"Parenting with Spirit: A Waldorf Guide for the Three Phases of Childhood"
Book by Cindy Brooks and Joya Birns
Cindy and Joya have written a much-needed book describing the three phases of childhood and ways in which effective parenting skills change in response to children's changing levels of development. The seven-year phases of development are described in the chapter on "Working with Developmental Forces in Parenting," as well as ways to influence children when they are centered in imitation (bith-7), admiration (7-14) and individuation (14-21).
The next chapter, "Discipline Skills for Parent-Child Conflicts," focuses on age-appropriate communication skills and strategies, and ways in which these need to change as your child grows and matures. Working with the spiritual world is also discussed, along with tips for co-parenting and single-parenting. The book ends with extensive appendices on therapeutic stories, suggested reading, and community resources.
The book is short (only 60 pages, spiral bound), but it's unique in presenting these ideas in such a concise, clearly understandable and practical way.
Cindy and Joya offered three workshops on "Parenting with Spirit" at our 2009 conference on "Educating Our Children--Changing the Future" in Fair Oaks. All three are available to purchase in CD format. The first session focuses on "Working with the Spiritual World." The second will help develop "Waldorf-Inspired Communication and Empathy Skills." And the third considers ways of "Working with Negative Behavior in Children." All three expand on the themes developed in the book.
About the authors:
Joya Birns and Cindy Brooks co-lead the monthly support group at the Santa Cruz Waldorf School ("Parent Circle") and various workshops for parents. Joya previously taught early childhood and handwork classes in three Waldorf Schools and has worked with parent groups since 1982. Cindy received her MA in transpersonal psychology from Antioch University--Seattle in 1990. In 1995 she completed a two-year training in sandplay at the Child Therapy Institute of Marin and was licensed as an MFT in California in 1996. In 2003 she graduated from the Bay Area Center for Waldorf Teacher Training and has worked with the Care Group at the Santa Cruz Waldorf School since 2003.
To order the book "Parenting with Spirit," click on the button below. We also sell three CD recordings of workshops by Joya and Cindy on Parenting with Spirit.
Book (60 pages, spiral bound), $15.00
U.S. only. INTERNATIONAL, order here.
