eq Q Q co) 9 oe e oe Qe ] ° o}- oOCOOCC ECMO LCASO CESSES OCSCCHSHHOHO OC OCH LES EE SOS N facgaved Skvensan O Cct 2008 and so together they traveled over the rainbow bridge and down the spiral staircase until they came to a big gate The child felt a little anxious about leaving his wonderful home, but with courage in bis heart and his Angel beside him, be went through the gate and a little baby boy was born upon the earthPamela Bradley edited the following books The Home Court Advantage by Mayer Eisenstein, M.D. A Midwife Reflects by Kay Furay cece CoeoeoeeeeeceseeeseeeeeeeseeeseveeSCSCSCCSCCSCHCCSCSCCSCCHCCCHCCCCCCHC KC CHORES SEH CES WUKLAS Beyond the Rainbow Bridece Nurtiring our children from birth to seven BARBARA J. PATTERSON AND PAMELA BRADLEY Edited by Nancy Parsons Illustrated by Jean RiordanBeyond the Rainbow Bridge Nurturing ovir children froth birth to seven: © 2000 by Barbara J. Patterson and Pamela Bradley © 1999 Cover art and illustrations by Jean Riordan Published by Michaelmas Press All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, transmitted in any” form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system without written permission from the publisher, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review. Request for such permissions should be addressed to the publisher: Michaelmas Press, PO Box 702, Amesbury, MA 01913-0016 USA Phone: 978-388-7066, Fax: 978-388-6031 Email: [email protected]_ Web site: www.michaelmaspress.com Publisher's Cataloging-in-Publication (Provided by Quality Books; Inc.) Patterson, Barbara J Beyond the rainbow bridge : nurturing our childrest from birth t0 seven / by Barbara J. Patterson and Pamela Bradley. —. Ist. ed. p. om Includes bibliographical references LCCN: 99-67459 . ISBN: 0-9647832-3-1 7 1. Child rearing. 2. Child development. 3. Early childhood education, 4, Parenting. |. Bradley, Pamela, Il. Title. HQ769.P38 2000 649.12 QB199-1452 987654 Printed in the United States of America The ideas, opinions, and statements expressed within this book are those of the authors. The authors and publisher assume no responsibility for inaccuracies, omissions and specifically disclaim any liability, loss, or risk, whether personal, financial, or otherwise, that is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, from the use and or application of any of the contents of this book. Footnoted references used with permission of the publisher Anthroposophic Press/Steiner Books (Great Barrington, MA) CHHSOSCHSSHSESHSHSSEHSHSOHSPEEESHHHSSSCHHEFS HEE ELD |CD00 DDOOACAOOOKO OOO OOO COOOOO OGD 0OA oOo OOO To all children everywhere especially those who have been our greatest teachersTable of Contents Dedication Foreword Introduction My Life, My Work, Our Children ‘My Parents’ Home My Home ‘My Work Our Children Raising Healthy, Happy, ‘and Capable Children : woes Into Life The Importance of Warmth The Importance of Rhythn: Play, The Lifeblood of a Healthy Childhood Newborn to Tivo-and-a-Hlalf Two-and-a-Half to Five Five to Seven Children as the Creators of Play. Developing the Twelve Senses. Will Senses Feeling Senses Cognitive Senses viii 13 15 a7 30 47 48 cf 56 64 73 77 84 92@eeeeteseeeteeezeeveesseoseotescveevdeve ses ‘Table of Contents Creative Discipline 107 Imitation and Self-Discipline. : 108 Reforming the Space 144 Clear Messages and Limited Choices 113 The Magic Word: May 146 Rhythm 119 Healing Action 119 Consequent Action 124 Positivity 124 Guidance 124 Conclusion 125 Parent-Child Classes with Barbara 135 Morning Schedule 139 Sample of Songs and Verses 140 Rainbow Bridge Birthday Stories 443 Fairy Tales and Stories for Different Ades 14g Handwork Instructions . 152 Appendix 165 What Is Waldorf Education to5 What Is Anthroposophy. 160 Recommendations for Further Reading 174 Publisher Resources 187 Sources of Supplies 188 Acknowledgments 194 Biographies 193 Order Form . 195 viiForeword Parents today are flooded with a myriad of choices in raising children, complete with scientific studies to support each alternative. We need time, courage, and patience to thoughtfully consider each of these choices, especially in our children's forma- tive years — the first seven years of life Barbara Patterson, a seasoned Waldorf teacher, clearly states: “What may seem ‘normal’ or acceptable in society today is not necessarily what is ‘healthy’ for families and children.” Barbara presents a perspective of child development based on the work of Rudolf ‘Steiner, the founder of Waldorf education Steiner's picture of children’s readiness and needs at each stage of development can supply guidance for parents and teachers to establish a healthy foundation for life So significant is this approach to learning that in the more than 80 years since the first Waldorf/Steiner school opened, this inde- pendent educational movement has spread globally resulting in more than 700 schools in 46 countries. In her common sense way, Barbara weaves Steiner's insights with the comforting, wise advice of a master teacher and grandmother who has a deep love and understanding of children and their needs. viii CHOOSES OCSOCEHESCCHSOHGSOSESHTOSSSESOESERO CECESCHCHCeSF EG eoRaHSSFSeSHSESOVeSESscoeeeoeesveee eh 6 e@ © Foreword Barbara's presentation of the material is clear, straight-forward and very accessible to parents. At the end of each chapter, participants in her parent-enrichment class voice real-life questions arising from the thoughts she has presented. Their questions and her responses place this book into a contemporary perspective. For readers who may want to explore further, there are birthday stories, handwork instructions, a list of age-appropriate fairy tales, recommended reading, and Waldorf/Anthroposophical resources Beyond the Rainbow Bridge is a perfect book for new parents, grand. parents, daycare providers — everyone interested in the quality care of infants and young children Teachers, counselors, and health educators working with parent/infant or parent/toddler classes certainly will find this book a significant resource as well . | am filled with gratitude to Barbara and Pamela for making this publication available — Janet Kellman Director of Early Childhood Education Rudolf Steiner College, Fair Oaks, CaliforniaSutroduction For many years | hoped to put together an introduc- tion to Waldorf education. | would have welcomed such a book when my older daughter started in a Waldorf school some years back—a small book, readable, kept on the night stand to explore in a small dose each night. It would have given my hus- band and me a jump start on what was going on in our daugh- ter’s school, what the teachers were trying to accomplish, and what we as parents could do to make their jobs (and ours) a lit- tle smoother. But I didn’t know how to get all that information into a small book, and | certainly didn't have all the answers about Waldorf education A light went on one day during autumn of 1995 as I read about an upcoming lecture series for parents to be given in the home of my daughter's beloved Waldorf kindergarten teacher, Barbara Patterson. This was the opportunity | had been waiting for. | had a feeling that Barbara knew what to say to parents, and that I would be able to fit her wise words into a small book. On four consecutive Thursday mornings | joined Barbara's enrich- ment classes. Parents flooded in the front door of her home, quickly removed their children’s coats and boots, and ushered their sons and daughters to childcare on the lower level of the house. Parents new and experienced, younger and older, from city and suburbs all joined together, filling the seats in the living and @esceoosoeeoeevseseeoweseeeseeeseseeteeseeeeeeeeteeet estos eaveuvueseeneveevseeeaeve4a CCHS E SO Introduction dining rooms. We were drawn together by a common denomina. tor: our young children. The participants agreed that these morning lectures should be shared. I'm delighted to have helped Barbara create this book — our gift to the Great Oaks School, a developing Waldorf school in the suburbs north of Chicago where she teaches. Waldorf education continues to be a beacon for my family. It pro motes healthy child development in a time often negligent of and even hazardous to children. [ am very grateful to the Waldorf schools for nurturing the spiritual and physical health of my own children, and to Barbara Patterson Barbara is a true professional with uncanny instincts about the chil- dren in her care. Her love of children and her willingness to speak _ on their behalf is inspiting. A. co-worker once said, "Mrs. Patterson's * well-formed classroom rhythms are beautiful to see. She is always calm and present to the needs of the moment. [ always felt that the rhythm created in her classroom was as soothing to me as an adult as it was for the children. She is a delight to work with, a wise teacher, and a model of how well Waldorf Education can work." As you will soon see, it is impossible to separate Barbara's insights from her personal history because it is through her own unfolding life story that she has come to understand children so well. Her biography is a lesson in itself and the backbone to all that follows. Her message is as comforting to the adult in our fast-paced world asa fairy tale is to a child. Welcome to our wonderful meetings with Barbara Patterson! — Pamela Bradley, Chicago, 1999 xiBeyoid the Rainbow Bridge Editor's note on gender references: {used plural, non-gender specific references where possible and effective. When I felt that speaking of a particular child was more appropriate, ie., made the text more personal and immediate, | alternated the gender of the pronouns. So long as the text referred to the same child, the same gender was retained. xii eeaeovoenvneesveseosvesenweaaeseeeseeeeetsesees eeeMy Lift, My Work, Our Children A iew years ago | wrote my mother a note of thanks. | told her how the rhythms and good habits she created around me during my childhood had influenced my adult life and my work with children. Mother was a homemaker extraordinaire in my youth, turning her everyday tasks into works of art. Even her laundry line looked like a painting: all the socks on the line matched, then came all the men’s shirts hanging neatly side-by-side, then all the colorful kitchen towels flapping in the breeze 1 ©8@e8e8 e806 8 2.6.0.d:eyord the Rainbow BBE My Parents’ Home ASa child, | knew that Monday was was Would be changed and all the towels WO" the bathroom and replaced by fresh one®: ! Knew Tuesday was those shirts my mother ironed ty day. | knew the beds Id be removed from Toning day. | can still see all She folded them and fad them on the CME 1 such a way that the second shirt came UP to the collar point o the first, then the third to the collar point of the second, and 50 On, in one long line. She usually ironed twenty-one shirts a Weck! Similarly, the napkins and even the Kitchen towels were iTONed and ordered on the table. All this care in her work, which could have been painted by an artist still lives with me and in my work dining room table in Idid l appreciate, especially now, what a gift she gave me. | did not have to Jearn to bring rhythm and good : dren’ lives and to the children of my ass"0oms. | already had them, inside. | had grown up with them abits to my own chil- Another important part of my childhood 4 doll play. At one Point my mother wondered if I'd ever stop playing with dollst But of course, she was the one who had cultivated this play form, sewing my clothes along with matching eis for my dolls. My doll play evolved as my own S86 OF Cevclop! eVolved, In my early years, | was their pretend mother. In the Middle years, | taught my dolls, setting them up in my own nd of the school year ment classroom, I would hang around at the © 2@..0 OO .:8..@: e « My Lifes My Work, Our Children to see if my own teachers were discarding any books or papers I might use in my school As | got older | learned to sew for my dolls. | recently came across a pair of doll pajamas my mother had made. At some point in my childhood, a fastener came off at the neck of the pajama top. | hacked a crude hole into the fabric and sewed a button to the opposite side. When my mother saw this, she said | needed to sew around that button hole so it wouldn't unravel. | can still see, some 50 years later, those orig- & inal stitches | carefully sewed around the hole | had so crudely made These early experiences led me into my career as a teacher of young children Not only do my class- room dolls still wear some of the clothes my mother is A made, but the children j SS enjoy doll play as much as I did, @ The doll corner was always a strong focus in my classroom, even among children who didn't otherwise play with dolls. Over the years, 3Beyond the Rainbow Bride parents and teachers have asked me how | engaged children in this type of play. It came naturally to the children in my class- es because of my own love of dolls In the same way that my mother and | bonded over dolls, my father and | bonded in the evenings over some corrective work | needed for a lazy eye condition. My father worked every night with me for an hour with a hand-held machine that was supposed to improve my eye coordination. He had already worked all day at his job and his work.with me cut into the time he could have spent with my mother and brothers. He did this work with me for years, and I feel that the warmth of his love and dedication combined with the effects of these daily eye exercises continues to bring me strength for my life and for my work with children Ironically, my father lost his own eyesight in later years, and he loved to have me read to him when I came for a visit. He provided a stable home life for the family and was a very involved parent. | remember skipping along beside him on our Saturday morning shopping trips. People in the stores would comment that there was no denying I was his daughter. I looked just like him. Those were special times: Meal times were also special. During supper, we loved to hear him tell stories of his youth or of when he was at college, and these stories made for happy family togetherness. My parents had been married for 65 years before my father died in 1995 The two of them truly gave me the gift of a solid and happy 4 POSS CHSSCHSSASSL ESE SO ReHSoeeEeeRaSE HELE@ 2.0.2.0 ,0,.0.0,.890.¢0CC8 66 e®@eeeeeoenseaege My Lifes My Work, Orr Children childhood with good role models to imitate. Their gift has strengthened me as a teacher. My Home My own children also taught me a lot about being a teacher. | learned again about consistency and rhythm from my own daughter. She was imaginative, social, and very lively. | discov- ered that confrontational discipline didn't work very well with her. Creating consistency and strong rhythms in our home was a more effective discipline tool My son was very different from my daughter. He was the more inward child, pale and thin with an early intellectual develop- ment He was small for his age. From him | learned how impor- tant it is to protect a child's senses. He was so sensitive that he could run a fever after a trip to a crowded department store. Because of his early intellectual development, he could verbal- ize what he felt about my parenting methods, thereby educat- ing his mother about things other children might only feel as an inner confusion, He transferred to the Rudolf Steiner School! in New York City in the fourth grade, and the resulting changes in him were remarkable. At first, after watching his classmates playing a | The oldest Waldorf school in North America, established in 1928. 5Beyond the Rainbow Bridge beanbag game intended to reinforce the multiplication tables, he expressed concern that he wasn't going to get very smart in a school where they just played. But over time his intellectual side balanced with all the artistic activities at the Waldorf school, and he even grew physically. My parents, who knew nothing about Waldorf education, at one point said that they wouldn't have recognized him if they had passed him on the street. And he was able to put his intellectual skills to good use Today he is a medical doctor. I must say that | did not seek out Waldorf education for my children, but rather found it through my husband's work as a minister. | actually resisted Anthroposophy? in the beginning, not finding the inner connection between what Rudolf Steiner wrote and my own background of life experiences, But litried to remain open to something my husband found very meaningful, and gradually came to value Steiner's teachings. | was most impressed with how quickly our children took up Waldorf edu- cation after five and three years in public school, respectively. My daughter's Waldorf teacher said that after about three days in the school, it was as if she had been there all along I became active in the school and went to parent evenings and classes in woodworking and even eurythmy, a movement art 2 Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) was an Austrian-born philosopher who founded a spiritual and cultural movement called Anthroposophy — "knowledge of the true nature of the human being.” See Appendix. 6 PeeenteeeoseseteoseeeaesesoeveeveaeanaeeaeeavetceP20000000009090909.99.9.0.0.0..0.0..0..0.0:0.9.0.0.0000 oy tf My Work, Our Children form created by SteiMe™ Before long, I knew I wanted to be a teacher but | didn't KO™ how I was going to get the neces. : ed to learn what I could about Waldorf ui sary t Icontit ‘ary training. | c g my children. education while ais | was a stay-at-home mom. Through our church | became snvolved with various CHHATERS Programs, as well as summer youth group. We even had children boarding camp anda teen {was a Very lively household I always felt fd at our house. Our: d their f rather have the children and their friends at our house; that they were So we were the gathering house ved in New York City. Before or after a f children would come to our house to way, I knew wher especially when we ! school event, groups ° dress or sleep over: We alea hada foster chill who lived with us for wo years ind of learning experience for me. | was that if you gave a child enough love and the ight atmosphere YO" could bring him or her along in a eee nat background. But this child, at eleven peen in five different foster homes before mother was an alcoholic This was another k under the impressi?! years of age, had she came to us. He! Wanda couldn't ake MOVE OF AWE back. The doctor near us likely due to her liver being damaged from drank before her birth. | remember the hus. | was going to read her a bedtime years old and she told me that no one said that it was most the alcohol her mothe first night she was wil story. She was eleve? 7Beyond the Rainbow Bride had ever read her a bedtime story before. There were many joys and sorrows trying to integrate this little girl into our fam- ily. She did adjust to living in our family, but only to a certain extent. We could bring her along only to a certain point because of her past experiences. This reinforced in me the importance of the early years of childhood. There are things we can't make up for later, things we can't get back. There are many techniques we can use therapeutically, but there are certain things from our early years that we cannot undo. These were important lessons for me to learn before | became a teacher. | learned a lot through that situation. They were not easy lessons. My Work When my own children were grown and off to university, my husband's work took us to California. This gave me the opportunity | had been hoping for. | enrolled in the teacher training program at the Waldorf Institute of Southern California and later accepted a position as an early childhood teacher at Highland Hall Waldorf School in Northridge, California Three years later we moved to Chicago. In the midst of my search for the next step as a Waldorf teacher, | met a person at a conference who offered a Waldorf-inspired home program. | returned from that meeting and realized | had a perfect place 8 Pc2eoteseFeseteoseeaseseenzeeesetesevece@ ; : ‘ 2 My Lifes My Work, Our Children for such a program in my own home. The lower floor of our Chicago home became River Park Children’s Garden, which | operated for eight years before coming to Great Oaks School in Evanston. At Great Oaks School my work includes con- sulting, mentoring, teaching parent-child class- es and serving on the Board of Directors. | also teach and mentor several students at Arcturus, the Chicago-based Waldorf Teacher Education program, where | teach early childhood classes for teachers and prospective teachers. 9 Lunchtime at River Park Children’s GardenBeyond the Reinbow Bridge lam grateful that my career continues to evolve even in my six- ties. It is out of my life experiences as a parent and teacher, and as a student of Rudolf Steiner and Anthroposophy, that | speak and write. Our Children It is my hope that this book will give parents insight into healthy child development, Waldorf education with its ideals and philosophy, and even the challenges of educating young children today and into the future. We have included the questions and comments of parents enrolled in the enrichment classes, Parents know the real questions to ask. Every day they earnestly work to give each of their children a healthy child- hood: This is i easy. task given the pace of the modern world and its distractions. The parents in my classes had such won- derful things to share! | think readers will feel a kinship with them as they read their comments and questions. Today's children are pushed into early sophistication due to the influences of our culture: Barbie dolls, television, car rides that race children quickly past all the ads and store signs, impres- sions they take deeply into their beings. But we cannot raise children in a vacuum, so we as parents have to pick and choose carefully what we expose them to in socie- ty. It has been said that what is normal today is not the same as 10My dife My Work, Our Children what is healthy. We must aim to have healthy children, protected in their early childhood from so-called normal experiences such as viewing violent television programs, Children absorb television messages and even billboard graphics through their sense impressions Television can even affect eye and speech development. The passivity of watching televi sion is at odds with the child's natural inclina- tion to be active, to do. Childien take in everything from thei environmentBeyond the Rainbow Bridge We must remember that our primary task with little children is to protect them and to provide good models for them to imitate. Children take into themselves everything they expe- rience in the environment. Whatever is in the children’s envi- ronment will be in them. Whatever is in them will affect their physical and spiritual growth. By positively affecting your chil- dren, you are beginning to impact your grandchildren’s lives! Following is an excerpt from a poem by Walt Whitman.? It inspired us as we wrote Beyond the Rainbow Bridge and illustrates so well that children actually become what is around them. We hope you will enjoy it as we did There Was-a Child Went Forth 2 poem from Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman There was a child went forth every day, And the first object be look’d upon, that object he became, And that object became part of im for the day or a certain part of the day, Or for many years or stretching cycles of years 3 Walt Whitman, Poem # 115, A Child Went Forth in The Oxford Book of American Verse, selected and with an introduction by R. O. Matthiessen (New York, Oxford University Press, 1950), 276. 12 PeeoeCeeoeseseeedsaeeaeserseeae,eaesesee5a0anuoeeseseeeaeseaneneeea@eeeege Seeeeseansveseeseoevaeveoeeee0 8000 ee sen iene SSR RESET SS CT Raising Healthy Happy, and Capable Children T dow't think there is anything that can match the joy that new parents feel upon welcoming their child into the world. In my experience, it is a feeling unlike any other. As we gaze at our new baby, another equally remarkable feeling rises to meet us. Like the Twelve Wise Women in Grimm's fairy tale, Little Briar-Rose, bestowing magic gifts upon the newborn princess, we suddenly find a longing in our hearts as deep and as poignant as our joy 13Welcome to this world Beyond the Rainbow Bridge is enlivening and exhilarating: we long to give our new baby the best life possible, to” grant her good health, and a life's journey which allows her special gifts to unfold Then, perhaps a bit later, comes the third remarkable feeling: fear. For how are we to do this in the world in which we live today? How are we to find a pathway which truly offers our baby what she needs, and what we want for her? Parental joy is a blessing and the longing that accompanies it is a guidepost for parents. Over 14 PeeeeaesseseeseeeeseseeoeeseeseeeesssoveeeSeeeeGenseoeseseseoeoavneedeeeaoe Gee eeoe6e® Rains Happy, Healthy, and Capable Chaldren the years, though, | have seen fear and uncertainty becoming stronger, Out of my own experience as teacher, parent, and grandparent, I have found that three cornerstones can serve as trustworthy, bedrock foundations for raising healthy, happy, and capable children. The first is an understanding of children’s development, for this teaches us to neither ask too much nor too little of our children as they grow. The second is an understanding of the importance of warmth for the growth and development of our children, to care for our children so that their bodies develop a strong capacity for warmth. And the third is an awareness of the gifts that life rhythms— daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly — bring to our children These are the three cofnerstones for raising healthy children that I will be describing today. Growing into Life Babies take in their environment without discrimination. All impressions go deeply within: an infant takes in sound and color, feels how he is being handled and absorbs even the atti tude of his mother as she cares for him. He absorbs all his sur- roundings as sense impressions, and is unable to judge or filter them. During this time, we must be the protective barriers for our babies.™ Beyond the Rainbow Bridge According to Rudolf Steiner, infants’ sense impressions. "ripple, echo, and sound" throughout the whole of their bodies From this perspective, what infants take in as impressions affects their life forces and thereby how their bodies develop and the ability of their organs to function rhythmically.! This remains the case particularly throughout the first seven years and most dramatically during infancy. Birth to Two-and-a-Half Years Let's imagine we are holding a tiny, newborn baby in our arms What are our first impressions? Steiner noted that the life forces in an infant work mainly in the head, developing the nervous system. We can see that her head accounts for one fourth of her total length and is as broad as her whole chest,” her jaw is small with a receding chin, and her features are rounded and soft. Her arms are short, and her pelvis and legs less developed than the rest of her body. The newborn's organs are still developing both their structure and their ability to function rhythmically, You will notice that a new baby breathes unevenly. We can help our infants develop healthy inner rhythms by surrounding them with the repetitive rhythms of daily life. An infant's movements are also 1 Rudolf Steiner, The Essentials of Education, Stuttgart, April 8-11, 1924, Lecture 2, trans. Jesse Darrell (London: Rudolf Steiner Press, 1926), 36. 16 SCOSSCHSSSHeSHOSHHSSHSSSoSLASLESERSELE LSie Resing Hayy, Healthy, and Cepeble Children 2s chaotic. If you watch a hun- gry baby, you will see tremendous activity and flailing of limbs. As babies adjust to their household's ee thythms and begin to imitate adult movements, they grad- ually become more orderly in their own activity? During this first stage the | most important achievements of the young child are in the areas of speaking, walking and the more instinctive aspects of thinking. The infant begins this develop. ment as soon as he is born, for crying is the beginning of speech. As the infant develops, his speech evolves into that universal babbling we all know. Babbling is initially the same for babies all around the world. Soon this babbling differen- tiates into sounds ending in “ah” such as "mama," "ba ba," and "da da," then into sounds specific to the parents’ language. He first names the people and objects in his surroundings and e e e e e e @ e e e e e e 8 ® ® e e e ® e e e e ® @ e ae Beyond the Ravnbow Bridge communicates with one-word sentences. Then, he adds verbs that-bring these names into action. Finally, we hear simple, complete sentences and a sudden blossoming of more verbal interaction: our toddler seems to chatter all day long. Something similar is happening in our baby's physical body. A newborn child cannot hold up her head without support, but gradually her neck grows strong enough to support her heavy head. Over the next few months, the infant begins to roll over and sit up, and to develop stronger arm and chest muscles. These early movements lay the foundation for walking. As the legs and lower torso develop, the skill of crawling emerges. Movement and speech development are so imterrelat- ed that speech therapists often prescribe crawling exercises to help older children with speech difficulties It is quite wonderful to watch the development of a child in these first years of life. He tries over and over to accomplish the tasks of sitting, crawling, and walking. No matter how many times he falls down, he never gives up trying. An inner drive says, "I will do this!” A photo of my oldest granddaugh- ter, so proudly finding her equilibrium in space, says this so well. In the picture, she is walking with both arms up in the air. She had let go of all other supports but was still holding on to heaven!Reiring Hay, Healthy, end Capable Children TRAE I STE STRESS TA i 5 Still holding on to heaven Imitation plays a large role in speech development. If we speak well around children, they will also speak well. Steiner was among the first educators to ask us to refrain from using baby talk when speaking to young children, and to avoid correcting their speech. Simply speaking properly in the presence of the | child leads to proper speech development.3 3 Rudolf Steiner, “The Child Before the Seventh Year.” in Understanding Young Children: Extracts from Lectures by Rudolf Steiner Compiled for the Use of Kindergarten Teachers, December 23, 1921 to January 7, 1922 (London: Anthroposophical Publishing Company, 1948), 1-7. 6 ° ° e a e e e e @ e e e @ e ® @ @ e @ ® eo. ® e e e e e ® e e e eo a 2Beyond the Raiebow Bridge We can think back to our newborn baby who had two main activities — eating and sleeping. Then, we can follow her development during the first two years as she learns to sit, crawl, stand, and walk independently. She explores and dis- covers the world around her through movement and develops speech out of babbling We become aware that all these steps are part of our baby's awak- ening into the world. As our child moves through these ever- changing stages, we need to adjust our ways of relating to her. Two-and-a-Half to Five Years The main physical feature of this middle period of early child- hood is observed in the growth’ of the torso. With this shift in growth, we see an emphasis on broadening and filling out of the trunk area, particularly the chest. Our child's life forces now work mainly in the upper chest area, primarily in the heart and lungs. As the trunk becomes the focal point of the child's growth, the proportion of head to total length changes to one- fifth. What we often call the "toddler tummy’ is usually large and somewhat fatty looking, causing the whole torso to resem- ble an oval. Our toddler does not yet have a clear waistline or visible curve in the back. What has become of the head in the meantime? Our toddler's chin has come somewhat forward, his upper lip protrudes 20 PreseoaeseeveasseesneeeaeaseseaneeseeseeasoeceeBOSS 19D 9S TTF OLED FOSS OOVE Ratsing Hapry, Healthy, slightly over the lower lip, and his face has become more expressive. His neck has also grown longer. His legs and arms have both filled out more, though there is still no strong growth in the legs. Our.two-and-a-half to five- year-old’s movements have become increasingly more agile and coordinated. She climbs everything and runs with ever-greater steadiness and speed, as any parent who has tried catching a runaway child will confirm We can also see a similar inner development. When our tod- dler is somewhere around two-and-a-half years of age, we begin to notice his developing memory. According to Steiner,* this early memory has its basis in imitation: "A child imitates 4 Rudolf Steiner, The Roots of Education, Lecture 3, April 13-17, 1924 (London: Rudolf Steiner Press, 1968), 36. al sud Capable Children‘Beyond the Rainbow Bride something one day. The next day and the day following, he does it again, and the action is not only performed outwardly but also right into the innermost parts of his physical body. This is the basis of memory." Children first develop an associative memory. Seeing a cookie tin will trigger the memory of taking cookies to Grandma. However, if you ask what she did that morning your toddler may not be able to recall the events. At the time, she may say she doesn't remember or may say very little. But sometime, days or even weeks later, some object or event will spark the childs memory, and a whole story will come flooding out in full detail. At this stage, it is best to refrain from asking chil dren such questions because it places a demand on them that they are not ready for developmentally. Around the age of three, a child begins to refer to himself as "I" Until then, he referred to himself as “me," or as his proper name, such as Tommy or Johnny. But one day a parent or teacher may hear, “I don't want to do what you want me to do 1 want to do what I want to do.” Your child has reached a new stage. With this first experience of self as a separate being, thinking begins to awaken.> She dev- elops a clearer sense of time—yesterday, today, tomorrow — 5 Karl Koenig, The First Three Years of the Child (Spring Valley, NY: Anthroposophic Press, 1969), 48-49. 22 Peeer es Sse gseeeaeaseGPoeoasesaneoeenetoesveteaESRI AEST Racing Hayy, Healy, and Capable Chaldren though it will be some time well in the future before she really understands what “We're leaving in five minutes" means. Her newly developed capacities of speech and memory are the basis for this awakening thinking. We used the example of the sight of the cookie tin sparking a memory of taking cookies to grandma's house. Gradually, a young child's memory becomes more independent and does not need visual cues to recall events or experiences. Closely following the “I” stage is the “no” stage. Even if your son normally would want to do something you have asked him to do, he may now say “no.” How we, the adults, react to that “no” is important. If we become flustered or reactive, our three- year-olds will imitate that. If it is time to wash hands, we should simply go with our child and both of us should wash our hands We must look a bit past the "no." Our toddlers are trying it on for size, as we would try ona pair of shoes. If we are not con frontational, both parent and child will be happier, though this doesn’t mean backing off from a necessary task. But say- ing a rhyme, singing a song, or doing a task with your child will often bring the resistant will of the three-year-old along A well-placed bit of humor works wonders during the “no” stage. At approximately age three, children are able to express their feelings more readily and may now show more affection. Your 3Be Beyond the Rainbow Bride child may crawl up on your lap for a hug in a way that didn't happen before. Children also develop more facility with lan- guage during this stage and begin to use adjectives to express how they feel about things. Earlier they may have asked for a cookie. Now, they may ask for a yummy chocolate cookie Another aspect of this stage of language development is the delightful use of made-up words. Our child plays with language in a very creative way and loves to listen to stories, especially at bedtime. This interest in stories grows out of and helps develop her expanding vocabulary and greater understanding of language This is also the age of “why.” They will ask, “Why?" over and over but may not be very interested in our answers. They are exploring the fact.that they can ask. It is a great temptation for adults to offer complete scientific answers in response. But a simple poetic answer is just fine and is really all they need at this stage, “Why is it dark outsides" "Father Sun is asleep now. He will come back in the morning to wake us up.” For a child between three and five years of age, this is a fine explanation of the earth revolving around the sun. Our youngster’ social skills are also developing. He goes from the parallel play of the two-year-old to the interactive play of the three-, four-, and five-year-old. However, the ‘I’ and “no” phases of the three-year-old are often followed by the well- known period of stubbornness around the age of four or four- and-a-half, When confronted or opposed, our four-year-old 24 SrXPFHSHSHSHSSSHSSHSHSSGCHeeHSaneaeeneesseseReiting Happy, Healthy, and Capable Children can really dig in his heels and be quite a challenge. As much as he enjoys playing with friends, sharing his toys'can be hard for him. As he approaches the end of this stage, he enters a more harmonious period. Some educators have even referred to the five-year-old stage as a grace period Five to Seven Years Between the ages of five and seven years, children undergo big changes in physical development, and we see a growth spurt particularly in the legs. Overnight the child seems to have outgrown all her clothes, especially long pants. At this “age, the life forces mainly work in the limbs. The loss of the padding of baby fat makes muscles and joints more visible. The "toddler tummy” disappears with the slimming of her abdomen. The spinal column takes on a maturing curve and a defined waistline appears. Play is more goal-oriented, more thought out, as the five-‘Beyond the Rainbow Bridge Play dates with chosen friends become very important to seven-year-old 'can now-better direct his or. her own actions. You can observe the purpose- ful run of a six-year-old as contrasted with the purely joyful run of a three-year-old. After repeated efforts, children acquire real skill on the climbing bars at the playground and want to show their newfound agility to whomever will watch Other changes we can see at this stage include greater memory development, which can make it more difficult for parents and teachers to dis- tract children from inappropriate behavior: 26 BeeeeeS SO eee ee 88088888 HHHHHH BHR OS@eeeeeoteeoeveeeveeeeeveoevseeeeeoeeevoevaeen0ee8 8 e 80 Racing Hayy, Healy and Copele Calder now they remember what they wanted to do and will likely persist in trying to do it! Your child's sentences become more complex, and he may even shock you by using slang or swear words heard elsewhere. Expressions of sassy back talk as well as stronger bouts of anger over perceived injustices are all part of this transition period. The six-year-old is approaching school age and struggling to adjust to his newly developing capacities Our five- to seven-year-old grows much more aware of her relationships to peers. Play dates-with chosen friends become very important. Her play world broadens from home and back- yard to encompass the whole block. At dinnertime, parents now have to search in and around neighbors’ homes for their child. Our older youngster now plays more sophisticated street games, with fules and shared equipment such as bicycles, jump ropes, balls, and chalk. She has a sense of freedom with her friends, but parents know they still need to keep a watchful eye. The Importance of Warmth Steiner taught that warmth supports life and is, therefore, a foundation of all health and development. We sense warmth even before birth, through the warmth of our mother’s womb As adults, we can generate our own warmth, but infants cannot do this very well. Babies must rely on their parents to provide body contact, proper clothing, and blankets to keep them 7Beyond the Rainbow Bride warm. In many traditional cultures, mothers still swaddle their infants and keep their babies close to their bodies, especially during the first year. Dr Andrea Rentea, a physician practicing Anthroposophically extended medicine, explains, “A newborn who is shown around just after birth without being wrapped first for warmth, may end up in the incubator and need extra heat because he cannot maintain his own bodily heat.”6 It takes both care and effort to maintain warmth in-a fragile infant. Placing the newbern on the mother’s abdomen at birth rein- forces warmth by giving the infant some of the mother's own body heat. Likewise, oils such as calendula. baby oil or -almond oil‘support warmth. A baby who wears a hat and is swaddled after birth probably will be ablé to sustain his own warmth Toddlers playing on the cold floor need the good insulation of natural fiber rugs so that their legs don't lose warmth. In 6 The Anthroposophical approach to healing is an extension of conventional medicine and is based on a comprehensive view of the human being as devel- oped by Rudolf Steiner. Steiner's approach to the medical arts represents an inte- gration of homeopathy, aromatherapy, naturopathy, vitalism, and Paracelsian medicine informed by his own insights and experience. Those interested in exploring this approach to healing may wish to read Au Introduction to Anthroposophic Medicine, a collection of essays and lectures by Rudolf Steiner, pub- lished by Anthroposophic Press, 1999, Hudson, NY. 28 eecoeeeeeaeenseeoseoeeseeeoseeoeneneoeoeese ene 08 @@eeeeeteeoveeeedensveoed ee 80088 @ @ Reng Haggy, Healthy, and Capable Children Europe, there is a folk saying that all the months with an “R” are months for babies to wear tights or long stockings made of wool or wool and silk. Seventy percent of a child's body heat is lost through the head, so hats become very important in main- taining warmth. Pre-school children do not.seem to know if they are feeling cold. If you ask them, they will usually say they are not cold, even though they may feel cold to the touch. They have not yet completely developed this inner sense. Dr. Rentea suggests that the child who has to expend her own energy to keep warm has fewer forces for growing a healthy body. This would also sug- gest that such a child would have less energy to devote to her overall development as well. We must protect her warmth by dressing her appropriately with natural fiber gloves, scarves,” layers of clothing such as vests, tee. shirts and sweaters. And what is more comforting to a child in the winter months than sitting by a warm stove, sipping a cup of time-tested hot fennel, chamomile, or rose hip tea, or warm, spiced apple cider? Spices such as marjoram, thyme, oregano, dill, and curries provide added warmth and flavor-enhancing qualities to a winter's meal It may surprise you to learn that childhood illnesses also sup- port the development of a childs ability to sustain a healthy level of warmth. If you look at childhood illnesses, you will see that, unlike adult illnesses, they usually involve fever. Dr Rentea’s observation is that children who have had lots of fever 29Beyond the Rainbow Bridge illnesses in childhood grow up to be adults whose capacity for both soul and physical warmth is strong. In a Waldorf early childhood classroom, we protect and nour- ish warmth by making sure that the children are dressed appro- priately for the weather. In addition, we ask parents to provide a change of clothes and an extra sweatshirt or sweater for unex- pected changes in the weather. The Importance of Rhythm When more people depended directly upon nature for their living, their lives were, of necessity, more rhythmic. They ree ognized that the rhythms of their days, their weeks, and even the seasons of the year supported them by. yielding to them what they needed to live. Beyond that, they instinctively knew that these rhythms gave them added strength for their work, that they were good for people. Monday was wash day, Tuesday was ironing day, and so on, right through to the week- end, with Saturday being baking day, and Sunday set aside for church, visiting, and resting up for the new week. This routine gives children great security. I know that asa child | felt this in my life because my mother created these rhythms in our home. You'll find references to the chores of the week in children’s songs and rhymes, such as Here We Go ‘Round the Mulberry Bush.7 7 See page 141 30©eevveesesr eeoeevne®evneanseeeeeseod ee ee oe me wa a REET ES Rains Hepp, Healthy, and Capable Children Likewise, until quite recently, many people did their work to rhythmical songs. There were harvesting songs, rowing songs, songs about sawing wood. As people worked together to the thythm of music, their tasks needed less individual strength These songs enhanced the strength of the workers and made their jobs less stressful But if we look at our own lives, what has become of this rhythm? With automatic washers and dryers, we can throw in a load of wash any time, without regard to weekly rhythms. We. may no longer have an ironing day, either. We can choose to iron just one item today, as needed, or avoid it altogether by purchasing clothes that don't need ironing. Children no longer see the tasks of daily life in a process from beginning to com- -pletion, None of us would like to give up our modern conven- iences, but these rhythms did give children a sense of security and a sense that life had real form Margret Meyerkort, a retired English Waldorf kindergarten teacher, says that if children have regular external rhythms, then internal rhythms begin to develop for them as well. If din- ner is at a regular time each day, the childs digestive juices will begin to flow as dinnertime approaches. If bedtime is regular, then children begin to feel drowsy as you are getting them ready for sleep, telling them a story, saying a prayer or verse: Their physical bodies and life forces adjust themselves to this routine. 31Beyond the Rainbow Brifge Without the rhythms of life, our children feel like travelers to another time zone. If we jet across the ocean, we must com- pensate for the time change and the disturbances to our inter- nal rhythms by becoming more self-aware. We would place our children in a similar state every day if we did not give them consistent rhythms at home. An arrhythmic home life can actually cut short a part of childhood by forcing a child to wake up too soon out of the dreamy consciousness of childhood. A child’s energies can be stretched beyond her limits in an effort to maintain balance in a situation lacking in rhythm: We all know that bodily rhythm is an indicator of health or ill- ness. A doctor checks the patient's internal rhythms of heart, blood pressure, and pulse during an examination. When the patient has irregularities in these rhythms, these may indicate, illness. Rhythms can also help maintain a person's strength when a jogger is stopped momentarily by a red light, she will tun in place while waiting for the light to change, not wishing to break her rhythm Some parents feel they cannot create rhythm for their chil- dren within their busy modern lives. Here, [ remind parents that we all are born into a world of rhythms. These uncon- scious, cosmic rhythms can support us: the seven days of the week, the rising and setting of the sun, the phases of the moon, the changing of the seasons. We don't have to do 32 eecovoeoeeaseseeoeeeoeeneeeeeveaeneoneee Se eeee seeeeoevenr?eveeseseeeeoeveeseeeneesees eevee & Raising Hayy Healthy, axd Capable Chuldven. anything to create these rhythms. They are a gift to us from the world of nature in which we live, and they can support us as we work to create rhythms for our children. When we provide supporting rhythms at home and school, we help our children connect in a stronger way with rhythms of nature Rhythms at School In a Waldorf kindergarten . classroom, these supportive rhythms are evident throughout the morning. We build into our schedule “breathing in’ and “breathing out" times (or contracting and expanding times) to maintain a balance for the children which is neither boring nor over-stimulating. An _ example is our morning routine. First, there is a “breathing out” as the children arrive and have a short free playtime Then, circle time follows as a "breathing in" or contracting activity where we come together to express our circle verses and songs through large and small movements. Afterward, the children “breathe out” again during the longer morning play- time and expand into their play. At clean-up and snack, they again “breathe in." As we play outside, they "breathe out" and finally, during our story and good-bye circle, they “breathe in" once more. Rhythm is also a great aid to discipline. If children feel secure in knowing what is coming next, they are more willing to "go 33Beyond the Rainbow Bridge with the’ flow.” An image of what is coming next in the day wells up within them to mect the outer activity brought by the teacher. When the children see the teachers putting away their own work and setting the tables for snack, they know it will soon be clean-up time. We put chairs in their appropriate places and start our tidying up. We always put toys away in the same order. First, we put away larger pieces like play stands, and then large stumps of wood and, wooden boards. Next we gather up things that belong in baskets or on shelves—seashells, stones, wooden figures, kitchen things. Lastly, we fold cloths and put them in baskets. As much as possible, we put things away in the same places every day, so our children soon learn where everything belongs and feel encouraged. to’help. All of this « creates a classroom environment where children always know what to expect and are secure in the certainty that their needs will be met. Rbythms at Home We can carry these same rhythms into our homes and bring an awareness of this “breathing” quality as we arrange the activi- ties of the day. We can plan our day at home with a young child so there is time to play outdoors, time to play inside, time to play with someone else, time to play alone, time to eat, and time to rest. 34 eeoeooeseeeeveeeoeeeveneeanavneseaseeeeesteeee 8 @CoOoOHCHF ESSE SHES SH SCHSC CLOSE H ORE LE OE EEE Reining Hagyy, Healthy, and Capable Chadron Gathering treasures from the back yard Even in homes where both parents work, rhythm can become part of each day. You can establish regular routines for waking up and preparing for the day, you and your child can lay out her clothes the night before. Family breakfast and dinner become even more special if a child is going to school all day or is ina day care program. You might create a bedtime routine that could include sharing a little from each other’ day, a story and goodnight verse. On weckends, try alternating relaxing 35Beyond the Rainbow Bridee times at home with more active outdoor play to create: the breathing quality | mentioned earlier. 1 am aware that some parents’ workdays have irregular hours that would make even this schedule difficult to establish. The goal is to help the child have anchor points in each day and to work with each situation as creatively as possible Of course, this is more challenging when there are other chil- dren of different ages in the family. But you will find that even small rhythms that are part of the day's schedule will help your young child. Simple things like allowing children to set the table for supper at a certain time each day, perhaps with placemats and flowers, can change the whole atmosphere of the evening meal Marking the changing seasons within the year through paitic-” ular activities brings seasonal rhythms into home life. For example, autumn, harvest time, is the kitchen time of year. It can be a time of canning and freezing. It can be a time of gath- eting in the harvest. Apple picking and peeling, preparing pies for baking are seasonal activities in which children can partic- ipate. It is a great time for gathering objects from nature. You can create a simple nature table from objects collected from outdoors: acorns, leaves, and special stones your children pick up on a walk. These are great treasures to children and con- nect them with what is going on in nature at that particular season. 36 @eeoeooesnesseseseeoeeseanevoseeaeneeeseoseoeed eseRasring Happy, Healthy, and Capable Claldren Celebrating the festivals at home can also The masic delight your children. When they see you of candlelight preparing for a certain holiday and taking out familiar decorations, children are filled with memeries of the celebration from last year These holiday celebrations give them confi- dence that wonderful, special times all come around again Each season has a special quality. When the outer light becomes dimmer as days grow shorter, we prepare for festivals such as 37 eoeeevseteeesetetosvese ooo osesBeyond the Rainbow Bridge Hanukkah or Christmas that celebrate the strength of our inner light. Conversely, in summer we expand in the light and warmth, appreciating the dreamy quality of the’ season Children take in deeply these special qualities of the changing year and are nourished by them. Questions from Parents Parent: Parent: Barbara I love to hear about how you were raised, Barbara, and I'm not surprised that you had a wonderful and rhythmic childhood. However, | grew up in a fami- ly of eight children with a mother who was harried Life was crazy for her, and she was always doing laundry and running to catch up. | find myself doing the saine thing in my olvn life, As an adult how can | catch that rhythmical sense and pass it on to my children? I can't seem to make it happen. Me too! I feel chaotic inside and sometimes my needs are very different from those of my children. In the afternoons, | sometimes feel a need to get out of the house when the children might really need to be inside. How can | balance their needs and my own? I would start small. Take one aspect of your day and ask how you can make a beautiful rhythm out of that 38 @eeceoseeeoesneseeanen eeeoceoerenteeesertetoeeseeeeseseoeeseore Parent: Barbara: Parent: Barbara: Parent: Reins Hayy. Healthy, and Capable Children one.activity. When you feel you have. penetrated that activity with a new rhythm, select another one. Could you give an example of this one activity? How about dishes? That's something we all do. Try to create a routine for the task. How do you clear the table? Become interested in the task at’ hand. Your children will take this in, too. Your attitude is so important. Are we rushing to get the dishes done or are we concentrating on one dish at a time? My house is totally out of control. The children and | eat without my husband almost every night. We have dinner, then just leave the dishes. By then it's * bedtime. I get the children in bed too late and go to sleep myself without getting the dishes done. When the house is in chaos, the next day the kids don't function as well, either. They don't seem to be able to get their play together An earlier suppertime could make a big difference This will give the children a little extra playtime while you clean up. And they will have a healthier digestion time before bed [always wonder if | am too rigid because | like beds made, dishes done. Am | too inflexible? However, 39Parent, Barbara: Parent: Parent, Barbara Beyond the Rairbow Bridge what you are saying today is reinforcing that maybe I'm OK in trying to bring order. | have to deal with my own rhythms in order to meet my daughter's needs. I know what you mean about dealing with your tasks while considering their rhythms too. It's difficult! It's always a juggling game isn't it? We need to find the middle point in such situations between rigidity and formlessness. But if | do something they'd like to participate in themselves, we always have an explosive situation Sometimes | can't do the planning ahead to have them help me or | feel, “Just let me do it fast, by myselfi" Sometimes ] remember to get them working on a cookie sheet or on the floor to prevent the spilling of little beans or scraps of fabric. Then I can work with them present without them making a bigger mess to clean up afterwards Including our children in our daily home tasks is a real art. Try thinking ahead of ways to do this so that you are prepared when the time comes. Your child's positive response will reward your effort. 40 e e e ® e e e e e ° e e ° e e e e e ® e e e e e e e e e e e@e¢e0 Raising Happy, Healthy, and Capable Chaldren Parent: At our house the days of the-week have an irregular pattern. Every day is different. I teach one evening then the next afternoon. I'd like to figure out how they can know what wé are doing each day. It would be nice if they knew what day we were going out, staying in, etc Barbara: We've discovered in our Early Childhood classes that children don't learn the days of the week by Monday, Tuesday, etc., but by "baking day" or “painting day". They learn by the activity they will do that day. Try to find one thing they can be involved in each day that identifies that day. eggs on Sunday? Barbara: Yes, that's a way to identify the day for the children Other ways might include bed changing day or the day the playroom is cleaned, and toys are sorted and | Parent. How-about our pattern of pancakes on Saturday, { ordered on the shelves : Parent, Tread a book a while ago about an Amish commu- nity. I was so touched by how this female character saw no drudgery or frenzy in this hard working life The idea of setting the table was satisfying to her! My own two-year-old wants to help set the table all the time. I love to watch the simple beauty of her Al eesesetoeeaseet®etvneeneseoneveeoeot denon e @Parent Barbara Parent: Barbara Beyond the Rainkon Bride putting out the placemats. It makes me want to cry when | think of the times | didn’t want her to help and just rushed to get the task done myself My mom had order, But there was no bending of this. It felt rigid at the time. However, | guess those thythms are in me because I find I'm not happy with- out them in my life. That's a good point. We have to maintain a flexi- bility and receptivity to life and cannot hold wash day above all else. We must not become slaves to the schedule. But if we have a basic plan of what we'd like to do with our days, things go a lot smoother. I have one child. God bless you moms with more! | don't know how you do it! Finding my rhythms sometimes depletes me by the afternoon. I'm feeling resentful and its way before supper. There is no relief in sight from my husband. I'm not skillful at creating quiet time. I'm working on having my son be more independent at age three. | would like him to play alone sometimes. | really don't always want to sit and read to him That's a very common problem. Then it is time to go outside. Change the scene. Get some fresh air. 42 ® e ° ° ° e ° ° ° ° ° e e e e e ° ° e e e e « e e e e@eeeoevetPeovenveesesvaseaeeeoaneoeeeeenvnene eee ee Parent: Parent Barbara Parent Barbara Parent: Raising Hayy Healthy, and Capable Children How about having an eighth grade girl come in? Children love older kids. But what if it’s their nap time and they don't nap anymore and I'm tired? T used to tell my children that even if they weren't tired, | was, and they could play in their rooms for half an hour. That's all you need: sometimes to feel a little bit freer. Or stretch out on the bed together and read a book. Meals seem so all over the place for us. Our daugh- ter isn’t hungry at breakfast time. Our suppertime varies from 6 to 8 P.M. |-feel a little guilty about it Baths are late. Bedtime is then late, too. And the next morning is a holy terror as a result At first try to shorten the time so there isn't a two- hour range you are dealing with in the supper hour. You may not be able to aim for 5:30 P.M. but how about between 5:30 and 7:00 PM.? When this is in place, try shortening the range even more. It helps me to plan dinner ahead in the morning. On busy days dinner will be a quick preparation of pre-cooked soup or a stir-fry. | use casseroles 43Barbara Parent: Barbara Beyond the Rainbow Bridge and my:crock pot to speed things along in the evening. I hope everyone leaves today with new ideas for creating a rhythmic schedule in your life and the lives of yotir children. It can be a real challenge with all the distractions of everyday life, but the benefits for your family are well worth the effort involved Are there any further questions about the presenta- tion this morning? I'd like to go back to what you said earlier about children wearing hats. What about during the sum- mer months? We believe children should wear hats even in warm weather. Children need about 20 minutes of sun per day for the vitamin D it provides for their bones, but Dr. Rentea believes that beyond this exposure, it is a mistake to be out in the direct unprotected sunlight between 10 A.M. and 2 P.M. All children regardless of skin color will have cumulative damage from the sun's rays, if over-exposed. There is definitely an increase in skin cancers linked to sun exposure and sunburn, regardless of the age at which they occurred. 44 @eeesee esses esenseosesveeoseeeeeneoeoeteoevet ea