Development, Readiness, and the Tooth Fairy

Recently, my daughter's second teeth have begun coming in and there is a great deal of excitement about this developmental milestone.

In Waldorf education, this is a significant step towards academic readiness.  Children typically enter first grade at the age of seven, when most children are beginning to lose their teeth.  Obviously, the growth of new permanent teeth alone does not mean a child is ready for first grade.  There are other things as well.  These include the ability to tie one's own shoes, care for oneself by buttoning and zipping clothes, getting washed, etc.  Being able to walk a low balance beam, throw and catch a ball, skip, and hop on one foot. A child should be able to sit for a longer period of time and be able to focus on the given activity.  She should also be able to track a line of text from left to right, even though she is not expected to be able to read the text.

I feel like I need to say a few things about these skills and what we expect of children.  As I said, these are some of the things a Waldorf teacher looks for in a child who will be entering first grade.  At the age of seven.  I used to be a public school Kindergarten teacher, and most of these were things we looked for in children who were entering Kindergarten.  At the age of  five.  We are expecting more and more of our young children and when they don't deliver, they are often diagnosed, labeled, or otherwise considered challenged.  But I digress, that will have to be a post for another day.

So what do you do when you're in a situation, like myself, when the child is young, but showing all the signs of readiness and more?  My dear girl is still a young five, but looks about seven.  She reads, writes, is wonderfully athletic and artistic, and loves to learn.  But she is five.  She has the emotional and spiritual needs of a five year old.  If she were to attend a school of any sort this might cause some issues. 

However, I am in the fortunate position of being able to homeschool.  I can be as flexible as I want.  So yes, we do some first grade work, modified to her needs and abilities, and we spend most of the day doing other kindergarten things.  Playing, singing, cooking, making art.  Remember when kindergarten used to include those things?  In most places, it doesn't anymore.  The public school children where I live don't have art or music in kindergarten, and only have Physical Education once every couple of weeks.  Not to mention a long school day with little or no recess.

I guess what I'm saying is that we need to honor the developmental stage our children are in, whether they are behind, ahead of, or right on the typical schedule.  Celebrate the changes when they come, but don't push them to get there.  They do grow up too fast after all.

So, for now, we're getting ready for a visit from the tooth fairy.  I'm sure she'll be visiting in a couple of weeks.  I wonder what she'll leave?  There are so many wonderful ideas I have found for little tooth fairy gifts.  All simple, but sweet.  A little more meaningful than just slipping some money under the pillow.  (Besides, you wouldn't believe the exchange rate for teeth these days!  Yikes!)

Here are some of the things I have found.  First, a little poem/story about what the tooth fairy does with the teeth she finds.  I found this poem on several sites, and I can't find who the original author is, so my apologies and not giving him/her credit.

 This night it is a special night
As fairies dance upon the roof.
All the fairies must alight,
For _______ just lost a tooth!

The Fairy Queen gives her commands-
Twelve bright fairies must join hands
Then together in a circle stands
To guard _____ while s/he sleeps.

The Tooth Fairy into the circle leaps
The hidden tooth she takes
Ah, but has far to go
Before ______ awakes.

Three times around the world she flies
Over valleys deep and mountains high;
Skirts the storm clouds thick with thunder,
Wings over waves all wild with wonder.

Deep within their earthly homes
Finally she finds the gnomes,
Who upon the tooth must work
Never once their duty shirk.

Some are hammering, hammering, hammering,
Some the bellows blow
Others sweat at the sweltering forge
And then cry out, "Heigh Ho!"

The tooth's been turned to a shining stone,
A glimmering, glowing gem
The tooth Fairy takes the gnomes' good gift,
And bows (curtsies) to all of them.
Before the sun's first rays are shown,
She returns to _____’s bed,
And then - - - away she's flown!

This of course, would make it only natural to leave some sort of gem or crystal as a ittle gift.  I have also heard of people leaving one gemstone bead for each tooth lost.  Eventually, when they have all been exchanged, all the beads are left for the tooth fairy to collect and they are returned the next day, all strung together into a little bracelet. 

If you don't like to break with the tradition of leaving coins, there are a few neat options.  I have heard of someone leaving  coins from around the world, showing where the tooth fairy has been.  My husband came across these beautiful Tooth Fairy coins, which you'd have to purchase, but are really pretty cool.  Here is a different site with beautiful Tooth Fairy coins.

Here is a site with all sorts of special tooth fairy gifts.  I prefer to make my own, even if my children don't know they're from me, it makes them a little more special.  But you can get some really good ideas from looking around.  Have fun!

Got Stuff?

It is preoccuation with possessions, more than anything else,

that prevents us from living freely and nobly.

~ Thoreau

It's the time of year when many of us are working on New Year's resolutions.  A topic I have encountered many times recently is that of materialism, clutter, and trying to live more simply.

For some of us, cleaning and getting rid of things we don't use is an easy and emotionally satisfying activity.  For others, it can be overwhelming and entirely traumatic.  We tend to get attached to our "things" and when they hold, or once held, meaning for us it is difficult to part with them.  Or perhaps the environmentalist in us keeps things with the intent of re-using or upcycling them, saying to ourselves, "Perhaps someday, I'll find a use for this" and then it gets packed away and more often than not, forgotten about.

Before you know it, there are boxes piled up in your attic/basement/closets/living spaces and you don't even know what their contents are.  So where do you begin?  How can you even begin to tackle the sorting out of your belongings?

I think it's really important to do some serious self-reflection about why we save/purchase things in the first place.  Identify where all this stuff came from in the first place!  Then you can stop making excuses and take some steps to simplify at least that part of your life.

"But I'm an environmentalist, and everything can be re-used, recycled, or upcycled.  I hate to just send something to the landfill."  Listen, I'm an enivronmentalist too.  That doesn't mean I'm going to turn my own home into an indoor landfill.  Saving something because it "might" be of use later is a lovely idea, but perhaps it could be of use to someone now!  Post it on Craig's List, Free Cycle, or sell it on EBay.  Have a yard sale.  Donate it to Goodwill or Salvation Army, or some other charity.  (Most of those places will even come to your house to pick your donations up!)  Unless it is truly just junk.  Then you need to get rid of it.  Seriously.  Stick it in the recycling bin.

"But it was so inexpensive!  And look, I got five of them!"  Good for you.  Thanks for keeping the ecomomy afloat like a good American.  Now where are you going to put it/them?  Oh, wait, you have no room in your closet/shelves/drawers?  Just because it's cheap, doesn't mean you need it.  And beware of buying some things in bulk.  Sure, you'll use up those thirty rolls of toilet paper, but do you really need a ten pound bag of walnuts?  Unless you're feeding hoardes of squirrels, they'll go bad before you can eat them. 

"But it really was so inexpensive!"  The same thing goes for yard sales, thrift shops, and discount stores, folks.  Just because you can doesn't mean you should.  If you wouldn't bother to save up money and purchase it down the road, then you probably don't need it in the first place.  Control yourself.  And let your children see you control your purchasing impulses.  They might learn something about saving up for things they really want and how not to fall for instant gratification.

"But I can't throw that away!  It has sentimental value!"  This can be tricky, and gets back to our emotional attachment to objects.  Seeing something special reminds us of a certain time/place/feeling, and it's nice to relive those special moments.  This is especially true of our children's items.  That little lock of hair from their first haircut, the first tooth they lost etc.  Things like these are special and are treasures to share when they grow up.  But let's face it, most of the junk we keep is just junk.  Let yourself have one small trunk to keep your own personal treasures in (maybe one for each member of your family?) and keep to that limit.  I have one that I keep my old horse show trophies and varsity letters in, along with my old yearbook.  That kind of thing.  An broken old waffle iron, for example, does not fit into the sentimental value category, even if your dear old mother did make the best waffles in the world with it.

So you get the idea.  Redefine for yourself what "want" and "need" really mean.  Make yourself a list, if you have to, of things you want to get this year and things you'll need to get.

Now here's a situation you can't control too much, but you can at least set some guidelines:  receiving gifts.  Especially for your children.  This can be tricky, as we're all hesitant to potentially offend anyone.  This is a great way to cut down on incoming clutter and items that might not fit your ideals.  Before my kids' birthdays and Christmas, I usually send out an e-mail with the kids' wish list.  Much of our family lives far away and don't know what they have already, so it can be helpful to have some suggestions.  I have also addressed our reasons behind some of their choices:  we're concerned about the safety and environmental impact of plastic and battery operated toys and they don't fit in with our Waldorf lifestyle and the children's education.  Some other ideas include asking for "donations" to fund lessons or special activities, or setting a limit on the number of gifts per child.  I only have two kids, but let me tell you, the stuff adds up pretty quickly on Christmas morning!  Simply explaining that fewer presents doesn't mean being less thoughtful can do the trick.

So then what?  Take it room by room, one at a time.  It's usually best to do this with out the kids, at least for rooms other than theirs.  Really take apart your room, make piles for donation, to sell, and to keep.  Remember not to just shove the "keep" stuff back into boxes.  If you can't have it out where you will use it, you're not likely to use it at all.

Get the kids involved in gutting out their own rooms.  My three and five year olds are familiar with the practice of going through their belongings and making a pile of toys or clothes to donate.  In fact, my five year old will come to me on her own now with things she no longer needs and would like to donate.

Some people put boxes of toys that can't (or won't) be parted with in temporary storage and rotate them out every couple of months.  While this is not a bad idea, I think it's important to ask if a child needs so many toys that some of them have to be stored.  Personally, I'm slightly horrified that my kids even have a playroom, as small as it is.

So pull it together, people!  When in doubt throw it out!  (My mother used to say that all the time when I was a kid.  I think I inherited her clean gene.)  While you clear out that physical baggage, you'll be surprised how much of a psychological burden is lifted too.  You'll have room to breathe, and room to live in your living spaces!  You'll finally be able to start (or finish) projects, and actually enjoy the things that you have.

Here are some helpful resources for organizing your home and living more simply in general:

http://www.simplicityparenting.com/

http://flylady.net/pages/welcome_main.asp

http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/index.html

http://zenhabits.net/25-ways-to-simplify-your-life-with-kids/

As a very serious note here, some people actually do have issues that go beyond simply being disorganized and keeping a few too many things.  Hoarding is characterized by severe cluttering of a person's home so that it is no longer able to function as a viable living space.  If this sounds like you, look here for help.



Any so-called material thing that you want is merely a symbol: you want it not for itself, but because it will content your spirit for the moment. ~Mark Twain

Out with the Old and In with the New

The New Year has arrived and with it, endless possibilities.  Tomorrow begins our first day back at school, and we're trying some new things.  First, you should know that while we do follow a Waldorf curriculum, I'm not a purist. A ninety-eight-percent-ist maybe.  But the beauty of homeschooling is being able to tailor your child's education to his or her needs, no matter what pedagogy you follow.  Therefore, we are beginning some Waldorf Grade 1 work with my five year old.  (insert gasps of horror here from those who are purists)

We are starting a two week block of Form Drawing.  This is typically how the first grade year in a Waldorf school begins.  It is taught before and literacy, math or art skills, and incorporates elements of each.

My DD (dear daughter), however, was an early reader and already has a pretty firm grasp of the alphabet, phonics, and writing skills.  Why bother with Form Drawing then?  Because: A)  It won't hurt to take a small step back to educate her will a bit.  (For more about Form Drawing and the will, look here or here)  B) It will certainly improve her handwriting, which admittedly is pretty good already.  And C) I have seen her produce many of the repeating forms on her own in her drawings and paintings.  She is ready.  And in my opinion, as a parent and trained teacher, when a child is ready, you jump right on board, even if where they are developmentally or academically is not where a typical student (Waldorf or otherwise) is.

There is some excitement building around this new beginning.  We are awaiting the arrival of our large free-standing blackboard.  It'll feel much more school-y around here with a great big blackboard!  And she gets to use her first Main Lesson Book.  I have no doubt whatsoever that she is going to love this. 

We're also going to begin some math games during our Circle Time in the morning.  We'll start with some counting rhymes (like that good old "One two, buckle my shoe"), then move onto some even adding and odd adding rhymes and games.  Again, some of these activities might be seem a bit redundant as she has been counting and adding (and subtracting) small numbers for quite a while.  However, my three year old, who joins us for just about everything lest he feel left out, will benefit greatly from listening and moving with us.  He's great at remembering songs and verses, and by the time he's ready for math, they'll just be in that smart, little brain already.

Here's to an exciting new school year!



So Much Advent and Christmas!

The fourth light of Advent is the light of Humankind

The light of hope that we may learn to love and understand.

~ R. Steiner

So much to do!  So much to do!  Unfortunately,no matter how laid back I try to be about the holidays this week, that seems to be my mantra.  My tasks are not unpleasant, just a little too plentiful!

As we finish our last week of Advent, we are adding human figures to our nativity.  We started with the shepherd and now have two of the Three Kings.  Instead of adding the Three Kings to the scene immediately, they are at a far end of the table, for they have not yet begun their journey to bring their gifts to the Christmas Child.  They will be moving closer each day after Christmas until they arrive on January sixth.  See?  I might not be a religious person, but I've at least done my reading!  It's all in the spirit of keeping it in line with the story.

the shepherd joins his flock on the right

Speaking of stories, we did a little puppet play for one of our Christmas songs yesterday morning during circle time.  That old song, "Do You Hear What I Hear?" is such a nice little story and perfect for acting out with a few little dolls and simple props.  The kids thought it was great fun to sing the different parts and move the dolls accordingly.  We used one of the kings and the shepherd from the nativity, along with a cut out paper star with a "golden" tail.  The kings palace and throne were comprised of several plain wooden blocks.

Said the Night Wind to the Little Lamb, "Do you hear what I hear?"

Another nice little activity we've been doing ties in with the story of Mary's Journey.  Mary is up in the heavens gathering silver and golden threads to weave a shift for her baby.  She is wondering if she will finish it in time for the arrival of the baby.  But all ends well, because the children of the earth are doing good deeds.  The children's angels carry news of these deeds to the heavens where new threads are created in a quantity sufficient to complete the garment just in time.  (I was not able to find this story on line to link to, though I'm sure there must be one out there somewhere. The one I have is in our Live Ed curriculum.  Sorry!)

As much as I don't like to admit it, my kids have needed a few more reminders than usual to mind their actions towards one another this week.  So each time they do a good deed by sharing, using kind and loving words, or helping someone, I write their deed on a little paper star with a "golden" thread hanging from it.  The star then gets hung up around a door frame for all to see and to remind them of their good behavior.  I'm happy to say that the door frame is getting quite full of stars!

Tonight we're getting ready to walk our Solstice Spiral.  Many people kick off Advent with a walk in the Advent Spiral, but the appropriateness of walking the spiral on the actual Solstice made more sense, especially with our more nature-based approach to Advent and Christmas.  I believe there's a link to an explanation of the Advent spiral in my first Advent post.  We're taking a less solemn approach to our Spiral walk, and the children will be singing "This Little Light of Mine" as they walk in and out. (We'll be leaving out the Jesus and Satan parts, thank you!)

Lastly, in preparation for Winter, we stripped our nature table of Autumn items and set the scene for the new season.  Our nature table has three tiers, so we took a new approach this season.  Our lower tier represents the underground, where the gnomes are busy at work making and mining crystals, gems, and precious metals.  The middle tier is the surface of the earth, covered with snow (a white silk).  We will be adding King Winter to this part of the scene at a later date (as in when I finish making him!).  The top tier is for the heavens, where the Snow Queen sits on a soft cloud of white wool and makes the snow fall.  We had two little crystal prisms which we hung from this tier to represent sparkly snowflakes and ice.  The effect is quite charming, and the kids thought it was delightful to create.  They especially loved adding special stones and geodes for the gnomes.

our winter nature table

Since I most likely won't get a chance to write again until after Christmas, have a joyous holiday season with your families and love ones!

Week Three of Advent and Animals

~The third light of Advent is the light of Beasts

All await the birth, from the greatest and in least.~

~R. Steiner

The third week of Advent is the one I was most excited to start.  So many fun activities to do!  And we're all about animals around here.  For this week's Advent calendar I made little felt animals for our creche.  I had to use what I had on hand, so I used some felt scraps and even a couple old scarves we had hanging around.  they ended up coming out pretty cute!

In consideration of our animal friends inside and outside, we have several projects to do.  We'll be making little birdfeeders from small pumpkins left over from the fall by cutting them in half, hollowing them out, and hanging them up with twine or yarn.  Then we'll fill them and hang them around the yard.  Peanut butter pinecone birdfeeders are always a hit too, if you live in an area where you can find decent size pinecones.

For our old beagle, we'll make some gingerbread dog biscuits. Our pet hedgehog isn't really into treats of any sort, so we'll just play with her and enjoy her company.

All life is sacred and every creature has something to contribute to our world.  This is a great week to recognize how important it is to care for our planet's wildlife and our companion animals.

So how about going meat-free for the week?  There are some great recipes in Feeding the Whole Family, which is my favorite cookbook.  Another old standby of mine is The Compassionate Cook.  Or pick up the newest issue of Vegetarian Times.  They always have great seasonal recipes.  Don't forget to check out the Vegan Dad blog for some great real-family-life ideas!

Do you have old towels or blankets that you could part with?  Bring them to your local animal shelter.  Most of them are brimming with animals in need of homes, especially in these difficult economic times.  They can always use donations of blankets and food.

If you can donate financially, consider one of these organizations.  They all do their part to help our animal friends. 

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

National Greyhound Adpotion Program

World Wildlife Fund

The World Wildlife Fund has some great gift ideas, including adopting a panda or other wild animal.  A great gift for a child or teenager who doesn't need more "stuff"!

If you have a vegetarian or vegan in your life, consider shopping at one of these sites for cruelty free fashions, body care items, or yummy treats.  The Body Shop offers cruelty free body care items and has lots of fair-trade items as well.  Sweet and Sara makes the BEST vegan marshmallows!  No gelatin!  My kids love them as a very special treat.  They even come in cool holiday shapes!  Karmavore has great leather-free shoes and bags as well as other animal friendly gifts.

Some good stories to read this week are Annie and the Wild Animals, The Hat, and The Mitten, all by Jan Brett.  The Wynstones Winter book has a lovely story about Robin Redbreast, and The Festival of Stones by Reg Down has a section on the Festival of the Animals.  Links for all of these are available at the bottom of this page in the Winter Reading section.

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."

~Mohandas Gandhi

Mid-Advent and a Recipe

Our creche at the end of week two.
The kids enjoyed finding plant "treasures" from
around our home to put around it this week.
The "Little Fir Tree" on the right was an Advent gift.
We'll plant it in a bigger pot after the holidays so
we can enjoy it year round.

As we conclude the second week of Advent today, I am pleased at how well our celebrations have been going.  The kids, being the little gnomes they are, have really enjoyed the focus on our natural world.  They are still so firmly connected to it at ages three and five, and I think it has added a whole new level of understanding and meaning for them (and me) around these holidays.

Each morning this week they have received simple plant related gifts: a small bowl of red cherries (that they said looked like little Christmas ornaments!), an amaryllis bulb, baked apples for breakfast, a little flower fairy I made, a few other small items, and a "Little Fir Tree" like the one in the story from the Winter Wynstones book.

In past years, the items in their Advent calendar varied, but were generally in the "treat" type category.  A jelly bean, a few stickers, a small toy of some type.  This year, most of the "gifts" they have received really haven't been for them at all, but were special items for them to place around the creche.  After two weeks, I have not heard one single complaint!  They have been so  joyful about putting their special tokens there for the Christmas Child.  They are caught up in the spirit of giving, and they continue to find little items to give on their own.

We also enjoyed some stories about St. Nicholas this week, as Monday was St. Nicholas Day.  Just like in the stories, he left the kids each some nuts and an apple in their shoes for them to find on Monday morning.  We also baked my new favorite cookie, Pfeffernusse!  Here's a great story to go along with that special cookie.  And here's the recipe I used, too (except I omitted the Anise extract.)  For gifts, (for neighbors, co-workers etc.) we'll be making some Peffernusse and printing out a small version of the story to go with each package.

We also made a batch of butter-mints.  We make these every year along with peppermint bark and a few other sweet items.  The buttermints are easy to make, and they kids really enjoy making their own.  The "dough" they're made with is so smooth and soft, and the kids love working with it.  It's really like playing with playdough for them, except it smells lovely!

Buttermints!  Yummy!

Today I'll leave you with the buttermint recipe I use.  Enjoy!

1/2 stick of unsalted butter, cut into slices, room temperature

1 lb organic confectioner's sugar

1 Tbsp plus 2 tsp of very cold water

pinch of salt

1/4 tsp organic peppermint oil

natural food colors (I use India Tree brand)

In a large bowl, cut butter into sugar with two knives, or your fingers.  Add 1 Tbsp ice water, salt, peppermint oil.  Toss with a fork.  Press mixture into a ball.  If it seems crumbly add more water 1 tsp at a time, until dough presses together easily.  Turn out dough onto a clean work surface and knead until smooth and satiny, about 3-4 minutes.  Quarter dough, then tint each quarter a different color with food coloring (use sparingly.  1-2 drops usually does it!)  Roll dough into 1/2" balls and flatten them lightly with your palm (keep remaining dough covered with plastic wrap so it won't dry out.)  Let set for 2-3 hours, uncovered, at room temperature.  Then move them to a covered container in a cool place (where they should ripen for two days to improve flavor and make them easier to handle)before being eaten or packed to ship.  They will keep at room temperature for two weeks and in the fridge for a month.  Makes approx. 1 lb.




F and his mints

 



S and her mints



The Second Week of Advent and other holiday things

The second light of Advent is the light of Plants

Plants that reach up to the sun and in the breezes dance.

~ R. Steiner

Yesterday marked the start of the second week of Advent.  When the children awoke and came down to open their Advent calender, they found a little note telling them to check near the Advent wreath for a flowery surprise.  There, in a little pot, was a great, big Amaryllis bulb!  What a great way to start our celebration of plants!

Later in the day, we went to a tree farm to choose and cut our Christmas tree.  We decorated the tree, wrapped some evergreen roping around the banister where our stockings are hung, and enjoyed a dinner by candle light.

F and S with their Christmas tree-to-be

I had a bit of a hard time coming up with little Advent calendar gifts for this week.  The bulb was easy, but as much as I would like to, I can't afford to fill the house with a new plant each day!  So what we're going to do is a different plant related actvity each day.  We'll hunt for berries and greens to add to our Creche.  We'll make twig stars to hang around the house, and maybe we'll make some more gifts with the rest of the birch log we hauled home a few weeks ago.

Next week, for the week of animals, I have started sewing little felt beasts for the Nativity.  Two sheep, a donkey, a camel, and an ox.  I think I'll include a few others too, like  the robin from the story of Robin Redbreast from the Winter Wynstones book.

For the final week, I'll make the human and angel figures.

Which brings me to making things in general.  Especially gifts.  As a child, I spent many, many hours at my grandparents' home making Christmas gifts for the members of my family.  I remember making little embroidered pictures, stenciling various useful wooden items, making candle holders from thick branches and many more handmade items.

Now that my children are old enough to participate in gift making, we are taking it on full force!  So far we have made some little birch tree candle holders, and a small birch tree reindeer for my Grampa, who used to make much larger ones evey winter to put on their back porch.  My daughter, who is five, has started to embroider a snowman picture that she drew herself and I traced onto cross-stitch fabric.  And of course, we'll be doing LOTS of baking and cooking in general.

Slices of birch log with a hole drilled for the candle.  Then
the kids glued on some moss, shells, acorns, and
dried apple stars.

Grampa's new reindeer

My greatest delight this year though was making the kids' big present myself.  I made a family of five little gnomes and a tree house for them to live in.  I make the kids little things all the time; dolls and animals, doll clothes, cardboard box castles, even clothes.  But this was a big deal.  I'm sure they'll love it, and I hope someday they'll even come to appreciate all the love and hard work it took to make it.

the kids' gnome home

Like many of you, we're trying to scale back on the holiday excess.  Making gifts requires much more thought, planning, and time than many of us have.  So if you can, please do make something special for a loved one, it will be cherished.