“The World is Good” and how Nature can help us.
What I know as a Waldorf early
childhood educator is that in the first 7 years, a child needs to
have a foundational 'knowing' that the world is good. When something
bad happens, we focus on the helpers—like fire fighters in a fire,
for example. Since we know young children learn through imitation—a
deep imitation, it is on us to somehow get to that inner sense
ourselves that “the world is good” .
It is not always easy! Sometimes I feel
overwhelmed by what is going on in the news.” The world? Not so
good,” I think.
When I feel that overwhelm, I have to
remember that I work with young babies and toddlers who are just
coming into this world. They are just discovering things like stones,
trees, bark, mud, flowers, worms, honey bees, butterflies. What
a wondrous, magical place this world is!
I tell the parents I work with that
if their child is out of sorts and really fussy, try going outside. I say
“Mother Nature is a good mother”.
When I step outside and smell the air, feel the breeze, regard the clouds, Its like I slip into a new gear--the rhythm of Nature, of the seasons. Chronological time suspends and a sense of well being arrives. I experience the mothering of Nature. This is the foundational feeling that the world is good. This is what we can give our children.
When I step outside and smell the air, feel the breeze, regard the clouds, Its like I slip into a new gear--the rhythm of Nature, of the seasons. Chronological time suspends and a sense of well being arrives. I experience the mothering of Nature. This is the foundational feeling that the world is good. This is what we can give our children.
Try working a regular 'walk' into your schedule with your toddler. I put quotes on walk because this kind of nature walk is about what they discover on the way so you may only make it a half a block and back!
Be childlike discover nature with your child. Cultivate a sense of wonder with her. Rediscover that the world is good.
