Waldorf in the Home

[This articles was written by Rahima Baldwin Dancy and covers a Waldorf understanding of child development from birth through three years. It originally appeared in Mothering, Spring 1987; it has been updated as needed for this posting.]

The imitative nature of the baby and young child is so obvious and so all-pervasive that we tend to be blind to it, unaware of its implications for parenting. Your child learns everything through imitation-walking, talking, toilet training, tying shoes, endless tasks. Imitation also manifests in expressions and gestures, as when we see and hear ourselves in our children's play.

Rudolf Steiner, who founded Waldorf education, left a rich legacy for understanding the nature and development of the young child that can help parents nourish their whole child-body, mind, emotions, and spirit. It was through Steiner that I first became aware of learning through example and imitation, principles that I had observed in my own children without bringing them to consciousness.

[This article was written by Rahima Baldwin Dancy and covers Waldorf indications for early childhood development, the stages of creative play, and how they contribute to learning. It first appeared in Mothering, Winter, 1988 and has been updated for this posting. It builds on her article Learning Through Imitation.]

A baby happily throws all of her toys out of her crib. A toddler hides behind a napkin and plays peekaboo with his sister. A three year old finds an old hat in the costume basket and becomes a train engineer by turning over every chair in the house. A five year old tells her friends, "You be the sister and I'll be the mother and Heather can be the dog." All of these children are learning about the world through play, which has been called "the work of childhood." By understanding the stages of play and its importance for young children, you will be able to enhance your child's imagination and experience of the world through creative free play.

[This article on "The Magical Years" by Rahima Baldwin Dancy discusses Waldorf indications for the child's developing consciousness in early childhood, including artistic and cognitive development and a discussion of the use of fairy tales. Imitation and imaginative play are also touched on and are further developed in her articles Learning Through Imitation and Learning Through Play. This article originally appeared in Mothering, Summer 1984; it has been updated as needed for this posting.]

["The Wisdom of Waldorf: Education for the Future" by Rahima Baldwin Dancy discusses the roots of Waldorf education in culture change and how it prepares children for the future. The article was first published in Mothering, March/April 2004 and is available as an 8-page full-color reprint from www.awsna.org.]

In a world of accelerating change and increasing uncertainty, what values will help inspire and sustain children as they become young adults? Unlike past generations, children today can expect to have several careers during their lives, and they can expect to be lifelong learners because many of the jobs they will have don't yet exist. The pace of change today is accelerating as never before in history. How can we prepare a generation that will be comfortable with change and will have the tools and the willingness to confront-and solve-the many problems of our global society, instead of sinking into cynicism or apathy?

This article by Rahima Baldwin Dancy on "Parenting the Nine Year Old" describes the developmental changes of the nine-year-old child and how parents and Waldorf education meet this psychological stage. It first appeared in Mothering, Summer, 1989.]

Parents of nine year olds often wonder, "What is happening to my child?" Children at this age can become very critical and argumentative, or very moody and withdrawn. Nightmares, irrational fears, headaches and stomachaches often arise. Some children feel as if no one at school likes them, or others become suddenly self-conscious about being rich, poor, or otherwise "different." Parents may be accused of being unfair or of not understanding, as the child rushes off and slams his or her door.

Searching for an explanation for the changes in behavior, parents sometimes blame a new teacher, a recent move, changes in the family such as separation or the birth of a sibling, or simply "growing pains". An understanding of what is actually taking place can help us avoid needless worry and provide the support and guidance that children need during this time.

"Childhood Fevers" by Rahima Baldwin Dancy deals with how fevers can strengthen the immune system and how childhood illnesses can help a child's development; febrile seizures and home care are also covered. The article first appeared in Mothering, Spring 1989.

Most childhood illnesses are characterized by fever. It is widely known that fever activates the immune system in a natural way. It is less widely known that fever can strengthen the immune system, help prevent susceptibility to other illnesses in later life, and confer developmental benefits as well.1 Pediatrician Uwe Stave reports: "Fever attacks can affect children in quite a positive way. Even though his physical strength is reduced, the child may disclose a wealth of new interests and skills. He may find new and advanced ways to communicate, think, and handle situations, or display a refinement of his motor skills. In short, after a fever, the child reveals a spurt of development and maturation."2

Many parents don't even realize that imaginative free play has been squeezed out of our children's lives, and what a tremendous loss this is. The majority of preschool programs today emphasize early learning, computer literacy, or using the materials in just one way rather than being play-centered. Some public elementary schools provide no recess or physical education time at all. The highly structured time a child spends in preschool/daycare or school/
aftercare, is usually supplemented by a daily dose of enrichment classes and adult-led sports, which are sandwiched in between the three to four hours a day the average child spends watching television, movies or playing with video games. The old refrain from my childhood, "What'll I do?" is rarely heard today as children have almost no time in which they are not being instructed or entertained.

We are all familiar with the old expression, "Children are like sponges." Never is this more true than in early childhood. They literally drink in their surroundings, and the major influence is the adults that inhabit those surroundings.

The mother of my two youngest godchildren told me a wonderful story about taking her daughters to a fish hatchery that they regularly visit to purchase fish. On this particular day, as Aurora (4 years old at the time) was feeding the fish in one of the hatchery ponds, one of the "fishermen" was busy cleaning the pond. Dressed in his waders, he meticulously cleaned the algae with focused attention.

As soon as they returned home, Aurora dug out a pair of her old snow pants (this was in early August!) and put them on to serve as her waders. Then she went outside and created her own hatchery environment. Their mesh hammock became a pond which she brushed and brushed - "Momma, I have a lot of algae to clean today." Another area in their garden served as the smoke house where she pretended to smoke several different kinds of fish, as well as chicken and beef! My friend said that this went on for days and days. Aurora even wanted to sleep in her "waders"!

How long had they observed the fisherman? Only about 15 minutes! We, the adults in the child's environment, are their textbooks. When they can see us fully engaged in what we are doing, and even better, doing it with interest and delight, the more they will be eager to take up the tasks of life as well.

By Cynthia Aldinger from the book This Is The Way We Wash-A-Day by Mary Thienes-Schunemann

[This article by Cynthia Aldinger on our invisible helpers with housework and gardening, the elemental beings, was first printed in This is the Way We Wash-A-Day of the Children's Songbook series, published by Naturally You Can Sing Productions.]

Have you ever noticed the uplifting feeling that comes after you have prepared a meal from scratch, even though you felt you did not have the time to do it? Or that good feeling that comes after a room or porch has been swept, mopped or vacuumed, after a place has been dusted, after the bed has been made or a room tidied? What is that feeling? One could say it is a sense of satisfaction for a job well done. However, one can feel it even when someone else has done the work. That sense of fresh orderliness is like a breath of fresh air for whoever enters the space.

Likely, there are multiple reasons for such feelings. Could one of them be that the activity involved in maintaining a physical space brings about a qualitative change in the mood of the space? If so, how?

Here are a few ideas about naptime for little ones in group settings:

For toddlers and pre-school and kindergarten-aged children, it helps to have very clear routines and rituals around sleep. Think about what you are doing for the two hours before sleep, what you will do to prepare them for sleep, and what you will do when they first wake up. I call this "framing" sleep. The routines and rituals provide the frame.

When we are creating a work space - an office, a classroom, a retail establishment - there are certain tools we need for specific tasks. We wouldn't normally think of using a hammer to screw a socket into the wall or a screwdriver to drive a nail into a cabinet. We try to find the tool that best serves the need for the task at hand. If we consider toys to be tools of early childhood, we need to give some thought to what types of toys best serve the child through the various stages of development.

[Cynthia Aldinger answers an inquiry from an experienced preschool teacher concerning a five year old girl who bullies other children in the class of 10 three-to five-year-olds; the parents say she isn't that way at home, so it must be the teacher's problem.]

As a former Waldorf Kindergarten teacher for many years, I certainly could sympathize with your dilemma with the little girl in your class. It sounds like you have tried many of the right things with her and none of them have been working. When we are caring for early childhood age children, our work is so much more fruitful when we are working in partnership with the children's parents. >From what you described it does not sound like the parents are pursuing partnership with you. Do you have any idea why that might be?