What a healthy childhood looks like

GARDENING! AND MORE!! (like practising fine motor skills)

This comes from my cousin in South Africa. Her great-grandson has just turned six. See his birthday present from her in the first sentence.

Well Gabriel loved his trowels, and wasted no time in putting them to use. He and Kalia had a fine old time in my pots of course, and much hilarity with taps on and taps off, and lots of mud every where. He carefully washed and dried them off when they had finished playing. Must be a first ! So I think I did well in the birthday department. The kids certainly don't play with toys. They are just a waste of money. Kalia loves sticker books, and at the moment it's cute to watch her concentration, when struggling to cut with scissors. It opens my eyes how children develop. She is quite determined to master the art, and carries on, showing no sign of frustration. She's been like that since she was very little. I watched her trying to get into a cardboard box once, which was very small, and I was quite convinced she would never be able to do it, but let me tell you, it was quite something to see. She tried it every which way. One leg in, one leg out, turn around, bend the leg.....it was astonishing, but eventually she got her whole self in, sitting down. She filled it ' wall to wall " so to speak. It took a long time, but the most interesting thing, was that she showed no sign of irritation, just concentration, on how to achieve her goal. She was very little at the time. 

An idea for Halloween

This is a guest post from Kim Hunter, early childhood winner of the Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence 

The Halloween Squirrel.

A group of parents in the community where I raised my daughter came up with this idea to be rid of the  Halloween candy....

We carried the story of the Halloween Squirrel, telling our children that he was busy gathering at this time of the year and at the end of Halloween night we would blow out the candle in the jack-o-lantern and put the candy inside for him to collect, in the morning he would have left a gift in trade.

The gift was typically something to inspire outdoor play....a skipping rope when she was six, a (gently) used bicycle when she was 8....for this is the squirrel's domain.

Sometimes we parents would collaborate and get gifts for our children that were related....badminton rackets, a net and birdies so that the children could be connected in their experience of the squirrel's gifts and also that they would then bring the bits together to be used in the “tribe” of friends.

Kim Hunter – Time to Play, a film about early childhood principles.

https://www.facebook.com/timetoplayfilm/

http://www.timetoplayfilm.com/

To purchase an e-copy of Time to Play visit:

https://timetoplay.vhx.tv/products

A link for you and your little one

In case you're looking for wonderful underwear, I just ordered something myself from http://www.floweringchild. Plus, cheaper than Amazon!! Keep warm and comfy this winter dear readers.

THE FOUR TEMPERAMENTS

In my book 'Magical Motherhood', I only deal with the four temperaments in passing. This is because the focus of the book is more on the infant than the toddler and growing child. Here is the link to four excellent articles that will give you an idea what it's all about. I consider that recognizing your child's temperament and learning how to respond to that is one of the most helpful keys you can have.

Childhood is a time, of course, when the happy, sanguine temperament can often hold sway, in the same way that we tend to grow melancholic in old age.

So, dear readers, without more ado, here is the promised link for you to follow:

http://earthschooling.info/thebearthinstitute/the-four-temperaments-in-rhythm-of-the-home/

A SWINGING CHANT AND A SONG

Last night we were visiting the grandsons. In their front garden they have a rope swing that hangs from a branch of their sturdy and tall maple tree and I can tell you they make good use of it. This reminded me of happy times in our nearby park when they were little, and how even from tiny tots they loved to swing, and, unlike some adults, seemed to never tire or suffer any ill effects from the back and forth motion... probably because of the rhythm.

Yes, this is healthy and fun for the little ones.

What came to me also was the chant and the song I used. The chant is a simple one:

'Swing swong, all the day long... ' to be repeated as long as you wish, each time you push the swing forward.

Now for the song. Take a look at this website: http://www.jacshootblog.com  It's worth the read and you'll enjoy the happy photos.

I wanted also to share the tune with you. Unfortunately I couldn't find a direct link, nor a good sound quality video. But take a look in any case because the tune is an easy one to pick up and certainly enhances the experience for the child. On youtube, search for    swing me higher obediah  sung by Florrie Forde on Vintage British Comedy.

So, dear care-givers, get swinging!

Protection for your sleeping child

Most weekdays, we have the pleasure of picking the Blue-eyed Boy up from school and he stays with us for about an hour before Mom or Dad comes to collect him.

So the other day I arrived a bit too early and sat in my car a few minutes before going out to meet and greet him. Next to me a van was parked. A lovely young mother was there to fetch her little one from kindergarten. She had a baby daughter in the car seat and as I watched her lift baby out so sweetly and tenderly, I realized the child had been fast asleep. How touching to see the way she snuggled into her mom's shoulder, eyes still closed.

To switch to your own experience, I want to ask how you feel when you first wake up. Unless you have some sort of covering over you, I would suggest your skin feels a little chilled. You're vulnerable, somehow, exposed. This has to do with what we call the life body (i.e. not simply the physical), and it's worth noting.

My mother taught me always to put a light (or heavier in winter) covering over a child when you move them when they're sleeping, or have been sleeping. Easy enough to do and a caring gesture.

SCHOOL READINESS AND THE CHILD'S DEVELOPING BRAIN

Our four children all began their schooldays in the southern hemisphere, which meant... in January. So there are parents in that half of the world who are wondering 'Is my little girl or boy really ready for this big step?'
   
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!