Kristen MacNeil, Community Bookseller

Hi! I'm Kristen, and I'm a school psychologist, BCBA, and mom of two. I've also been running a small nonprofit, The Gentle Parenting Institute, Inc. for the past several years and it's been my absolute passion and one of the things I'm most proud of (besides my sweet kids)! 

Our Mission: The Gentle Parenting Institute promotes peaceful, respectful, and nurturing relationships between parents and children, with a focus on supporting fellow parents in learning how to manage the behavior of themselves and their children through the use of behavioral science, knowledge of child development and appropriate expectations, and through methods/philosophies/practices such as Attachment Parenting, RIE, Montessori, Waldorf, Reggio Emilia, and others. Children do not learn to be respectful unless they are respected as the whole humans they are, complete with unique personalities, wants, needs, and desires.  Respect for the child as she is today is of the utmost importance.

I love Barefoot Books, and am so proud to be a Community Bookseller, because their books are such high quality, beautifully illustrated, and there are so many that support social-emotional learning in children. And my children love them!