I’m Tamar Ascher Shai, Ph.D, an early childhood specialist with more than 35 years of experience. I’m here to help parents and early childhood educators raise children who understand and respect boundaries, are confident and self-aware through lectures and workshops I created especially for you.
I hold a Doctorate in Education and have extensive experience teaching, training, and advising caregivers of young children. I am a certified teacher in early childhood and special education, and I lecture on developmental psychology with a focus on child empowerment and the building of healthy communication.
Over the years, I’ve developed a unique approach:
I share strategies for empowering children within everyday language and day-to-day situations, without focusing on abuse, danger or alarming situations.
This approach also inspired my book: “What Happened to Koozoo?”
A children’s book that invites children to share their thoughts, and guides parents in ways to encourage gentle and natural conversations about safety, friendship, boundaries and the importance of communication.
My focus is on early childhood (ages 2–8) and I offer lectures and workshops for everyone who has a meaningful relationship with young children (parents, grandparents, caregivers, babysitters, educators), giving tools for enhancing everyday life situations, so children grow up experiencing respect for their boundaries, are connected to their intuition, and know they are listened to.
As early childhood educators, caregivers, and daycare leaders, we have daily opportunities to create an environment where children feel protected and confident in themselves.
In my lectures, I share practical strategies for approaching everyday interactions that strengthen children and lay the foundation for their safety from an early age, consistently and naturally — without fear or stressful conversations
As parents, we want our children to be safe and protected, but we don’t always know how to make that happen.
In my workshops, you’ll become instantly aware of the potential in your everyday routines that strengthen the foundation for your child’s sense of safety. This can happen with the addition of just one sentence or question that will make all the difference.
Together we’ll learn how to turn ordinary moments – like bath time, bedtime stories, or play – into times that empower children and build self-confidence, helping them set healthy boundaries and be in tune with themselves.
What to expect in the workshops:
✔ Three close-knit, enriching sessions for caretakers of young children
✔ An approach based on warmth, listening, and gentleness – not fear
✔ Daily tools that support your child for life
The workshops don’t just leave you with theory – they help you become aware of ways to improve and build the language used when communicating with children, helping them feel secure, clear, and attentive to themselves. You’ll notice changes in your communication after the very first session!
Anyone who is in a meaningful relationship with young children:
Discover how to integrate language and actions that naturally develop empowerment into daily routines like baths, stories, and play.
Learn the ways in which everyday routines can be used to support and empower every child.
Equip your team with heightened awareness and daily tools to build a safe, empowering environment
Introduction and getting to know participants
Exploring common daily situations involving children
An example of how to find empowering messages in children’s books
Understanding how a child learns to recognize internal feelings, set boundaries, and ask for respect — all within everyday family routines.
How to enable the child to use their voice as a protective tool, an approach to secrets and when not to keep them to yourself , and how to create a home environment where children know there is always somebody who will listen to them.
Read “What Happened to Koozoo?” together and discover how children’s books can become natural tools for talking about feelings, boundaries, and protection. Parents conclude the workshop already asking their child for instance, if they want to be helped in getting dressed, before simply saying “hands up over your head!
After many years of experience in the field of early childhood education, I co-created a unique children’s book with Dr. Tamar Verete-Zehavi: “What Happened to Koozoo?”, a gentle and engaging story that gives children an opportunity to share their thoughts, and helps parents have natural and fear-free conversations about protection, intuition and personal boundaries through the world of Koozoo the chameleon.
The book isn’t just a story – it’s a practical tool that can help children understand their right to boundaries and feel comfortable knowing they can always share and talk.
It’s available as a standalone purchase or as a set with a guidebook and can be a meaningful resource for both parents and educators.
Are you interested in this book? I would love to hear from you through my webpage (tamaraschershai@co.il) or WhatsApp
(+972-505387241)
Lectures are designed mainly for directors, educators, and caregivers – a focused 90-minute session with clear guidelines that can be used immediately. The lectures are suitable for staff meetings, staff preparation days or as part of conferences and seminars.
Workshops are particularly suited for parents and take place in three small-group sessions. They allow real practice, open Q&A, and help parents come away with not only knowledge but a new language for the home and ways to make empowerment a part of daily life.
No prior knowledge or special preparation is needed.
Workshops are intended for parents and caregivers of young children ages 2–8 years.
