I just finished reading a book on Waldorf Education: Beyond the Rainbow Bridge, by Barbara Patterson and Pamela Bradley. I’m still digesting everything (I felt like there were a few too many theories stated as fact), but I did love a lot of it. One of the key tenants of Waldorf Education is the idea of consistent rhythms. That is, that children function better and learn more effectively if they know what to expect from their day / week / year.
The idea of seasonal rhythms is so wonderfully appealing to me. The seasonal celebrations of things like summer berry picking and beach combing, making pies and hot soup in the fall (not that I ever actually make pies), picking out a Christmas tree (and spending hours making presents every year), planting flowers in the spring.
But, I have to admit, my daily & weekly rhythms could use improvement. I try not to schedule too many things into our family’s life (trying to leave room for creative, free play and spontaneity). However, after reading Beyond the Rainbow Bridge, I have been inspired to consider my days more deliberately.
In a Waldorf classroom, kids start every day with a story and song time. They spend time free playing, and come together for lunch. They watch their teacher accomplish her tasks, and help as necessity and interest dictate. In a Waldorf-inspired home, families come together to eat meals, have a regular bedtime routine and regular outside play time. Throughout the week, kids learn the days of the week through the weekly rituals and routines that are accomplished.
I think I could learn from this. Perhaps I would be more on top of my housework if I made a regular effort to clean certain days, or at certain times. Perhaps I could regulate my children’s blood sugar levels (and, therefore, moods) by being more deliberate about eating at the same time every day. And by honouring quiet time. Being more deliberate about play time, too. Allowing myself to play with my kids, because I know that some of my work has been done.
I know we have rhythms. Our morning and bedtimes routines are pretty predictable. And they work. I am just wondering what kind of peace I could give myself by becoming more aware of the rhythms of our days, and more specifically, our weeks. Perhaps I’d have more space (both actual time, and clarity of mind) for my own creative goals, too.
Anyone have this nailed down? Brilliant thoughts (or even not so brilliant thoughts) on rhythms in the home – bring them on!
Hi! I’m Kelly Woods, writer, mother & librarian. I write about beauty, creativity, green living and lifestyle design to help others live a life of inspiration, too.
I have read the same book and another called ‘The Incarnating Child’ by Joan Salter. There are some delightful graces and prayers in Salter’s book on Waldorf Education e.g.
Earth that gave us all this food
Sun that made it ripe and good
Dear Sun, dear Earth
We pray that ye
Never shall forgotten be.
(Everybody then holds hands and says together “Blessings on the meal”).
Clara and I are also attending Rudolf Steiner’s playgroup in Tauranga, and enjoying the space and ritual you talk of in this post. Clara loved taking the compost down to the vege garden and meeting the chickens this thursday, but became very vocally ‘expressive’ waiting for the grace before she was allowed to fondle the homemade bread and plum jam.
I too am trying to have more space and less frantic in our home life, and aim to achieve less in each day. Some days space and peace happen, some days baking cakes, picking aunty-in-laws up from the airport, nappy explosions, running over one’s expensive cellphone, ticking off a run from one’s training schedule, making a casserole for one’s step brother and a continuing list of cacophonous activity ensues instead. That’s when reflecting through Taoist ‘lenses’ is most reassuring – accepting the stillness with the movement (aka chaos). One thing I’m being more mindful of is observing ‘how’ I do the housework (which is not my forte by the way, I’d rather be writing or reading or running!). I am trying to be more gentle with it, rather than getting through it all with gusto and perhaps a pinch of resent.
Have you read the tao-te-ching?
No, I haven’t read the tao-te-ching (yet). I like your description of the stillness within the movement. I also like the picture of gentle housework. I find I enjoy it more that way, too. Sometimes it’s such a blur, I get all worked up, and then panic because there is so much to do. My favourite thing you said, though, is how you “aim to achieve less each day.” That is so contrary to what seems to be so ingrained in us, but it such a wonderful concept. Thanks for your insightful comments.
Elias is in a Waldorf preschool. His weeks look like this:
Day task/activity snack
Mon. porridge
Tues. painting soup
Wed. waldorf gymnastics yogurt
Thurs. baking bread bread they baked
Fri. cleaning painting boards muesli
Last fall I found Monday- Friday socks for him. He loves the regularity and knowing what comes next provides him with security.
The time of day looks like this:
7.30-9 arrival/ free play
9-10 free play/ helping the teachers cut up fruit for the snack/ veggies for the soup/ bake the bread for the snack/ paint/ gymnastics/ clean painting boards.
10 clean up. A song is sung and all kids help.
10-11 circle time. During this time they sing songs and play games. The games are led by the older kids and the teachers are directly involved.
11 snack
11.30 Storytime
11.30-12.30 free play outside.
I pick Elias up at 12.30. There are 26 kids in his group aged 3-6. Approx. 3-4 kids are picked up at 12.30. The rest go back in at 1pm and eat lunch. Lunch is followed by a quiet time for the younger kids and the older kids get another story. Some kids fall asleep. When they wake up/ the story is finished they go back out in the summer and probably have free play in the winter.
While the kids have free play, often the teachers are knitting. Kids can sit with them and do a simplified form of knitting, or other crafts, depending on the time of year. There is always a table set up with crayons so they can color. The room has a doll corner and a building corner and a store front. The kids are encouraged to play with natural objects rather than plastic toys. There are cloths they can use to dress up or build things. One day I came in and all the chairs were set up in an obstacle course and the kids were crawling around beneath them.
Elias knows that his Friday socks have a red heel and toe, for eg. and that Friday is followed by the day we usually do our grocery shopping (in Germany), which is then followed by pancake day. He knows that when we come home, I put Isaak down for a nap and he/we play quietly. I honestly don’t know how preschools/ kindergartens can function w/o this regularity. I don’t know what I’ll do when the socks are worn through!
I’d be more than happy to trade you Waldorf knowledge for home schooling knowledge…
That sounds like a great exchange. Can hardly wait to chat with you next week. I find Waldorf so inspiring. So many of the things I’m striving towards, but not always hitting.