I just joined what looks to be a great online site for Waldorf families...and those of us wanting to know more. This was my first post chalked full of questions, hope I didn't come across like a complete moron!
I am pretty new to the Waldorf world. I have known (to some degree) about Waldorf for a year or two but have just really started delving into it. I have a son who has just turned three years old. When my son turned about a year maybe a year and a half all the mamas that I knew from an AP play group who's boys were the same age were starting to potty train. So I ran out and bought a little potty and followed suit. Then my sister in law who has slightly older kids gave me some advice that had been given to her. Which was to wait until my son turned three before truly trying to potty train him. We felt 100 percent like that was the right thing to do and our son peacefully trained himself to use the real toilette well before any of my friends kids who had been pushed and pushed by frustrated parents to train early.
Ok whats my point...well several months ago all the mamas I know started yammering on and on about schooling and what methods they were trying to implement in their homes. Gasp! My son was still two and I was already so far behind with his education! I started reading Montessori books and buying little things here and there to try out on him. But frankly it didn't feel natural. I loved that they used nice wooden things to teach children with and it seemed pretty gentle but...my son was only two!
So I kept thinking about a couple great mamas I know (mostly via on line) and knew of their interests in Waldorf. I knew they liked natural and wooden "stuff'' as well so thats when I slowly started wanting to learn more. I could never really tell someone the difference between the two...Montessori and Waldorf. So thats were my journey began, trying to figure out what separates the two. Now I am pretty sure the difference is that they are total opposites.
I am currently reading my first Waldorf book which is "you are your child's first teacher." Which I am simply loving. Plus I check out Waldorf blogs when I have a chance. I am thrilled to see the author of my favorite belongs to this very group! I feel like I am surrounded by super stars!
Part of me feels very behind but no longer about schooling, thank goodness. So here are my questions...
How do I get rid of the television??? My husband agreed to cancel it but when the time came some how he returned to me with the fact that he UPGRADED our service! So now instead of 100 yucky channels we have 250!
I would love to start celebrating the different festivals and holidays that are part of the Waldorf community (in some form.) But I don't know where to start with that either, in an age appropriate way...any ideas?
Big mess up on our part is that our son has tons of cars and trucks and other not so desirable toys, how do I peacefully make the transition for him. Or am I just too late. We also have musical instruments, which now I am reading on here is not good for him.
Uggg... how does one un-mess the mess that they have made???
I am pretty new to the Waldorf world. I have known (to some degree) about Waldorf for a year or two but have just really started delving into it. I have a son who has just turned three years old. When my son turned about a year maybe a year and a half all the mamas that I knew from an AP play group who's boys were the same age were starting to potty train. So I ran out and bought a little potty and followed suit. Then my sister in law who has slightly older kids gave me some advice that had been given to her. Which was to wait until my son turned three before truly trying to potty train him. We felt 100 percent like that was the right thing to do and our son peacefully trained himself to use the real toilette well before any of my friends kids who had been pushed and pushed by frustrated parents to train early.
Ok whats my point...well several months ago all the mamas I know started yammering on and on about schooling and what methods they were trying to implement in their homes. Gasp! My son was still two and I was already so far behind with his education! I started reading Montessori books and buying little things here and there to try out on him. But frankly it didn't feel natural. I loved that they used nice wooden things to teach children with and it seemed pretty gentle but...my son was only two!
So I kept thinking about a couple great mamas I know (mostly via on line) and knew of their interests in Waldorf. I knew they liked natural and wooden "stuff'' as well so thats when I slowly started wanting to learn more. I could never really tell someone the difference between the two...Montessori and Waldorf. So thats were my journey began, trying to figure out what separates the two. Now I am pretty sure the difference is that they are total opposites.
I am currently reading my first Waldorf book which is "you are your child's first teacher." Which I am simply loving. Plus I check out Waldorf blogs when I have a chance. I am thrilled to see the author of my favorite belongs to this very group! I feel like I am surrounded by super stars!
Part of me feels very behind but no longer about schooling, thank goodness. So here are my questions...
How do I get rid of the television??? My husband agreed to cancel it but when the time came some how he returned to me with the fact that he UPGRADED our service! So now instead of 100 yucky channels we have 250!
I would love to start celebrating the different festivals and holidays that are part of the Waldorf community (in some form.) But I don't know where to start with that either, in an age appropriate way...any ideas?
Big mess up on our part is that our son has tons of cars and trucks and other not so desirable toys, how do I peacefully make the transition for him. Or am I just too late. We also have musical instruments, which now I am reading on here is not good for him.
Uggg... how does one un-mess the mess that they have made???
Ahh, Michelle! I was right here where you are about a year and half ago, when Enrique turned 3. My best advice? Go slow, enjoy the moment with your little one. The toys and the stuff is not what makes a waldorf home. It is who you are and the space you create with your son. Yeah, the nice toys help, but more so is who YOU are as you be with your son. Seriously. You could set up the perfect little atmosphere, but if you are not present and intentional about how you go about your days, none of that will make a difference.
ReplyDeleteSo, for your questions:
TV- some waldorf mamas are pretty dang dogmatic about things and TV is for sure the thing that will get you feeling like a bad mom quick. Do what feels good to you and what works for your home. Set rules and limits. If what feels right is to loose the tv all together, then you might just have to put your foot down with your hubby. My husband LOVES tv. We were also going to shut off the cable, but Don just doesn't want to. There are lots of other things that I would rather he not do, so I am not pushing the TV thing. E will watch a little in the morning then he will get up turn it off and declare that it is time to go play outside. I'm pretty cool with it. And I make sure the shows he is watching feel okay to me and are things I am comfortable with him being exposed to.
Re the festivals.. pick a couple you really love and that resinate for you and introduce them slowly. Over the years they you will add more things that deepen the experience. Don't worry about doing it all over night. :) (notice a theme here?)
Transitioning toys.. again, go slow, if you think there are things he may be super attached to, then put them away in a box or something and if he keeps asking for it, then bring it back. If not, goodwill!
I go through the kids' toys every few months and get rid of stuff that is just broken and ugly or not being played with or just doesn't feel right anymore. Usually they don't even notice. It helps that daddy is a toymaker so they get new cool stuff to enjoy.. But we still have some junk and grandma doesn't help with that! (whole other thing to have to deal with!)
You are sooooooooooooo SO SO SO totally not too late for any of this!!! Watch out for all the dogmatic thinking in some of the Waldorf circles. You can quickly feel like you are not doing enough really fast! Trust yourself and what feels right to you, right now. Next month or year or whatever, you will have different thoughts about what you want ofr your little dude!
Sorry to ramble.. but thought I'd share some of my experience the past few years and I am LOVING seeing you explore the Waldorf stuff.. really, really good ideas there!!!!
Hmm, first of all, I wouldn't get myself crazy over all the details. While I love a lot of the philosopies of Waldorf and was infulcend in it in my own childhood (which over there nobody calls Waldorf..it's just part of a normal childhood in Germany), I don't agree with everything and think some people just overdo it. Like why would music instruments be bad for kids??! Totally don't agree with that. Music is an awesome way to express themselves and such.
ReplyDeleteAbout the TV, no advice on that. If your hubby doesn't wanna go along with that one, I guess there's not a lot you can do unfortunately.
You might wanna check out waldorf mamas blog. I love her blog...but that for me is an example of really pushing the Waldorf thing. I mean, it seems their whole life evolves around that. Wouldn't be my cup of tea. I always adapt bits and pieces of different styles that I like and incorparate them into our home :o)
Don't stress yourself with that...there's no right and wrong really...just what works for you.
Not sure if either of you will read this but thank you both so much! Its hard being in this crudy city and feeling so alone in the way I live my life. So I find my self seeking out something else...as if that will make my giant rock back yard turn into something magical and dreamy for Thomas. And the reality of living in a monstorous/yucky city just dissapear. I had that thought today, that a-ha! moment about the toys not making a home a waldorf home or that a waldorf home isnt what makes a home a happy home. I do see how sucked in all of this can become. I go to these amazing blogs and see pics of these happy calm homes where the kids are either helping cook or are playing gently in the background in their VERY waldorf themed playrooms. Thats when I get all caught up in what doesnt really matter. Which is easy to do when you have a VERY active little guy. I am going to really chew on what both of you said, thanks!!! After I re-read what you both said I may comment back to you both on all this again...
ReplyDeleteYes, it is really east to feel parenting envy! I try to let all of what I read INSPIRE me vs. using it to compare how I do things.. And trust me, things are not all perfect over in their worlds, that is just what they share about.
ReplyDeleteThe blog community is great to get ideas, open our eyes to new things, but there is for sure a whole "looking good" mentality of everyone putting their best foot forward and so much guilt in the background of us not doing enough.
I have been dealing with this alot myself, but am really working on ME and doing what feels right to me and how I want to parent my kids and who I want to be as a person.
Like I said, I was right here about a year and a half ago.. just discovering all these great resources and feeling like crud because I didn't feel like I was doing enough. I still feel that sometimes, but then I hang out with my kids and realize they are just fine, doing great, thriving and becoming their own selves and I know that I am doing a good job as a mom.