Parenting—the toughest job you’ll ever love? How can I support you?
Monday, October 1, 2012
Dear Families,
It was lovely to see so many of you at our Harvest Festival. What a beautiful day it was. Seeing so many children dancing and playing in the sunshine was a joyful experience for me.
In Chapter One of Heaven on Earth, Sharifa writes of the critical importance of imitation for the young child. In answer to the question
“How we work with imitation?”
she responds:
“Be the best person one can be, for her to imitate.
Arrange your home with imitation in mind:
• Simple
• Uncluttered
• Machine-noise-free
• Touchable
• Explorable
If we want her to do something, do it ourselves, as well.
She will imitate hurrying, too, so go slowly!”
For those of you who were in parent-child class last year, some of this may remind you of Simplicity Parenting by Kim John Payne. If you haven’t read that book, I highly recommend it.
Rudolf Steiner speaks of the importance of imitation in the life of the young child. He describes the young child as being entirely sense organ. He says, “What you say to [the young child], what you teach him, does not yet make any impression, except in so far as he imitates what you say in his own speech. But it is what you are that matters…—in short, everything that you do yourself passes over into the child, and pursues its way within him.” From Kingdom of Childhood.
My question for you this week is: What are you hoping to get from our class? How can I support you in this wonderful and challenging work of being the parent of a young child? When my girls were young, I thought of it as “the toughest job you’ll ever love.” I have loved every moment of being a parent and struggled with many. I have had much support along the way. It is good to be part of a community, and I hope this class offers that to you—friendship, support, sanctuary—for you and your children.