Learn About Respectful Parenting - Raised with Respect

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About Sarah
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About Sarah
My Approach
Learn More
Work With Me

learn about respectful parenting

Below you’ll find the content I post to Instagram (@Raised.With.Respect). Click on an image to learn more.

Think ✨parent support group + beginning play + e

Think ✨parent support group + beginning play + education and guidance in parenting and infant development + finding your village ✨

This group is something special and I'd love to have you join. Link in bio ❤️

As an elder millennial, I wasn’t sure what this

As an elder millennial, I wasn’t sure what this “type C” parenting trend was👵🏼. Turns out, it’s just a rebrand of Respectful Parenting!!

✅ Balancing structure and flexibility

✅ Embracing imperfect moments

✅ Prioritizing connection and emotional well-being

✅ Self-awareness and self-care

✅ Teaching children about resilience and adaptability

✅ Empowering children

These are things I talk about all the time with parents. Call it what you like, but it’s Respectful Parenting - which is actually a rebranding of authoritative parenting (but that doesn’t quite roll off the tongue).

There are always going to be new names for things, but we aren’t reinventing the wheel here.

Respect for yourself and respect for your kid. You’re both people with flaws and imperfections. It’s all beautiful.

With love,
Sarah

I love the slow rhythm of these classes. There's n

I love the slow rhythm of these classes. There's no rush, there's no goal or agenda, just precious time to enjoy 💕

When introducing our snack routine to new groups o

When introducing our snack routine to new groups or new members of the group, I always allow for some flexibility to the rules. One goal is to help parents see that you can be both kind and firm in your rules AND there can be space for exceptions - sometimes.

Sometimes a child has trouble sitting alone, so they sit on their parent’s lap for a few classes.

Sometimes a child doesn’t want their hands washed so a parent might assist or just a tap on the warm, wet, cloth will suffice.

Sometimes a child experiments with pouring their water on the table. They are given another chance and reminded that the water in our cups is for drinking.

As time goes on, we move towards being more consistent with the rules, always keeping respect for the child and their needs as my priority.

With love,
Sarah

🤸🏼‍♀️Risky play is so important for de

🤸🏼‍♀️Risky play is so important for developing body awareness, critical thinking, motor planning, self-confidence... The list truly goes on and on.

For bigger kids, playgrounds are an excellent place for risky play, but for infants and toddlers, playground equipment is often too large for them to access, or for the adventurous toddler, too tall to be safe for them to climb and explore independently - requiring an adult to hover ☹️

It’s rare to find spaces that are built to allow risky play for infants and toddlers.

My space is curated to allow just that. Any major hazards ⚠️are removed, extra cushioning in “higher-risk” areas is added, and the equipment available is sized for their particular stage of gross motor development and size 👶🏼.

During groups, I encourage parents to sit back and observe 🧘🏽‍♂️ while I ‘spot’ risky play (sometimes if I’m busy with another child, a parent will step in to help).

My approach with spotting is to be near (when I need to be- which isn't always), but hands off - trusting in the child to figure it out on their own. I’m ready to catch or buffer their fall, but I want them to experience that feeling of falling or loss of balance in order to build all of those body awareness and motor planning skills.

While the occasional bumps do happen 🩹, they are pretty rare and I think the benefits far outway the risks.

How do you feel about risky play?

With love,
Sarah

The objectives here are twofold: 1- I want the pa

The objectives here are twofold:

1- I want the parents/caregivers to be able to relax and just enjoy. I don’t want them to worry about if their child is playing ‘correctly’ or if they are going to get hurt.

There is no right way to play, so whatever they choose to play with and however they choose to play with it is perfect (outside of damaging property or hurting anyone). My job is to ‘spot’ and provide ‘selective intervention’ when necessary to keep all the children safe and to help with any conflicts that arise (when help is needed - which is actually pretty rare).

2- I want the babies and toddlers to get some practice (in a safe and supportive environment) building confidence and trusting themselves to go out and play on their own when they are ready. If they don’t feel ready, I want them to trust that as well and be able to observe from the comfort and security of their parent’s cozy lap.

Some babies dive right in from the first class and others take one or several classes to feel comfortable exploring the space. Both are totally normal and both are trusted as right for that baby.

With love,
Sarah

Will the groups change once I become a RIE associa

Will the groups change once I become a RIE associate? Nope, not at all. I just get to put the RIE ‘stamp of approval’ on them.

There are so many other things about this approach that makes these groups unique. I’ll be sharing them over the next few weeks, so be on the lookout.

With love,
Sarah

This one hits hard doesn’t it? For me too 🫣

This one hits hard doesn’t it?
For me too 🫣

This isn’t meant to guilt or shame anyone, but just to notice. How often are you showing your child that you are obsessed with them? Perhaps we could all show them that a bit more.

With love,
Sarah

When an infant is treated with respect, they come

When an infant is treated with respect, they come to expect it for themselves and demand it for others as they grow into childhood and adulthood. What a powerful gift we are able to give our children and the world. 🌎❤️

This workshop is full of super valuable informatio

This workshop is full of super valuable information to help make caring for your infant so much easier and enjoyable. This is knowledge that I WISH my husband and I had had before becoming parents. It would have been a game-changer and I know it can be for you.

Respectful Caregiving for Infants is ideal for expecting parents and other caregivers for infants (hey birthworkers! I have a coupon code for you on the registration page). Parents of newborns are a great fit as well (I’m just guessing those folks are less available for a workshop).

Date: Saturday, May 31, 2025 | 9:30 am to 12 pm
Location: Raised with Respect | 503 Remington St Suite 04
Fort Collins, CO 80524

Tickets are $55 and include an (optional) partner. Your partner can be any support person of your choosing.

I look forward to sharing with you! 💚

With good intentions, adults often step in to "hel

With good intentions, adults often step in to "help" waaay before their child needs it.

💚 The ball rolls away-
The parent grabs it and gives it back.
🧡 The tower falls down-
The parent stacks it back up.
❤️The lid is tricky to get off -
The parent grabs the jar, opens it, and hands it back

Parents are so good at meeting their child's needs that sometimes they (myself included!) forget what a need is. Instead, I suggest observing and waiting. Are they actually asking you for help?

If yes, then you can give just enough help to get them over the edge and keep going on their own.

If they're not, then don't do anything. Just observe and see how determined and focused your child can be! They might figure it out, they might take a break, they might move on to something else, or they might eventually ask you for help, but there is so much learning in that in between. Let's not take that away from them.

With love,
Sarah

This idea actually came from Sarah DeLuca's (@sowh

This idea actually came from Sarah DeLuca's (@sowhatihearyousayingis )excellent Respectful Parenting workshop❤️

I think it's so valuable to be reminded of our long term goals for our children and our relationship with them. It's easy to get distracted by the day to day challenges, but thinking about the long term can bring clarity. How do I build these qualities? How do I model these qualities?

What qualities would you add?

With love,
Sarah

This workshop is full of super valuable informatio

This workshop is full of super valuable information to help make caring for your infant so much easier and enjoyable. This is knowledge that I WISH my husband and I had had before becoming parents. It would have been a game-changer and I know it can be for you.

Respectful Caregiving for Infants is ideal for expecting parents and other caregivers for infants. Parents of newborns are a great fit as well (I’m just guessing those folks are less available for a workshop).

Date: March 1, 2025 | 10 am to 12 pm
Location: Raised with Respect | 503 Remington St Suite 04
Fort Collins, CO 80524

Tickets are $55 and include an (optional) partner. Your partner can be any support person of your choosing.

I look forward to sharing with you!
Sarah

🥳Introducing🥳 Respectful Parenting “Office

🥳Introducing🥳 Respectful Parenting “Office Hours”

Are you a former or current Raised with Respect play group family? Have you attended one of Sarah DeLuca’s Respectful Parenting workshops? Are you looking for more support?

Join the Respectful Parenting Sarah’s for our new “Office Hours”!

🗓️The second Sunday of every month, we’ll be hanging out at Lima Coffee, available to chat, answer your questions, and cheer you on.

You can come anytime between 10 am and 12 pm. No need to let us know ahead of time.

This is such an incredible community of parents and we want to support you 💚

See you soon!
Sarah & Sarah

Parents often think that if they acknowledge the w

Parents often think that if they acknowledge the wish, it’s going to make things worse, but I have found the opposite to be true! Our children don’t need us to explain the (often numerous) reasons why they can’t do what they want. They need us to sit in their sadness for a bit and feel understood. They need to connect with us.

I definitely don’t always remember to do this, - the instinct to explain and justify is STRONG - but when I do, it has always gone more smoothly.

And when we can give them a choice or autonomy, do it. It will make the "nos" much easier.

With love,
Sarah

When it comes to play, trusting our children to kn

When it comes to play, trusting our children to know when they are ready to try something is pretty much always my recommendation.

I get it. There are so many fun things to do and so many things that you know your child will love, but if we push them to do it before they are ready, it’s not going to be fun. It’s probably going to be scary.

Of course, there are times when our child wants to do something but is feeling nervous and needs a little support or encouragement, but that is very different from pushing them to try something before they are ready or interested.

We have visited this sea center many times over the last 7 years and my son was never ready to pet the sharks, rays, anemone, and urchins. Until today. Even before we arrived he said he wanted to do it and knew he was ready. He spent a solid 20 minutes at the tanks gently petting the sea creatures.

It was such a joy to watch him go in with confidence and truly enjoy the experience. Definitely worth the wait.

With love,
Sarah

#respectfulparenting #rieapproach

Hey NOCO birth workers and perinatal professionals

Hey NOCO birth workers and perinatal professionals! If you work with parents and their babies we'd live to have you join!

Let's connect, share our passions, and vent about our challenges ❤️

When: The third Thursday of every month from 1-3
Where: Reconnect Chiropractic
Loveland, CO

We can't wait to meet you!
Sarah (Raised with Respect) and Kylee (Kylee the doula)

I try to have at least a couple of teething toys a

I try to have at least a couple of teething toys available in all my play groups. And they always get used.

It seems many folks think teethers are just for babies, but let's not forget about those 2-year molars 🦷🦷

Also! Chewing on teethers(or other safe objects) can be very soothing for toddlers (people of all ages really). A great tool on the road to more independent self regulation.👏🏼

This beautiful poem always brings me hope when the

This beautiful poem always brings me hope when the world feels hopeless 💔

I am going to take time today to rest in the peace of wild things and then I will. keep. going. ❤️

Every week I get to witness babies and toddlers ex

Every week I get to witness babies and toddlers explore this space. They get to decide with what and how they will play. Without agenda.

Babies are all about the process not the end result (often the opposite for adults) and it's just magical to observe and a great reminder for us grown-ups 💖

#respectfulparenting #rieapproach #babies #toddlers

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