Welcome Friends!
Hey! I’m Tanya. By day I’m a coffee-obsessed retired social worker who is now an Early Childhood Educator at a local preschool with almost 10 years in the classroom. By night I am an over-involved aunt to the cutest 2 nieces and 4 nephews the world has ever seen.
I have a passion for child-led learning and teaching adults that children are more capable than we think.
My Favorite Quote!
“Children are quite capable of teaching adults about themselves if adults are willing, patient, and open to learning.”
Gary L. Landreth
01
I was a foster parent for 3 years in Las Vegas while working for foster care agency as a case manager.
02
Messes are part of learning and should be expected during playtime.
03
I believe that children should spend the majority of their days playing and exploring new things.
how I got Here
Why I Love What I Do
I have been working with children in some capacity since my first babysitting job in middle school (circa 1998). In high school, I had a regular babysitting routine outside of my part time job. I worked as an America Reads Tutor in college and majored in Psychology. After graduation I immediately started working in social services. My first job was working with eight boys in foster care. For the next 7 years in two different states, I worked with almost 100 foster children with a lot of challenging (but understandable) behaviors. I was a foster parent, a Psychosocial Rehabilitation Worker, a case manager, and a licensing agent for new foster home.
In 2015, my older sister was pregnant and her husband was traveling for work…A LOT. I moved in to help with the baby and their two other kids. Right around this same time, I was burnt out working in social services but new I wanted to keep working with kids. I made the transition to early childhood education. I loved it! There is something magical about watching something click inside kids and they master a skill they’ve been working at. In 2018 I was introduced to a learning style called Reggio Emilia. By 2020, I changed jobs again to a Reggio Emilia inspired school. Over the years, my views on children have been shaped by years of education, hands on experience, and personal research. My goal is to teach adults and children that they are capable of more than we give them credit for.
Favorite TV Show
Criminal Minds
Favorite Drink
Coffee
Favorite Food
Mexican
Favorite Animal
Highland Cow
Favorite Book
Great Expectations
Favorite Hobby
Indoor Plants
You, My Friend
have come to the right place
The Over-Involved Aunt is a place for all adults who interact with children; teachers, parents, aunts, uncles, cousins, ANYONE who wants to learn how to have the best relationship with the kids in their life.