We Nurture: Waldorf Inspired Parenting

Slow and Steady Tammy is about a turtle who wishes to be a heroine. One day, when a thunderstorm left Sally Spider and her many little children clinging to a branch, Tammy Turtle found being slow and steady made her a heroine after all!

Author: Mary Natale

Mary has been a teacher of young children for many years. She studied at the Institute of Child Study in Toronto, and upon graduating with her Ontario Teacher's Certificate and Diploma in Child Studies, she began working in a private setting, telling stories and engaging children in artistic activities. After teaching Kindergarten at the Toronto Catholic District School Board for ten years, to her delight, she discovered Waldorf education and has been working at the Toronto Waldorf School for the past sixteen years as an Assistant in the Nursery and Kindergarten programs.  “It was not until I began assisting in the Waldorf Early Childhood programs, where my soul was fed each day, that I began to write children's stories.” Mary lives in Toronto with her husband, two sons and two spoiled dogs - Joey and Charlie.

We recommend this story for ages 3 - 7

To discover more about please visit wenurturecollective.com/stories-for-children

In this episode, I answer parenting questions that a few We Nurture parents sent to us some weeks ago. From time to time on We Nurture Instagram we ask you about parenting challenges that you would like support with and I answer them on the podcast.

Questions answered in this episode:

• My 4-year-old screams and throws things during tantrums. Is that normal?
• Tips and suggestions for potty learning?
• How can I cut down or just get rid of screen-time for my 3-year-old?
• My 3-year-old plays with food at mealtime. What should I do?
• How can I help my daughter who is feeling anxious?

If there are parenting challenges that you're facing and need support, I'm here to help you figure out the root cause and give you clear, practical solutions to implement. You can sign up for a parenting coaching session on our website www.wenurturecollective.com

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Simon Spider lives with his mother and father at the bottom of a giant ash tree the home of Periwinkle fairy. Simon is waiting for the day when he will be able to spin beautiful, useful things like his mother and father can. The one day he helps an elf.

Author - Mary Natale

Mary has been a teacher of young children for many years. She studied at the Institute of Child Study in Toronto, and upon graduating with her Ontario Teacher's Certificate and Diploma in Child Studies, she began working in a private setting, telling stories and engaging children in artistic activities. After teaching Kindergarten at the Toronto Catholic District School Board for ten years, to her delight, she discovered Waldorf education and has been working at the Toronto Waldorf School for the past sixteen years as an Assistant in the Nursery and Kindergarten programs.  “It was not until I began assisting in the Waldorf Early Childhood programs, where my soul was fed each day, that I began to write children's stories.” Mary lives in Toronto with her husband, two sons and two spoiled dogs - Joey and Charlie.

We recommend this story for ages 2.5 - 7

To discover more please visit wenurturecollective.com/stories-for-children

Every child is unique, which means they will each have different preferences and different ways of operating in the world. However, something that is true for all children is that rhythm and routine create a sense of safety and security, and are incredibly beneficial to a child's wellbeing. In today’s episode, which is part 2 of the previous episode (go and have a listen to that one first, if you haven’t yet), Chinyelu runs through an example of what a day in the life for you and your child could look like if you put some simple daily rituals into place. Chinyelu shares many wonderful ideas for creating consistent daily rituals that will not only benefit your child but you as well. From your first interaction in the morning, through lunch, to your final moment with them in the evening; each one plays an important role in establishing your child’s foundation and their relationship with you. 

IN THIS EPISODE WE COVER:

• How to create rituals around each part of the day + examples
• How you can implement pauses in your child’s day, and why you should.
• Benefits of giving your child 30 minutes of your undivided attention in the morning, from Chinyelu’s personal experience.
• The importance of practicing self-care, which is something parents often forget to do.
• … and so much more!

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Amir loves his cat Leyla. Every night Leyla snuggles with Amir in his bed and every morning they wake up together. One day, Leyla goes missing and Amir cannot ind her, even when his dad’s Hossein and Josef help him search the whole house.

Author - Mary Natale

Mary has been a teacher of young children for many years. She studied at the Institute of Child Study in Toronto, and upon graduating with her Ontario Teacher's Certificate and Diploma in Child Studies, she began working in a private setting, telling stories and engaging children in artistic activities. After teaching Kindergarten at the Toronto Catholic District School Board for ten years, to her delight, she discovered Waldorf education and has been working at the Toronto Waldorf School for the past sixteen years as an Assistant in the Nursery and Kindergarten programs.  “It was not until I began assisting in the Waldorf Early Childhood programs, where my soul was fed each day, that I began to write children's stories.” Mary lives in Toronto with her husband, two sons and two spoiled dogs - Joey and Charlie

Ages 3 - 7

Rituals are acts that we come to with love and reverence. They become part of our daily rhythm when they are consistent when we can depend on them, and it’s this rhythmic approach that can be so valuable in guiding your child through the routines you establish each day. This episode is part one of two episodes on the topic of rituals and rhythms. Today, we explore how creating rituals can not only add significance and joy to your daily rhythmic activities but how they help reinforce the ties that connect your family. Listening in, you’ll hear some examples of the rituals that you can introduce and cultivate in your home, including lighting a candle at mealtimes, and why consistency and structure are key. Tune in today!

IN THIS EPISODE WE COVER:

• Why rituals are important for young children
• The importance of creating rituals and why consistency is key
• Ideas for your personal morning ritual as well as your child's
• What your breakfast ritual might look like 
• … and so much more!

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Grandfather had a beautiful garden where he grew lots of vegetables and flowers. He loved working in his garden. One day a big storm came and knocked down the flowers in the garden beds and even blew leaves off the trees. Grandfather had to find the courage to tidy up his garden and make it beautiful again.

Ages 3 - 6

About the author

Jill Tina Taplin was born and brought up in the UK, graduated from university with a degree in philosophy and was busy until her early 30s as a gardener, house builder and mother.  Then she joined a group of parents founding a Steiner Waldorf school in the north east of Scotland, near a spiritual community.  Soon she found herself working in the kindergarten and discovered that was where she really wanted to be.  She worked as a kindergarten teacher in Scotland and Devon until 2008 when family reasons brought her to a new part of the UK with no Waldorf school nearby.  Since then she has expanded her interest in working with adults - students, teachers and parents – through working as a kindergarten mentor, workshop leader, adult education tutor and writer. She has completed an MA in Education (Steiner Philosophy) and now has commitments to support Steiner Waldorf early childhood training mainly in several countries around the world.  In addition to magazine and newsletter articles, she is co-author of Understanding the Steiner Waldorf Approach, published by David Fulton

From the book, Thirty Sunsets and A Moon, a collaborative project by Ashley J. May & Jessica Lewis Stevens 

Here is a tale about a flock of birds that embark on a soul moving journey. An adaptation of Farid al Din Attar’s “The Conference of the Birds”, deeply inspired by the wisdom of my motherline and two little boys who believe they can fly. I tell this story each summer. Sometimes, I tell it all year long--adding tiny new details along the way as my children grow more and more curious about the childhood memories of my grandmother, and her mother, that I hold dear to my heart. It’s best told under the shade of your favorite tree with jugs of honey lemonade for sipping, and the sweetest little hoopoe puppet flying about on a stick.

Author - Ashley J. May You can discover more about Ashley and her work on Instagram @mayashleyj. Ashley J. May is a mother and ethnographer living on the unceded Tongva lands commonly known as Los Angeles, CA. She is the Founder and Project Director of The Grassroots Morning Garden Project that aims to liberate families and organize parents and their children around spaces of freedom through a co-constructed model for holistic, nature immersive parent and child groups, community-engaged research, public scholarship, and collective care.   

Her graduate training is in research and evaluation--specifically in early childhood and community care contexts.  She has over 20 years of experience in education and holds a Child Development Site Supervisor Permit from the California Department of Education.  She is a member of the Waldorf Early Childhood Association of North America, the American Anthropological Association, and the Society for the History of Children and Youth.

Ashley infuses the beauty of Waldorf philosophy, feminist pedagogy, and culturally sustaining, place-based informal educational practices into her work and home life while interrogating places of expansion and opportunities for transformation in order that we are in right relationship with the families and communities we serve.

We recommend this story for ages 3 and up

To discover more please visit wenurturecollective.com/stories-for-children

In this episode, guest Meagan Rose Wilson and I discuss the physiological impacts of screen time and how to implement a  gentler approach with your children.  Meagan highlights the importance of not vilifying media and helping children understand when it’s appropriate to use it as a tool in life.  We cover all this and more in today’s exploration of questions on how to manage screen time for your family,  so make sure to tune in today!

IN THIS EPISODE WE COVER:

• How to manage screen time with your children
• How to hold boundaries with younger children and model a positive example
• How screen time can negatively impact your child’s development
• How to find the screen time rhythm that is best for your family

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Bella Butterfly is about a lovely brown butterfly who survives a terrible storm. One day Bella Butterfly was gathering sweet nectar in an acorn cup for her friend Benjamin Beetles birthday. Suddenly a storm came and blew hard on Bella's brown velvet wings.Toby the tulip called to her and she flew into his petals to rest her tattered and torn wings.

Author - Mary Natale

Mary has been a teacher of young children for many years. She studied at the Institute of Child Study in Toronto, and upon graduating with her Ontario Teacher's Certificate and Diploma in Child Studies, she began working in a private setting, telling stories and engaging children in artistic activities. After teaching Kindergarten at the Toronto Catholic District School Board for ten years, to her delight, she discovered Waldorf education and has been working at the Toronto Waldorf School for the past sixteen years as an Assistant in the Nursery and Kindergarten programs.  “It was not until I began assisting in the Waldorf Early Childhood programs, where my soul was fed each day, that I began to write children's stories.” Mary lives in Toronto with her husband, two sons and two spoiled dogs - Joey and Charlie.

We recommend this story for ages 3 - 7

To discover more about please visit wenurturecollective.com/stories-for-children