I recently read a quote by Rudolf Steiner that I had never seen before (unforunately, the person didn't give the source):
"Let us help children stay young, remember their youth impulses and intentions in adulthood, and find their true identity!"
To me, this covers it all, traveling from early childhood, through teen-age idealism, and into adulthood with the will forces to be who you are and do what you came here to do.
So many forces in our culture work against this, from the push for early academics, to the creating and marketing to the "tween culture" for 8-12 year olds, to the lack of support for teens making the transition into adulthood. When I watch the children at Rainbow Bridge (our LifeWays program in Boulder for 1-5 year olds) I am struck, again and again, by what a rare oasis of childhood and learning-through-play it is in today's world. Lucky kids!
