sure you get lots of mail asking for stuff but I figured you’d be a really good person to ask my question to. I’m a mum to a nearly 20 month old boy. I attended one of Nathan’s talks a long while back and he mentioned you during that.
So, I want to retrain in childhood development. I’m knocking on 40, with a degree in Geology, so it’s a bit removed from my current working life! That said, I do have a diploma in health and social care and am very people focused and often told I should be doing something with people as I have pretty good interpersonal skills.
I’m not particularly looking to do an early development education degree. I’m really interested in the science side of infant development along with the environmental / nurture side of things. I know some of the people in the Brainwave trust don’t have infant development degrees or studies.
I’m waffling (baby brain still in action!). I guess, I’m wondering if you have any pointers or ideas about how I can go about getting into childhood development. I’d love to study babies and infants and work with them. I’m not sure if I’ve explained my-self very well?
If you get chance to reply that’d be great. If not, thanks for the website, it’s awesome.
Cheers
Kelly
Kia Ora Kelly
Thanks for your message. I am going to reply to your email address. Glad you’re enjoying the site. Take care x x x Miriam x x
Hi Miriam,
Could I please have a copy of Part 1 and 2’s slides from the workshop this afternoon in Rangiora?
TIA
Emma
Thank you Emma. Have emailed those to you. Arohanui x x
Hi Miriam,
I enjoyed getting together again at the NCELG meeting. Could you email me the notes please? I’m really interested in the the concept of “play as curriculum” due to the higher order thinking involved for children. Do you also have any references for this at junior primary school level?
Thanks,
Carolyn.
I’ve emailed you, Carolyn. I salute you x x
Hi Miriam – could you recommend any readings/ brain research that talks about the benefits of daughters having Dads in their lives? I’m particularly thinking of girls whose parents are separated and how important and valuable it is to for them to have a loving relationship with their Dads. Thanks
How frightful: Nicola I apologise. I’ve just been clearing out Spam folders and here you are, not a piece of Spam at all! Is this request still relevant?
Hello, just wondering whether you do private consults maybe? Thanks!
Kia Ora. Well, Yes … maybe! If we could work out agreeable times & terms, I’d love to hear your story and share whatever I can to serve you and your family. Shall I email you?
Just saw this, yes please!
You still inspire me lovely lady. I’m back in Canterbury would like to catch up sometime. You can call me at cust preschool 033102343.
Hi Miriam
Thank you for the hui last Thursday was wondering if there are any notes from that meeting just want to add them to mine please.
Tarn at King Street
Kia Ora e hoa,
Thanks x x x on its way x x x
DEAR Miriam,
We were in touch last year about a presentation for Culverden mums group. After all what’s happened I haven’t think about that since now. Would you be please able to contact me to find a date? May, June would be great. But will understand if it not enough notice. Best wishes Brona
Kia Ora Miriam,
Absolutely loved your keynote at Oxford today! As an ex ECE teacher and now primary your message really spoke to my heart!!! Could you please email out the info/notes??
Nga mihi
Thank you, e hoa. Notes are on their way! x
Hi Miriam
I teach at Swannanoa School and we were lucky to host you when you presented to another NCELG meeting earlier this year.
At an earlier presentation to our ECE/Primary teachers you talked about the poor standard of oral language that children are presenting with as new entrants to school.
Have you completed research in this area, that I can read, or is there research that you can direct me to to find out more? I am particularly interested in any New Zealand based research.
Kind regards
Anne Williams
Kia Ora Anne … I’ll email you x x
Kia ora Miriam, I attended your presentation today at the Futures Network on oral language and technoference and thoroughly enjoyed it. Would it be possible to get your slides from this talk please so I could pass on this important information to my family and like minded people?
Thank you Susie
I’m on it, Susie x x x
Hi Miriam
Thanks so much for your presentation today. For my own teachers there it had an immediate impact, and was very validating for the low-tech approach we take at Portobelo.
I have had lots of requests for your slides, and was wondering if you could email them to me so I could distribute them to those who were present today?
Thanks again
Sandy
Fab idea, Sandy. I have had a few emails seeking slides but if you’re happy to distribute then RIGHT ON! Arohanui x x x
Kia ora Miriam
I attended the Futures Network meeting and really enjoyed your presentation, and would have loved to heard more 🙂 Id really appreciate a copy of the sides.
Nga mihi
Karen
Karen … I think I actioned this, but in the hubbub of term’s end I may have dropped this ball … Please let me know if you’re still waiting for action from me!! xx
Thank you Miriam for another interesting presentation for Oxford Early Learning Centre whanau, teachers and community. I was wondering if you could please email me the slides so I can continue to reflect on the evening and pass them along to others? I have had some great feedback from whanau also. Thanks again!!
I will do this via email. Thanks Marie x x x
Hi Miriam,
Can you contact us to discuss a speaking engagement for our community.
Many thanks
Anna
Kia ora Miriam, it was lovely bumping into you and your gorgeous girl at the pool the other day! Sorry we didn’t have time to chat. If you have time please drop me a line via my email or I can leave my cell number. Nā Cheri x
Hi Miriam,
I work for Jen and Libby at 4E’s Consulting and met you at the Great ECE Expo in Chch last year.
I would love to discuss with you further the possibility of you presenting a course (or more) on our online learning hub.
I look forward to hearing from you 🙂
Kia ora Miriam,
I love these blog posts! Are you still posting? I’d love to tell my ECE students about you. I’m their librarian for information resources and think they’d really relate to your posts. (The Open Poly is in Lower Hutt — not sure where you’re from.)
Ka kite,
Julie
Kia ora Miriam,
We met a number of years ago through the Christchurch College of Education when you presented to a group of early childhood students. I would like to talk with you about the possibility of presenting again to a group of students at the College of Education, Health and Human Development at the University of Canterbury.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Ngā mihi nui!
Karen
Hi Miriam, I just read your beautiful review of my book, Earlybird, and I am hoping that I met you on that launch night – but it is a bit of a blur I’m sorry. Just wanted to be in touch to thank you for coming and for writing about it. Your writing is very inspiring. I love the breadth of it – the research and the mothering put together.
Hi there
I was wondering if you would be able to email in regards to speaking at our National Home Birth Conference in Christchurch in November. You came and spoke at Rangiruru Early Childhood college several years ago when I was there and your information you have to share is super captivating. If you can email me I can explain more about the event of it was something you’d be interested in.
Thanks
Brogan
Lovely to hear from you, Brogan. Thanks for your kind words. I will email you and let’s see what we can create!
Miriam x x
Hey there. Lovely to see you at the Home Based Conference. I’m keen as mustard for that singalong….. Now’s good
Redefining school readiness (2015).
Hi Miriam, I been hunting high and low for your fabulous article focused on school readiness….any chance I could get a copy of this (the link under writing is not available)
Arohanui, amy
Mrs. Miriam,
I’m so excited to find you on here still working with children and doing research. Our daughter, Annalee Stafford, was at Tennessee Tech Child Development Lab when you were there in the early 2000s. You introduced her to the Wiggles. You were always so helpful and encouraging to us as parents. I hope you are doing well.
Best wishes, Kim Stafford
Well, holy WOW didn’t this message just come like a beautiful bolt from the blue and make a gal’s day? SO SUPER to hear from you, Kim. I remember Annalee so fondly – such a great girl, and always the bounciest of little ponytails! Thank you so much for reaching out x x Now you know where to find me 😉
Kia ora Miriam
What is the topic of your PhD?
Interested.
From a fellow .geek.nz domain owner 🙂