Almost every week I read about new research that proves the benefits of starting school later rather than earlier. This applies even to kindergarten, although I'd say if you find a really good Waldorf kindergarten you might happily entrust your four year old to the teacher's tender care. In any case, as a parent who yearns to do the best for your child, you might ask, "How can I judge when my child is ready for formal schooling?" The usual way is to go by age, but each of us is a unique individual, right?
Actually the subject is a complex one. Waldorf schools employ a process, and usually prefer a 7 year-old rather than a 6 year-old start. Dr. Rudolf Steiner actually indicates that the best way is to remember when your child was conceived, sometime before the middle of November, or toward the end. A simple guideline can be what usually happens around the age of six: i.e. the milk teeth begin to loosen and fall out. This signals a new development of the brain, one you can foster by... wait for it... teaching your child to knit! This is an ideal activity when for when your children are around seven or eight years of age.
I thought of this yesterday when I had to go for a routine blood test. Expecting to wait, I took a book with me. When I was done, I passed through the waiting room again. There sat a woman, happily engaged with her knitting. I was struck by delight, especially as everyone else was engrossed in the cyber-world rather than the real. But there she sat, content with her productive activity, and I thought, "Good for you!"
These are the needles and wool (yes, wool, not artificial yarn) I bought for my grandsons. It's a good idea to cast on a few stitches for them. I clearly remember having to ask my gran for help with this when I was young. And there's a nice Waldorf verse you can use to help the child. Here it is:
In through the front door,
Once around the back,
Peek through the window,
And off jumps Jack!
