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To become a Waldorf teacher requires inner work and self-transformation.&nbsp; To become a Waldorf teacher requires special training<figure id="figure-0id2rqt0cslxcqir3d"><img id="0id2rqt0cslxcqir3d" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/27AGQGJQ5YFxUpVcQfMjWAz9dnBksQlsKVsSQqr5uc2nGMmtYTuta6uUGLmrDjaj.jpg" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/27AGQGJQ5YFxUpVcQfMjWAz9dnBksQlsKVsSQqr5uc2nGMmtYTuta6uUGLmrDjaj.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure>Training is an important part of the journey of becoming a Waldorf teacher. Continuous training helps our teachers gain insights in early childhood in a 'whole' manner. &nbsp;These trainings help fill the enormous gaps existing in understanding a child in our current education system. Kindergarten teachers who have completed their first level training and also the ones who have been working with children for many years (even the ones who have been there in the kindergarten for more than a decade) take up the second level training. Second level Kindergarten training, a 6 day programme, was held at Bangalore in April-May 2024. it was organised by SIWKA (Sadhana Indian Waldorf Kindergarten Association) . It was a rich experience for our teachers. <figure id="figure-cle6keozllxcqkqxg"><img id="cle6keozllxcqkqxg" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/aEft2yjFAzNBNmP7K7nBLVF9DNFbpfdQKkULacj7ZyWy9NXkBJv24iVTGUO9yJP9.jpg" alt="Captured in a metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia primary school, this photograph depicts a typical classroom scene, where an audience of school children were seated on the floor before a teacher at the front of the room, who was reading an illustrated storybook, during one of the scheduled classroom sessions. Assisting the instructor were two female students to her left, and a male student on her right, who was holding up the book, while the seated classmates were raising their hands to answer questions related to the story just read." title="Captured in a metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia primary school, this photograph depicts a typical classroom scene, where an audience of school children were seated on the floor before a teacher at the front of the room, who was reading an illustrated storybook, during one of the scheduled classroom sessions. Assisting the instructor were two female students to her left, and a male student on her right, who was holding up the book, while the seated classmates were raising their hands to answer questions related to the story just read." class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionX="undefined" data-positionY="undefined" data-fullWidth="false"/></figure>The topics covered during this training programme were: Massages effective for children-- Hands are healing tools, as teachers we understood using them in our classrooms in an effective manner. Sleep-- as an awakening process-- Sleep is an important aspect of a child's routine. Understanding the impact of healthy sleep on a child's growth was enlightening. Embryology-- Understanding children before they arrive, helps teachers understand the needs of a child better. Nutrition-- Nutrition is an important aspect of childhood, teachers got to understand nutrition as per the individual need of a child. Fevers and Vaccination-- Teachers got a better insight into the topics that will help deal with unforeseen situations in the classrooms, better. Finger games and Play-- Finger and sensory games help connect a teacher with the child and also help the children settle down in the classrooms. Clay (Terracotta) Modelling-- This was a therapeutic as well as educational session for the teachers<figure id="figure-efabpf1gzlxcqjogs"><img id="efabpf1gzlxcqjogs" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/19e5bw5B4dhPlkpN1yH621RF9zdodgIR7PtTqhrVTdEtN0CbB9o9XDgBeQj27qcs.jpg" alt="Captured in a metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia primary school, seated amongst his classmates, this photograph depicts a young African-American schoolboy who was in the process of drawing with a pencil on a piece of white paper. Note that the student was focused on a drawing book that referenced fantasy flying planes, while intent on creating his artwork, seemingly oblivious to all the classroom goings-on that surrounded him. It is important to know that objects, including pencils, crayons, paper, etc., are known as fomites, and can act as transmitters of illnesses." title="Captured in a metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia primary school, seated amongst his classmates, this photograph depicts a young African-American schoolboy who was in the process of drawing with a pencil on a piece of white paper. Note that the student was focused on a drawing book that referenced fantasy flying planes, while intent on creating his artwork, seemingly oblivious to all the classroom goings-on that surrounded him. It is important to know that objects, including pencils, crayons, paper, etc., are known as fomites, and can act as transmitters of illnesses." class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/19e5bw5B4dhPlkpN1yH621RF9zdodgIR7PtTqhrVTdEtN0CbB9o9XDgBeQj27qcs.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure> The faculty included practising anthroposophic doctors and experienced Waldorf mentors. To be able to renew ourselves as teachers, and bring key elements of Waldorf Education into our work with our students were the goals of this programme.<figure id="figure-8g4iptxa1ilxcqgk4j"><img id="8g4iptxa1ilxcqgk4j" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/brgn7DdTknmslj4oLYjMJMqeW0qsyld2iuFvOrAO6lGklDAdfzDnKMYjeM9POBpF.jpg" alt="Captured in a metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia primary school, seated amongst his classmates, this photograph depicts a young African-American schoolboy who was in the process of drawing with a pencil on a piece of white paper. Note that the student was focused on a drawing book that referenced fantasy flying planes, while intent on creating his artwork, seemingly oblivious to all the classroom goings-on that surrounded him. It is important to know that objects, including pencils, crayons, paper, etc., are known as fomites, and can act as transmitters of illnesses." title="Captured in a metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia primary school, seated amongst his classmates, this photograph depicts a young African-American schoolboy who was in the process of drawing with a pencil on a piece of white paper. Note that the student was focused on a drawing book that referenced fantasy flying planes, while intent on creating his artwork, seemingly oblivious to all the classroom goings-on that surrounded him. It is important to know that objects, including pencils, crayons, paper, etc., are known as fomites, and can act as transmitters of illnesses." class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: undefined undefined;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/brgn7DdTknmslj4oLYjMJMqeW0qsyld2iuFvOrAO6lGklDAdfzDnKMYjeM9POBpF.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: undefined undefined;"></figure>

SIWKA second level kindergarten training

Movement-- has been there since time immemorial. We never experience movement in a better form than witnessing children at play. Observe the kids while perched on the playground or schoolyard's edge. It's an image of motion alone. The kids run in all directions, climb and jump, throw their arms up or spin about, try to make touch with one other by pushing and shoving, tumble and get back up, then run some more. Playing with sand and water at an early age demonstrates the child's desire to create the world in addition to experiencing it through movement. Children are movers and doers, they learn by experiencing the world with all their senses. Sitting in front of a screen limits the usage to selected senses and hence acting against the innate nature of a child. [Source: <a href="https://www.waldorf-resources.org">https://www.waldorf-resources.org</a>]Let the children MOVE and they will conquer the world! Meenakshi didi, gives an insight into the importance of letting the child use all his/her senses.<figure id="figure-n9pihnqxnelx1g1933"><iframe id="n9pihnqxnelx1g1933" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TJGtw_sWYms" class="w-full bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;" allowfullscreen="" data-url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJGtw_sWYms" data-corners="default" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TJGtw_sWYms" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;"></iframe></figure>

Children: Movers and Doers

Embarrassed, because your child just spoke an abusive word in public?Recently, we met a couple who visited us for their child's admission. The little girl was few months over 2 years. Once everything was discussed, the child's mother said something in a very suppressed tone. She shared that the child said an abusive word frequently. On being asked they were quite embarrassed to even mention the word. They also shared that they had tried every method under the sun, for the child to stop saying the word. They had tried scolding, frightening and what not (as per them)?Are you or a parent you know is also facing a similar challenge?The answer lies in the baseline that little children are imitative beings. Just like a sponge they absorb everything that is present in their environment. This can be used as a blessing or can also cause challenges like the one mentioned above.Our founder, Meenakshi didi discusses simple yet impactful methods to simplify parenting on a day to day basis. Watch this video to see what can be done to stop children from saying things that are unwanted or inappropriate.<figure id="figure-ctqm2zdlomlw0ofs0r" class="selected"><iframe id="ctqm2zdlomlw0ofs0r" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QnEju5slfCo" class="w-full bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;" allowfullscreen="" data-url="https://youtu.be/QnEju5slfCo?si=yBkDjPwcQ601Ik4Q" data-corners="default" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QnEju5slfCo" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9;"></iframe></figure>

Parenting Simplified with Shining Spiral - Part 1

woman in white red and blue floral shirt and blue denim skirt walking on gray concrete

<figure id="figure-k4sb9gy6oalvkxg69w"><img id="k4sb9gy6oalvkxg69w" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/178BnkfYhqNtQZSL1CMWT7oAL5VZeFhZOHSKNgsILtefRsDJoIQFCROn6MS8GsmU.jpg" alt="" title="" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: undefined undefined;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionX="undefined" data-positionY="undefined" data-fullWidth="false"/></figure><h2>The Benefits of Chores</h2>When it comes to assigning housework to children, there’s some debate. Many parents want to preserve childhood for as long as possible, letting the “kids be kids” and enjoy plenty of playtime while they’re still young. Others may see children as less capable, preferring to finish the housework as quickly and efficiently as possible. These arguments make sense, but they also overlook the many positive benefits of giving kids chores.Our daily lives are full of moments where we can connect, empower and teach our children. All the chores that may feel like drudgery to us as adults are often a delight to the young child. A dish tub full of bubbles, a basket full of laundry, a floor needing sweeping or a window sill asking for a dusting. All of these tasks offer endless opportunities for our families as a whole.<h3>MEANINGFUL WORK</h3>For the young child the gift of being entrusted with meaningful work builds their self-esteem, develops lifelong capabilities and life skills and bonds the family by distributing the work of the household. Young children naturally want to take part in the world around them. Research indicates that those children who do have a set of chores have higher self-esteem, are more responsible and are better able to deal with frustration and delay gratification, all of which contribute to greater success in school.<h3>UNDERSTANDING PROCESS</h3>If we as adults can be present and open to their help then we will give the gift of purposeful work to the children in our care. It requires our presence because often in this busy world mundane tasks are overlooked or at best rushed thru to completion. Think of all the daily conveniences that are used almost daily in our homes: the dishwasher, the washer/dryer, the vacuum, etc. These serve a purpose but also deprive our children from seeing the cyclical process of things. When we wash dishes by hand we can see the full process. The plate going in dirty, the need for us to scrub it clean, to rinse it, to dry it. These cycles are important for young children to witness and take part-in. It’s important to consciously choose to perform these tasks in our homes offering the gift of participating in the full process to our children.<h3>WORKING MINDFULLY</h3>When we are conscious and present we are able to engage with both our child and the work at hand. The demands of the modern world surely can distract: the ping of an email, the buzz of our phone, our laptops open for work, the TV on in the background; these all call us out of the moment. Minimizing our distractions in our home helps to create a sanctuary and allows us to remain focused. Our children will observe when we choose to complete these tasks mindfully and with joy. It is much like a meditation practice where we become conscious of our thoughts and choose to remain present as we work. This allows us to fully engage with what we’re doing and who we’re doing it with.<h3>BEING PRESENT</h3>This presence is a natural state of being for the young child. When we show up and work with joy our children learn to do the same. Viewing our household chores as a meditative practice makes our work a spiritual endeavor and bonds us with our children in the only moment they know: The Present!Resources:<a data-mce-href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/18/opinion/sunday/children-chores-parenting.html" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/18/opinion/sunday/children-chores-parenting.html">Happy Children Do Chores – NY Times</a> <a data-mce-href="https://centerforparentingeducation.org/library-of-articles/responsibility-and-chores/part-i-benefits-of-chores/#benefits" href="https://centerforparentingeducation.org/library-of-articles/responsibility-and-chores/part-i-benefits-of-chores/#benefits">Benefits of Chores – Center for Parenting Education</a> <a data-mce-href="https://zenhabits.net/mindful-simplicity/" href="https://zenhabits.net/mindful-simplicity/">Mindful Simplicity: &nbsp;Decluttering and Cleaning</a> <a data-mce-href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/top-5-ways-to-be-more-present-with-your-child_b_57e03621e4b053b1ccf2a258" href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/top-5-ways-to-be-more-present-with-your-child_b_57e03621e4b053b1ccf2a258">5 Ways To Be More Present With Your Child – Huffington Post</a> <a data-mce-href="https://www.momentumlife.co.nz/stories/why-kids-should-have-chores" href="https://www.momentumlife.co.nz/stories/why-kids-should-have-chores">Why Kids Should Have Chores</a>

Children and Chores

As parents of little children, you are often very tired and you get too little sleep, and when you have too little sleep you also have too little energy and then often you give in when you think you should not have done, or you get angry or irritated so you are not present and when you are not present you lose the children and you do not like yourself. To make it easier for you to deal in the daily life with your children there are three important considerations: • To be flexible • To set limits (borders) and • To observe the same routine everydayTo become flexible is the result of objective inward observation. You may train your flexibility through an inner work where you learn about yourself. In relation to limits, you have to find out them for yourself. You have to decide what the limits are for your child in your house: time to go to bed, time to eat, what to eat, what language to use in the family and so on. You have to make up your mind about limits beforehand, so, instead of saying “no, no, no…” and becoming angry, you simply do not allow the children to go beyond the limits. You know this is your decision and do not need to be angry. If you are ahead of the child and you see a certain situation coming, with humor and the right gesture or word, you can move away from the situation, and this will be possible if you train your flexibility. Knowing more about yourself will give you the possibility to also be ahead of yourself. When you catch this tool you can start working with your children in a much freer way, because the limits are set.The third recommendation, to make a routine which is the same every day, gives the child rhythm. All Waldorf families probably know how the daily life is in the kindergarten. The children go through the day in alternate periods of concentration and expansion, as if in a breathing rhythm where there is inhaling and exhaling.In the inhaling or breathing-in phase the child directs his attention to an activity that basically relates him to himself. For little children each breathing-in period (drawing, water painting, and knitting, eating…) is very short because little children can only concentrate for short periods of time. In the exhaling or breathing-out period, the child relates mainly to the surrounding world (free play, free running etc.). For each breathing-in period the child needs a breathing-out period and so a pattern is established. This rhythm is something that you can bring into your home. You have to try to find out when the children breathes-in and when they breathe-out. And when the children are in the breathing-in period, you have to make sure you are present, so the child feels ah, here I feel my parents, they are there for me. After that, for very short time, you can do what you have to do at home and you can tell your child you have to wait because I need to do this. And this will be all right because you know you have been present with the child. As an example, look at the situation when parents pick up their children from the kindergarten. At the very moment you are picking up your child: Does the cell phone ring and you answer? Do you greet your friends and engage in intense talk? If yes, then you are not present for the child. In my last visit to Mexico I saw very few parents really greeting their children, the majority were talking to other parents or engaged in school affairs or talking in their cell phones, or arriving late or in a hurry. But, for your child who has been gone for five hours and who really wants you… you are not there. So the child screams I want an ice cream! I want this or that! or he starts running around, or falling, or getting into little conflict because he is confused, because he has not really met you. On the contrary, if you take the time (and it is five seconds perhaps), you bend down, give him a hug and then smell him (so lovely!) and really you are there, his eyes will tell you more than words, how his day was. He cannot tell you with words because he cannot remember, but his eyes will tell you everything. And then you take his hand and walk together (of course in a tempo that the child can follow), and this is really lovely because you are making a new nice situation, a “you and I situation.” Now, if you need to greet people you can do it, very shortly, but together with the child because your child will feel I am where I belong, with my parent. This was a breathing-in situation where you were present.Then you go to the car and go home (breathing-out) and it is probably time for eating which brings again a breathing-in situation. How do you eat? Do you sit down together with the child? Or is the child sitting by himself and you are walking around talking on the telephone? If you give yourself the time and sit down with your child you will teach the child manners at the table by your example. Many of the children today do not sit with their parents and they do not learn to hold utensils appropriately. However, this is important, otherwise when they are seven years old they cannot hold a pencil and to learn it at that age is so difficult compared to when they were one or two years old.In addition, to sit at the table and to have a beginning, a process and an end, is important because this is how you should live the whole of life. Everything has a beginning, a process and an end. It may take you only fifteen minutes to sit appropriately, to check how the child holds and drinks from cup (children from one year onwards do not need a sip cup), to eat with closed mouth, and everything you are given and so on, being, in this way, an example for your child to follow, but more importantly you have taken this short moment to make again a “you and I situation” and at the same time you also help the child to find a social form of how we are when we eat together.When you finish with the meal you remind the children they need to help with the table so that they also learn that when they are a part of a social environment they also take part in the cleaning up. In this way you have made and create a situation where you have been present and now you can say to the child go and play (breathing-out) because you have been there, and then you can do what you need to do but you have to be visible to your child. This is so, because a little child cannot play by himself if the center is not there and you are the most important person for the child. You are his center, and if you leave the room the little child will follow you.When you are doing your things, the situation may occur where children will say I am bored. In this case you, of course, don´t turn on the television or music. When you are occupied with other things, you can tell your child now you play by yourself. If you know you have been present you can actually expect them to find something to do themselves. It is very important that you are not afraid of your children not knowing what to do or being bored. It is very important that you feel it is right: I have been there with them now they can be by themselves.Nowadays, parents often use media or adult-directed activities for their children because they are afraid of their children being bored and assume that they are not able to do anything themselves. This is a tricky situation. If you think you have to entertain your under-seven children all the time, with media (films, TV, videogames, computers and so on), after-school classes, and/or other adult-directed activities, then they do not learn how to play by themselves. They will not have a moment where they can be in a state of not knowing what to do and from there progress into a state of finding images inwardly and thus creating things from inside out. By letting them to be bored you help them, because being bored represents the opportunity the children will have to go into this process of inner creativity. The fact that children are able to be by themselves, to create their own play without adult direction is of great importance because during the first seven years of the child everything is about being able to create.If all the activities come from outside (electronic screen, video-games, adult direction, etc.), then not much happens in the sphere of inward creation. That is why in Waldorf kindergartens, teachers do not sit down and play with the children but do real work, from which the children draw inspiration to use it in their own play. In these kindergartens you may find teachers sweeping, cooking, sawing, tending the vegetable patch, taking care of farm animals, cutting wood, and whatever the particular setting of each school allows to do. Equally, you, as a parent, in the breathing-out phase, may do your work and the children beside you should be able to do their work (i.e. their own play). This is possible only when the children feel that they have met you in a previous breathing-in phase.It is the same when children go to bed in the evening. What the child loves to hear are stories from your life. No book, no radio, no music, no film nor cartoon can make the same impact on the child as you. And to find your own story to tell means so much and it is, in addition, a tool with which you can change very stuck situations. It is so difficult for children to let go of you if they have not felt you present. But, if you have hold your child, blown a little in the ear, told her a little story from the heart, so you have really been there, then you can kiss her and put her to bed and feel I can leave because I have been there. And then you can expect that your child is able to sleep by herself, which is healthy for your child.In Denmark, where I come from, many parents are in a situation where they have to lie down and hold hands with the child, read 20 stories, sing 50 songs, and all this takes one, one and a half, two hours and when finally they go out quietly of the bedroom they hear ‘Mum, water, Mum!’ and then become annoyed. You can avoid this by setting limits and finding a comfortable way to leave because you have been present in different situations during the day. Otherwise the child has not been filled enough with your love and, if in addition, he has not been given opportunities to do his own play, to work from inside out, you cannot expect he will be able to sleep by himself. There is an additional aspect I would like to draw attention to for the after-kindergarten time you have with your children. If you take your children from class to class or entrust them to the media in its different varieties you have less time with them. Children are small for very short time. At present, you may be thinking it is a long time to go but, in no time you will see it went so fast. By letting your child to engage in his own play while you are around doing your own chores, and being really present in those breathing-in situations, you build trust between your child and you. And this trust will be important when they get a little older and get into pre-puberty and puberty because with this, they will come to you when they have problems and listen to you when you tell them what and what not to do. But they will only do it if they trust you, if you have been there for them. And that is why the first seven years of children are so important, because their whole trust, their believing that the world is good, is the basis of their future lives. After that first seven years, it is their friends who become the focus. Their choice of friends has a lot to do with the morality you have shown them and built up through the first seven years. In addition, if children were given the opportunity to work inwardly, they will know themselves and then they will be able to say “no” when they meet something they do not like and “yes” to what they want. You can make a choice if you know yourself and a human being who can make a choice has healthy self-esteem.In this context it is important how the kindergarten and the home relate to each other: there must be a bridge from one world to the other. In a way, it is a little hard for families who choose a Waldorf education for your children as you become different from the mainstream, but this is your choice. You cannot do both. Once you have taken the road of consciousness, you are concerned about the food, their upbringing, everything. To make the bridge from having the children in the Waldorf kindergarten and at your home is, of course, important so the child can see that everything fits. That is why it is incredibly important to build up trust between the kindergarten and the family, through which the kindergarten teacher is able to support the family´s choice but also for the family to respect what is brought in the kindergarten so one thing without the other is nothing. So you need to find a way together.I have three children who are 29, 26, and 23 and now I can harvest the 25 years of hard dedicated work with my children, and it is so fantastic because I can see how they can go out in life with freedom and also I can move around in the world with freedom and wisdom, because they don´t need me anymore but they like me and they like to be with me and also their friends. And this is, I think, the highest thing we wish as parents, that when our children are adults, they actually, by their own free choice, choose to be with us at certain moments. We can find with our children a new way of building social relationships because we have another consciousness by which we can meet our children better.Helle Heckmann is a Waldorf kindergarten teacher in Denmark. Books and a dvd about her work at Nokken near Copenhagen are available from WECAN. Helle is also offering courses and workshops worldwide and can be contacted at helleheckmann@yahoo.dk.

Daily Rhythm at Home and its Lifelong Relevance by Helle Heckmann

Summarised from an article published in Gateways, Issue 74 On the MoveVanessa Kohlhass is a faculty member at the Sound Circle Center for Arts and Anthroposophy in Seattle, Washington.“Be careful what you are teaching the infants, it may interfere with what they could be learning.”~ Magda Gerber<figure id="figure-vacqgufculvkxpl0g"><img id="vacqgufculvkxpl0g" src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/29AatPAwDISuPhxpQU2u3rUWhB8uIta8ooKNtJ0rNQhM7jvHtjvTz4OvhUXtzPon.jpg" alt="Fifth graders in their classroom at school" title="Fifth graders in their classroom at school" class="object-cover bg-gray-100 rounded-2xl md:rounded-3xl lg:rounded-4xl" style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;" data-corners="default" data-aspect="16:9" data-caption="" data-positionx="undefined" data-positiony="undefined" data-fullwidth="false" data-mce-src="https://cdn.durable.co/blocks/29AatPAwDISuPhxpQU2u3rUWhB8uIta8ooKNtJ0rNQhM7jvHtjvTz4OvhUXtzPon.jpg" data-mce-style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; object-position: center center;"></figure>When a child is learning a new skill in movement – whether learning to walk or climbing a tree—parents often worry that he might fall and hurt himself. But sometimes it is our own reaction that causes a child to lose his focus and fall. When a child falls, he has lost the ground underneath him. If we quickly swoop him up, he loses his relationship to gravity a second time. One of the guiding principles of Emmi Pikler, a Hungarian pediatrician and Resources for Infant Educarers (founded by Emmi Pickler and Dr. Tom Forrest, a pediatric neurologist) is that an inherent wisdom allows children to develop movement skills, from lying on their backs to walking. We need only remove hindrances to allow this natural development to happen. We achieve this by not putting the child into a position she can’t get into herself, not telling her how to move, and not focusing on arbitrary motor development milestones. Instead, we can provide space and time for movement, observe the quality of the child’s movement, and recognize and celebrate transitional postures. Here are some ways we can support children through the development of movement as they progress from lying on their backs to walking.<h3>Reflexes</h3> The development of movement begins long before birth. Primitive reflexes emerge in utero and play a vital role in healthy development. They provide protection, support, and stimulation, allowing the child to fully explore the movements of her body. Reflexes cause the child to involuntarily respond to a stimulus and set the foundation for later stages of motor development. A reflex is usually suppressed as a new skill is developed. In this way the reflex is integrated into the higher skill. We can support this process by allowing the natural development of free movement.<h3> Lying on the Back</h3>The baby spends much of her time asleep as she adjusts from life in the womb to life on earth. This is the time to provide warmth and protection and to avoid unnecessary loud noises, intense smells, bright lights, and sudden movements. We can prepare the infant for what is coming through words and action. For example, before picking the child up, we can show the child our hands and say, “I am going to pick you up now.” We can then pick the baby up in a slow and calm way. If this is done in the same way each time, we will begin to feel the baby adjust and prepare in anticipation of being picked up.<h3> Discovering Hands</h3> Still lying on the back, the infant begins to develop more control over her movements. Then one day she makes a great discovery: her hands. These become her greatest plaything. This is the time for the infant to begin spending more time lying on her back exploring her movements and environment. It is very important that we not move the child into a position that she cannot get into herself. It is tempting to want to prop our child up using pillows or a contoured chair so she can see out into the world. But when a child is put into a new position that she has not yet mastered, she loses the freedom to control her own movements. Lying on her back is the position of most competency for the infant at this stage of development. It allows her readiness to evolve.<h3> Rolling Over</h3> The infant progresses to slowly turning and rolling over onto his belly. This does not happen all at once, but through trial and error. He stretches and flexes his muscles this way and that. He lifts one leg and crosses it over to the other side. Then one day he turns himself all the way over. At first, his arm may get caught underneath his body. This can be very frustrating. He will have to return to lying on his back and rest a while before trying again. When he is able to roll over, in his own time, he will have developed the skills needed to lift his head and move his limbs while lying on his stomach. He may sometimes lift his head and all four limbs at the same time, as if flying like a bird.At this stage, it is important to give the child uninterrupted time and ample space to move. The RIE practice of “wants nothing quality time” can create a mindful moment of observation of the child. This is such a wonderful gift to both child and parent.<h3> Crawling</h3> Once the child can roll over and play in the prone position, she begins to develop more control over her body movements. She can easily lift and hold her head and chest off the ground. Her legs extend and develop more muscle tone. She begins to crawl with her torso on the ground, pulling herself along and using her legs like a lizard in the desert. Then she progresses to creeping on her hands and knees, and sometimes on her hands and feet, like a bear. Creeping provides important movement patterns that will have far-reaching effects on her visual and cognitive skills, as well as her continued development of movement. Infants learn eye-hand coordination skills by watching their hands as they creep across the floor. Eye-hand coordination is part of the foundation for learning to read later in life. Now the child has the ability to move across a room using a wide range of movements. The play space needs to continue to adapt as the child learns to crawl. Playing outside is a wonderful opportunity for all children, bringing with it many interesting play materials such as leaves, dirt, sticks, and rocks. It also brings grass, hills, and logs to climb over and around. Effort should be taken not to restrict movement. This is often the time that parents will consider using walkers or jumpers. Such equipment puts children in developmentally inappropriate positions and takes freedom away from their movements. It has even been suggested that the use of walkers can lead to delays in motor and mental development. Free time on the floor spent creeping, rolling, and playing while lying down allows the child to practice a wide variety of movements that help her motor skills develop naturally. “Dr. Pikler reassured the parents that choosing to go down stairs head first is a smart choice for the young child. This way the child can see where he or she is going and use the movement of the hands, arms and elbows to stop themselves.” ~ Eileen Henry<h3> Sitting</h3> A child first learns to sit on his own around the same time that he learns to stand up. Lying on his stomach, he first leans on one side with his torso still on the ground. Then, using one arm, he lifts himself into a half-sitting position. Finally he sits up without using either arm as a support. With a little more practice he can sit with his legs stretched out and his arms free to explore the objects around him. A child who is given time and space to learn to sit on his own, instead of being put into a sitting position before he is ready, is often more at ease with his posture. When the child is ready to start sitting on a stool or chair, it helps to provide furniture that allows continued ease in movement. One suggestion is to offer a low tray that the child can use as a table while sitting on the floor. Later he can graduate to a small table and chair that allow him to come and go independently. If you want to have a high chair at a family table, the type with adjustable seat and foot plates will grow with your child. <h3>Standing and Walking</h3>The day finally comes when the child stands by herself and takes her first step. In order to walk, she must be able to support her own weight, balance on one foot, and shift her weight from side to side. This is no easy task, but she has been practicing hard for a long time, through all the previous stages of motor development. We can support her by not distracting her, so she can concentrate on the task at hand. It is important to focus on the quality of each stage of development, instead of worrying about how quickly the child progresses. Babies always do what they can do and what they are ready for. “The most important thing has not been mentioned: namely that an infant’s own movements, the development of these movements, and every detail of this development are a constant source of joy to him.” ~ Emmi Pikler, MDResources: • Compassionate Sleep Solutions, compassionatesleepsolutions.com. • “Struggle Happens” by Eileen Henry, compassionatesleepsolutions.com/struggle- happens.

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