Hi Pen and others listening, another very interesting chapter. I have simplified my life quite a lot in the last few weeks and it does help bring calm. I bought Iris some wooden dominoes and a farmyard puzzle, all handmade, and we all had such fun today, shrieks of laughter as they toppled. I am also reading Volume 3 of the 'Hawk and the Dove' series and finding what has happened to Abbot Peregrine is scouring my emotions - in good and hard ways. The idea of communion without communication has settled in my head, and I am pondering. What I love most about the infirmary brothers is their insistence on dignity, respect and courtesy. Keep smiling and keep well.
When my children were little, my choices were influenced by Steiner — also Ina May Gaskin, John Holt and A.S.Neill. A lot about freedom to experiment and explore, resilience and independence. Also influenced by the Tao, I felt my children should have the opportunity to play with earth, air fire and water — so, a lot of outdoors, making snowmen in winter, paddling pools in summer, a long time playing in the bath; and an open fire in the house, helping with it, enjoying the texture of the ashes and so on. And in the garden, a sandpit, and making mud pies and "stew" with leaves and petals and mud.We live by the sea and East Sussex has lots of woodland and common land, and having a garden was a non-negotiable priority for me. We opted our kitchen door in May and closed it again in October.And we had animals living with us.
I thought my children should have toys that felt real to them, so they had a wooden play house, and when we were painting walls indoors I gave them emulsion paint to decorate their own children's house. Hideous results, of course, but never mind. I got an old, defunct Baby Belling cooker for their toy stove, and small size saucepans and wooden spoon the same as the real thing.
I also read a most interesting book called Dibs in Search of Self, about a psychologist working with a child. To help children process and resolve inner turbulence, she had what she called a "World Set", with figures of different kinds of people etc, allowing role play to explore and process relationships. I thought that was an excellent idea, and made our own World Set from Duplo and Playmobil — and it provided very useful feedback to me to how my children were experiencing playgroup, church, babysitters etc., as they made scenes with the bricks and various accessories (prams, sinks, cars, strollers and so forth) and role-played with the figures (I made sure we had all genders and ages).
We had loads of story books and picture books, and plenty of art materials. My children enjoyed colouring books, though unless they requested on I avoided them in favour of blank paper and pencils, crayons, felt pens and paints.
We had very little money, and I wondered what I could give them or do for them — and then I thought about the Brontës at Haworth, walking out on the moor and sitting by the fire; they worked hard and had very little money. And I realised that having nothing much obliged them to make their own entertainment, which was how they began to write stories. So I thought that Nothing was an actual gift I could give my children to encourage their creativity. I did that and it seems to have worked.
But I could ramble on all day reminiscing about my family; I'd better stop!
I'm so glad you and Iris had such a good time with the farm puzzle and the dominoes. Reminds me of when my grandson was about Iris's age, and I got him a little farm set for his birthday. My youngest daughter (this still makes me laugh) said, "Geez, mum! You bought him a *farm*!? No wonder we haven't got any money!"
The Long Fall — yes, I grew to love the infirmary brothers, too. x
I had a chuckle at the comment by your daughter re the gift. My two both denigrated the dominoes on first sight yesterday and it turned out that they then had the most fun with them! I totally agree with your musings on childhood and what it should be like and that is why Iris is spending a lot of time with her Papa and I, doing real life activities and spending time outdoors. I grew up like that, with very little in the way of 'things' and I am so glad of it. Today I saw her playing with various small cousins in the garden, and they were fully occupied and happy with sticks, dirt and pebbles. The World Set is an excellent concept, I am going to take that on board. At daycare on the day she attends, there is a boy with Downs Syndrome and he wears glasses, and is mostly non verbal. It is delightful to see that all the children just accept him and play and say goodbye when they leave. Just normal. Iris says "Toby, glasses" and that is the only way she differentiates him.
I am known as the Aunty who always buys books, but as a high school English teacher, it is to be expected! Isn't it fun when they read them to you, upside down? I too could go on for ages but I will stop now and enjoy the next chapter whilst she is asleep.xx
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Hi Pen and others listening, another very interesting chapter. I have simplified my life quite a lot in the last few weeks and it does help bring calm. I bought Iris some wooden dominoes and a farmyard puzzle, all handmade, and we all had such fun today, shrieks of laughter as they toppled. I am also reading Volume 3 of the 'Hawk and the Dove' series and finding what has happened to Abbot Peregrine is scouring my emotions - in good and hard ways. The idea of communion without communication has settled in my head, and I am pondering. What I love most about the infirmary brothers is their insistence on dignity, respect and courtesy. Keep smiling and keep well.
Hi, Cate — waving!
When my children were little, my choices were influenced by Steiner — also Ina May Gaskin, John Holt and A.S.Neill. A lot about freedom to experiment and explore, resilience and independence. Also influenced by the Tao, I felt my children should have the opportunity to play with earth, air fire and water — so, a lot of outdoors, making snowmen in winter, paddling pools in summer, a long time playing in the bath; and an open fire in the house, helping with it, enjoying the texture of the ashes and so on. And in the garden, a sandpit, and making mud pies and "stew" with leaves and petals and mud.We live by the sea and East Sussex has lots of woodland and common land, and having a garden was a non-negotiable priority for me. We opted our kitchen door in May and closed it again in October.And we had animals living with us.
I thought my children should have toys that felt real to them, so they had a wooden play house, and when we were painting walls indoors I gave them emulsion paint to decorate their own children's house. Hideous results, of course, but never mind. I got an old, defunct Baby Belling cooker for their toy stove, and small size saucepans and wooden spoon the same as the real thing.
I also read a most interesting book called Dibs in Search of Self, about a psychologist working with a child. To help children process and resolve inner turbulence, she had what she called a "World Set", with figures of different kinds of people etc, allowing role play to explore and process relationships. I thought that was an excellent idea, and made our own World Set from Duplo and Playmobil — and it provided very useful feedback to me to how my children were experiencing playgroup, church, babysitters etc., as they made scenes with the bricks and various accessories (prams, sinks, cars, strollers and so forth) and role-played with the figures (I made sure we had all genders and ages).
We had loads of story books and picture books, and plenty of art materials. My children enjoyed colouring books, though unless they requested on I avoided them in favour of blank paper and pencils, crayons, felt pens and paints.
We had very little money, and I wondered what I could give them or do for them — and then I thought about the Brontës at Haworth, walking out on the moor and sitting by the fire; they worked hard and had very little money. And I realised that having nothing much obliged them to make their own entertainment, which was how they began to write stories. So I thought that Nothing was an actual gift I could give my children to encourage their creativity. I did that and it seems to have worked.
But I could ramble on all day reminiscing about my family; I'd better stop!
I'm so glad you and Iris had such a good time with the farm puzzle and the dominoes. Reminds me of when my grandson was about Iris's age, and I got him a little farm set for his birthday. My youngest daughter (this still makes me laugh) said, "Geez, mum! You bought him a *farm*!? No wonder we haven't got any money!"
The Long Fall — yes, I grew to love the infirmary brothers, too. x
I had a chuckle at the comment by your daughter re the gift. My two both denigrated the dominoes on first sight yesterday and it turned out that they then had the most fun with them! I totally agree with your musings on childhood and what it should be like and that is why Iris is spending a lot of time with her Papa and I, doing real life activities and spending time outdoors. I grew up like that, with very little in the way of 'things' and I am so glad of it. Today I saw her playing with various small cousins in the garden, and they were fully occupied and happy with sticks, dirt and pebbles. The World Set is an excellent concept, I am going to take that on board. At daycare on the day she attends, there is a boy with Downs Syndrome and he wears glasses, and is mostly non verbal. It is delightful to see that all the children just accept him and play and say goodbye when they leave. Just normal. Iris says "Toby, glasses" and that is the only way she differentiates him.
I am known as the Aunty who always buys books, but as a high school English teacher, it is to be expected! Isn't it fun when they read them to you, upside down? I too could go on for ages but I will stop now and enjoy the next chapter whilst she is asleep.xx
:0)
xx
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