labor day and thoughts on Waldorf

Haven't written here in a few days.  Labor Day weekend has been kind of difficult for me--missing my dad, struggling with a bout of depression that I hope is merely temporary and not the onset of a major episode.  At the moment I am feeling better and more positive.  One thing that helped was getting out of the house and spending the evening with a friend.  Keeping in the Labor Day spirit, we talked about our birth stories while sitting outside on her patio after her daughters went to bed.  Getting connected with another person is so helpful when depression/grief/sadness would rather isolate you.


 On Sunday, the three of us, John, Gabriel and I went to a family picnic.  Again, it was helpful to be around other people, although I always feel quiet in group settings.  Being outside was helpful too.  The weather was windy and cool at the lake, although the water was warm.  Gabriel loved wading in the lake.  The potato salad was delicious.

  I've been doing a lot of reading, both in book and online form, on the Waldorf method of raising and educating children. There is a lot about it that appeals to me: a rhythmic, cyclical connection to time and nature through its celebrations of daily life and seasonal festivals; the emphasis on creating and protecting a peaceful childhood;  the value placed on traditional crafts and literature; the importance placed on home and family life as the desired cultural center; and the advocacy for parents and teachers to be doing inner work and self development.  I also really appreciate how Waldorf seeks to protect very young children from over stimulation that comes from the onslaught of media images; not to mention the onslaught of beeping electronic "educational" toys.

   At the same time, I am really struggling with Steiner and his philosophy of anthroposophy.  What I have tried to read is extremely esoteric and sometimes run contrary to what I believe in my own personal faith life.  For example, as a Christian I do not believe that Jesus is merely the harmonizing force between the earthly  and the spiritual, although I do believe he is both God and Man. To me, He  is more tangible than just a cosmic ideal. He is flesh and bone.   Esoteric writing always leaves me wanting more, something earthy to grab onto.  So, I think I will thank Herr Steiner for the wonderful ideas that I feel comfortable implementing in our life as a family and leave what I don't find compatible behind.

 One Waldorf concept that I am trying to implement is the concept of the daily rhythm.  I think it is so important for babies and young children to have a sense of their world by knowing what to expect from their day.  Gabriel has a general routine, but I want to enhance his sense of being connected to something larger.  I love the Waldorf traditions of verses and songs to mark various points along the day, the week, the seasons.

I found the most wonderful blog called The Parenting Passageway . The author, Carrie,  really does a great job of unpacking Waldorf concepts for the lay person.  She also gives an incredible amount of advice on how to go about implementing Waldorf in your life, especially for newcomers. Reading her blog really helps me to understand what Waldorf is and what it looks like in daily life.