Waldorf in the Home

LifeWays "Basic Practices" are based on the LifeWays Principles. They are equally appicable in the home and childcare settings.

General Practices
~ LifeWays practices are based upon the fundamental need for relationship-based care (bonding and continuity), neurological research, and recognition of living arts (domestic, nurturing, creative and social arts) as central to the advancement of children's social, emotional and intellectual skills. These practices can be applied in parenting, in family childcare homes, and in childcare centers.
~ In child care, "suites" consist of small groups of children who stay together with the same caregivers over a several-year period, creating a more homelike atmosphere and better teacher-child ratios.

The name "LifeWays" grew from the realization that what young children need most is the routine activities of a healthy home life, bathed in the warmth of secure relationships - whether they are at home or in childcare. Blessing to use the name was given by Gudrun Davy, Bons Voors, Patti Smith and Signe Schaefer (editors of the two Lifeways books) and Lee Sturgeon-Day, who uses the name in her biography and counseling work. With their blessing in place, the first LifeWays Center was opened in Wisconsin in September 1998 as a pilot childcare project for children three months to six years old and host to the first LifeWays training.

LifeWays North America is a multi-service organization providing consulting and training for family childcare providers, childcare centers and parents caring for children from birth to 6 years of age. LifeWays suggests that too often the missing ingredients are consistency, warmth, and long lasting relationships revolving around the care of young children in a community of mutual support for the adults who care for them. LifeWays contributes a powerful voice to the early care arena by focusing on nurturing infants, young children and families in mixed-age, family style childcare settings. The heart of LifeWays childcare is the "Family Suite" in which children and caregivers develop long term relationships in an environment that protects childhood and enhances optimal physical, socio-emotional and cognitive growth and health.

What was it that day, twenty years ago, when my young son came running into the house, eyes widened, breathless, and full of both wonder and trepidation? What had he seen? He tried to describe it - a shadow, but not really a shadow. It moved quickly, and then it was gone. It had looked at him!

To the young child, everything has "being-ness" - and nowhere more than in the world of nature. It is a world that can at once delight, awe and even frighten. And children cannot get enough of it! A favorite story is one I heard from a friend in Denmark who described a toddler who spent half an hour exploring a knothole in a tree. His finger went in; it came back out. It went in again; came back out again.

One of the hallmarks of LifeWays Child Care is the family-style approach. By caring for children in small groups of varying ages, the child's daily experience is much more natural and home-like than the institutionalized and program-oriented care that is prevalent today. Through the inspiration of Steiner's research in child development and current research on brain development and the importance of bonding, we recognize that this model of care supports the healthy development of the child.

The following are two anecdotal stories from students who are currently in the LifeWays Child Care and Human Development training in Wisconsin. They each offer child care in their homes, and one is preparing to open a LifeWays Center in Milwaukee next year.

A mother in a Waldorf parent-child program submitted a question about agressive behavior from her three-year-old son:
"The struggle we are facing is that our son can be aggressive with the other
kids. Some instances it is a circumstance in which he and another child
both want the same toy and he will try and pull it away- this I can deal
with. Other times it seems as though it is out of nowhere- he will just
push another child or hit them on the top of the head with his hand. The
teahers in our class and the other parents are very supportive to us and
encourage us to let this all play out. My question is "do you have any
suggestions for us to help with this agression?" This situation is not
soley at the mommy and me, it happens with his cousin, who he plays with as
well. What tools can we use to help him control the agression? Any advice is
welcome. Thank you!"

LifeWays: Family-Style Childcare in Homes and in Centers
by Cynthia Aldinger

The LifeWays approach to childcare provides, as closely as possible, the best elements of care found within a healthy family. The practices of a LifeWays family-style model are based upon healthy sense development; continuity of care; development of mind and body; an enlivened experience of the domestic and nurturing arts; and the development of healthy social interactions. These practices are inspired by the works of Rudolf Steiner and Waldorf Education and are supported by contemporary early childhood research, as well as the common sense wisdom of many generations of parents.

This approach can be applied in both childcare homes and childcare centers. Each location will have some variations according to community needs, staffing and funding. LifeWays' national center is located in the Caldwell Early Life Center at Rudolf Steiner College in Fair Oaks, California. We are members of the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America, the Alliance for Childhood and the National Association for the Education of Young Children.

LifeWays at Spindlewood: Summer Reflections
Journal Entry by Susan Silverio July 7, 2005

The children "crossed the bridge" early this year, June 2. As always I feel a mixture of jubilation and sadness. Here in Maine summer time is almost another planet: there are boats to sand and paint to put in the water, summer camps [cottages] to open, gardens to plant. It has been cold and wet this spring so the sheep were not shorn until mid-June. This year I hived a colony of honeybees for the first time and I am currently as preoccupied as a new parent. There is so much to observe and learn about these mysterious creatures and their society.

Summer Reflections
Journal Entry, August 4, 2005
by Susan Silverio

"The Child from Birth to Three: World Citizen" is the title of the course that Cynthia Aldinger and I offered at Rudolf Steiner Institute last week. I found that, just as in the kindergarten, there is hope and vision streaming through those who arrive each morning for class, and I am honored to serve as the midwife.

Things are in full swing right now at the LifeWays trainings in Wisconsin and at Rudolf Steiner College in California. The Wisconsin students are halfway through their training and are looking forward to an inspiring weekend in March titled Nurturing and Nourishing:Caring for Children and Ourselves. With two medical practitioners and a curative eurythmist they will be bathed in nurturing experiences including massages, wraps, soothing inhalations, foot rubs and more. Every caregiver of young children deserves a weekend like this! In fact, this is one of the weekends we open to public enrollment. Due to the size of this LifeWays class, however, outside enrollment is limited. If you are interested, let Cynthia know soon at ck.aldinger@sbcglobal.net.

The students at Rudolf Steiner College are also in for a treat in March. At the end of their week of training they will have a three-day workshop with Suzanne Down of Juniper Tree Puppets. She brings such joy to storytelling and puppetry. This is one of the students' favorite parts of the training, and it is the other piece that we open up to public enrollment. If you are interested in joining the California students for this delightful treat just contact Rudolf Steiner College at rsc@steinercollege.edu. Tell them you are interested in the LifeWays workshop with Suzanne Down.

Probably our most exciting news, however, is that our new East Coast training is ready to launch this July/August and enrollments are coming in already. The training will be located at the beautiful Merriconeag Waldorf School in Maine. The early childhood center there, a lovely, artistically-designed strawbale building, will house most of the classes, but the whole campus will be there for the students' enjoyment. They can even stay in the farmhouse right on campus. As is keeping with the LifeWays training, nutritious, delicious organic lunches will be served on site, and a LifeWays-trained caregiver is offering child care for students who need it. Susan Silverio, the East Coast LifeWays Director, has gathered an impressive teaching staff for this new training. For more information contact Susan at silverio@tidewater.net.

I recently received the newsletter from the Milwaukee LifeWays Early Childhood Center and was so impressed with the articles written by their caregivers that I asked permission to share them with you. One of the topics we consider in the LifeWays training is "Three Rs of Early Childhood: Rhythm, Repetition and Reverence." In this third article, Abbey writes a bit about repetition. --Cynthia

Happenings in Abbey Suite
By Abbey Weimer
Caregiver, Milwaukee LifeWays Early Childhood Center

We all know that Wisconsin’s weather is unpredictable. However, at LifeWays, we know how important it is for children to have outside playtime. It serves not only to explore and expand, but also to stretch and work our muscles. The children have enjoyed being outside [all year], ranging from mild days to puddle jumping, from freezing rain to snowy days. It’s all quite amazing!

I recently received the newsletter from the Milwaukee LifeWays Early Childhood Center and was so impressed with the articles written by their caregivers that I asked permission to share them with you. The last of these articles focuses on their Forest Kindergarten, the program for the older chidlren. --Cynthia

Thoughts on Forest Kindergarten
Lori Barian, Kindergarten Teacher,
Milwaukee LifeWays Early Childhood Center

For us in Forest Kindergarten, nature determines our experience and contributes greatly to each day’s “lesson plan.” We sing, “What shall we see there? What shall we hear there? Into the forest. Into the forest,” and then go out the door to see what surprises the forest holds, what it wants to teach us, and what the weather will contribute.

LIFEWAYS PRINCIPLES FOR CARING for YOUNG CHILDREN AT HOME AND IN CHILDCARE

1. Young children thrive in the presence of parents and other devoted caregivers who enjoy life and caring for children. They learn primarily through imitation/empathy and, therefore, need to be cared for by people with integrity and warmth who are worthy of being imitated. This is the foundation for learning and healthy development.

2. Having consistent caregivers, especially from birth to three years old and, preferably, up to primary school age, is essential for establishing a sense of trust and well-being.