Name: UWS Parenting Workshops with Anna Sobel at Rutgers Church FEB MARCH APRIL
Start: 2026-02-10T09:15:00-05:00
End: 2026-02-10T10:45:00-05:00
Location: Rutgers Presbyterian Church Sanctuary

UWS Parenting Workshops with Anna Sobel at Rutgers Church FEB MARCH APRIL

Join Anna Sobel for 3 dynamic parenting workshops starting February 10th!
About this Event

Parenting with Connection: Workshops for Parents of Young Children designed for parents of children ages 2-5 years

Rutgers Church and Community Programs are pleased to offer a special 2026 package of 3 parenting workshops presented by early childhood expert ANNA SOBEL.

February 10th: "Building Independence"
March 10th: "Boundaries: Love in Action"
April 14th: "Untangling Power Struggles"

All workshops will be held on TUESDAYS from 9:15 am - 10:45 am in the Church Sanctuary.

Each workshop includes:

Mindfulness & reflection: noticing our own reactions and histories as parents
Connection before correction: prioritizing relationships as the foundation for growth
Practical tools: scripts, checklists, frameworks parents can use right away
Community: pair and group sharing in each session to normalize struggles and build support

Workshop Summaries are as follows:

FEB 10/ Workshop 1 : Building Independence
Theme: Supporting children’s growing competence and confidence.

What independence looks like at ages 3–7
Why it matters for children’s development and family life
Determining appropriate independence for your child and family context
Teaching, scaffolding, and reinforcing independence
Navigating parent and child resistance
Practical tools: independence ladder, routine charts, supportive language
Interactive: pair share on proud moments, group brainstorm ofage-appropriate tasks, planning one new step toward independence at home

MARCH 10 /Workshop 2: Boundaries as Love in Action
Theme: Holding limits with steadiness, clarity, and compassion

What boundaries are (and aren’t)
Why children — and parents — need boundaries
Healthy boundaries: clear, consistent, warm
Adults’ role: sturdy leadership, validation, empathy
Navigating guilt, judgment, and differences between caregivers
Scripts and tools for common tricky situations
Interactive: practicing boundary-setting language, reflecting on boundaries from childhood, planning a new or reinforced boundary at home

APRIL 14/ Workshop 3: Untangling Power Struggles
Theme: Shifting from battles for control to opportunities for growth

Why children engage in power struggles
Recognizing and regulating our own triggers
Reframing struggles as skill-building
From power-over to power-with
The “before / during / after” framework for prevention, de-escalation, and repair
Concrete strategies for common flashpoints: bedtime, eating, siblings, transitions
Interactive: scenario practice, reflection on childhood experiences of power

TICKETS: $50 (This is a special package price and includes all 3 workshops)
A limited number of tickets are available.

*Single workshop tickets in the amount of $20 may be offered nearer to the date of each individual workshop, but are not guaranteed.

Rutgers Church doors open at 9 am. Check-in is required.
The Sanctuary is handicapped accesible.

Anna Sobel (founder of Small Brave Steps) is a caregiver coach, educator, and parent with over 20 years of experience helping children build the physical, emotional, and social foundations that make learning possible. She has supported families through power struggles, handwriting challenges, big emotions, executive functioning struggles and “I can’t do it” moments—and seen the transformation when kids have the tools they need to thrive.
Anna holds a B.A. from Wesleyan University and an M.S.Ed. in Early Childhood Education from Bank Street College of Education, and is a credentialed early childhood coach through the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
She has taught at schools including Manhattan Country School and Blue Apple Early Childhood Learning Center and has led workshops for caregivers and educators across New York City. Her work bridges home and school, helping parents think like educators and educators better understand families, so children are supported with clarity, consistency, and care.