I'm Chrissy Lloyd, a Pennsylvania-certified special education teacher who has spent more than a decade focused on early childhood development. I partnered with my local intermediate unit to provide direct instruction for children with developmental delays and Autism Spectrum Disorder. During that time, I've seen a growing challenge: both teachers and parents are struggling to help young children manage meltdowns, calm themselves down, and learn how to play well with toys and peers.

More and more, teachers are being asked to support children's social and emotional needs without the training or tools to do it well. That gap isn't anyone's fault — it's just not something most early childhood programs were built to address.

The reality is that our world has changed, and the way we support children needs to evolve with it.

Stronger Roots Educational Services was created to help bridge that gap, and it works two ways.

In classrooms, I coach teachers. Traditional teacher training in Pennsylvania often consists of webinars or lectures that offer limited real-world support. But the most effective learning happens through modeling, practice, and immediate feedback. Stronger Roots provides hands-on, "boots on the ground" coaching in early childhood environments — modeling strategies in the classroom, guiding teachers in real time, and helping them build practical skills they can use every day.

In small groups, I teach children directly. Stronger Roots Kids Club gives children explicit, playful practice in the skills that a busy classroom rarely has time to teach — naming feelings, calming down, sharing, taking turns, and working through disappointment. Groups stay small, between four and eight children, so every child get real practice rather than a turn to watch. Families receive weekly resources so the same language carries over at home. These classes are built for any child growing these skills, not only those who are struggling.

Mission statement: To give every child an opportunity to learn the foundational skills necessary to understand themselves, connect with others, and navigate challenges-and to give the teachers and families around them the tools to help those skills grow. 🌱