In Our Elements
January 2026: Permission for a slow start
Monthly newsletter from Elements Academy: a behind-the-scenes look at the magic of a child-led school (and life)
We don’t leap into the new year — we slowly stroll (and let’s be honest - we fall a bunch, too).
January is often framed as a fresh start, a reset, a time to jump back in full force. But at Elements, we see something different. We see that real change — and real learning — happens when we’re given time to breathe. (Imagine what could happen if we all just gave ourselves the permission to slowly, gently, lovingly, mindfully, just freakin’ breathe?!)
Here are the 4 sections of our monthly newsletter - hopefully some of it lands with you 💫
ELEMENTAL MOMENT
We did all the things to prepare for the kids coming back.
We rearranged. We cleaned. We organized. We planned. We mapped out learning paths and gathered materials.
And then the kids arrived.
And guess what?
They had their own plan.
And here’s the magic of child-led learning: Their plan matters more than ours. (Although all of our planning certainly helped prepare us for the kids’ many different plans!)
This is what child-led learning is all about. We trust children to know what they need — and we pay close attention when they show us. We offer open-ended invitations and space, then watch how each child shows up. Because if we honor how they show up, they’ll keep showing us who they are - again, and again, and again. And we’re not just building trust, we’re getting to know them — the real them.
There is so much information in those first days back.
Some children need quiet — curled up on the couch with a book or taking some alone time in one of the privacy spaces
Some rush in, eager to reconnect and share stories with anyone who will listen
Some look to an adult for structure as they figure out their next step
And however they arrive, we meet them there.
We move at their pace, on their time — because that’s how trust is built. Not just trust between adults and children, but within children themselves. Trust in their bodies. Trust in their instincts. Trust that their needs matter.
And that trust is where the real learning lives.
RESOURCE REVIEW
After a break — or during any change in routine — our nervous systems need time to settle. This is true for adults, too, but especially true for children.
Dr. Stuart Shanker’s work on Self-Reg reminds us that learning can’t happen when stress levels are high. Even positive experiences — like holidays, travel, or excitement — place demands on the nervous system. Before children are ready to engage, their bodies need time to settle.
This is why slowing down during transitions matters. Offering choices, reducing demands, and allowing space for play (or for the teens, ‘time to chill’) helps children regulate and rebuild capacity.
Learning doesn’t happen in a state of urgency. It happens when children feel safe in their bodies and supported by the adults around them.
Want to know what that looks like IRL?
Slowing down — allowing time to land without pressure of meeting someone else’s timeline for readiness
Offering choices — recognizing there’s no one right way to re-enter and making sure everyone gets what they need
Staying attuned — noticing when a child needs more (or less) support and providing it
Notice and note — making note of each child’s choices so we maintain that continued insight into who they are and what they need
When we approach transitions this way, we give nervous systems the space they need to reorient.
And when kids feel safe, learning follows — not because it’s pushed, but because they’re ready.
If you’re curious to explore more, Stuart Shanker’s book, “Self-Reg: How to Help Your Child (and You) Break the Stress Cycle and Successfully Engage with Life” is a fabulous place to start.
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT
Support systems make all the difference
Transitions are easier when we’re not doing them alone. Actually, life is easier when we’re not doing it alone. One of the support systems we deeply value is Equilibria Mental Health. Based in Braintree with multiple office locations (and virtually) Equilibria is a mental health practice that centers connection, regulation, and whole-person care. Their clinicians support students at Elements Academy, both at their Braintree location and on-site at our school.
If you’re looking for a therapist for yourself or your child, they’re a wonderful resource to explore.
Finding your people — whether that’s a therapist, a community space, or a trusted circle — is an essential part of arriving gently.
We’re grateful to be surrounded by folks who understand the importance of connection, compassion, and care.
FROM THE FOUNDER
January doesn’t need to be a performance.
You don’t need to “start strong,” overhaul routines, or fix anything about your child — or yourself. Let’s have this year begin with honoring yourself instead of others. What would it feel like to give yourself permission to be you?
Permission to:
Honor where you are right now (and what it took to get you here!)
Notice what transitions, change, rituals, winter, etc. bring up for you
Acknowledge that resolutions, intentions, and authentic change very rarely align with the calendar
My invitation to you for this year is simple:
Let yourself be ….
And if you, like me, sometimes benefit from hearing someone else’s words to remind you of what feels true, these two lines highlighted in my copy of: Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey might help you, too.
“Our bodies are not meant to move at the speed of machines.”
“Rest is not a reward.”
I’m here for you if you need a cheerleader reminding you that slow and messy are real. Honor yourself. heather@elementsacademy.org
💖 Heather