You are Your Child's First Teacher: Encouraging Your Child's Natural Development from Birth to Age Six

by Rahima Baldwin Dancy

Genres: Parenting

368 pages, Paperback

About the author

I tell parents, "I made every mistake in the book--which is why I wrote the book": to share how the insights of Rudolf Steiner revolutionized my home life and my ability to meet the needs of my growing children--and the children I cared for, first as a Waldorf kindergarten teacher in the 1980s and then as director of Rainbow Bridge LifeWays Program from 2007 to the present.
In the1970s I wrote "Special Delivery" and became a homebirth midwife and childbirth activist, dedicated to protecting natural birth and its transformative power for families and society. At the same time I first discovered Waldorf education in response to the question, "What now? What do we do with these amazing children who are so full of life?" Like most parents, I was clueless, and I knew there had to be someone who could provide a coherent picture.
I remind parents that Rudolf Steiner never had any children; nonetheless, his insights into human development resulted in his formulation of an educational approach that took into account the whole human being--thinking, feeling and willing--while acknowledging the spiritual nature of the human being. My husband and I completed the Waldorf teacher training and were transformed. Home life with four children suddenly became sane and supportive, and I was able to become an early childhood teacher--something I had always wanted to do, but didn't think I would be a good fit. In 1982 I taught the first kindergarten at the Rudolf Steiner School of Ann Arbor while Agaf took a first grade class. While he stayed with his class from grades 1-8, I taught kindergarten for a few years and then started an in-home program in 1984. During that time I completed writing "Pregnant Feelings" (with Terra Richardson) and began writing the first edition of "You Are Your Child's First Teacher," which was published by Celestial Arts in 1989.
During the intervening years the book has been revised several times, and I returned to midwifery as co-director of The Birth Center in Dearborn, Michigan. Over the nine years we were in Michigan, my midwifery partner, Valerie El Halta, and I served couples from 43 different countries! Then Agaf and I--our children grown and out of the house--moved to California and I found myself caring for his mother and my mother in our home for six years. During that time I got a Masters in "Gerontology and Organizational Change" from California State University Sacramento, before we returned to Boulder, Colorado, in 2003. During all these years I continued offering "Magical Years" and "Waldorf in the Home" conferences for parents and became a founding board member of LifeWays North America.
Returning to Boulder, the wheel had come almost full circle, as this was where I had started midwifing in 1977. Then I returned to early childhood when my daughter, Faith Baldwin (now Collins) and I opened Rainbow Bridge together in 2007. After three years, my husband took Faith's place after she married and joined me in caring for twelve children from ages 1-5. What a gift to be "Oma" ("Grandma" in German) and "Grandpa Agaf" to these wonderful children and their families and to provide them with the LifeWays family-model of relationship-based, mixed-age care!
So when Celestial Arts asked if I wanted to do a Revised Edition of "First Teacher," I jumped at the chance because there was so much more I wanted to share with you! I'm so glad we're able to continue the journey together.

Reviews

[Katie B · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I enjoyed most of this book, there were several chunks that I found to be very frustrating and almost made me throw this one in my DNF pile.

I loved the practical tips for establishing a daily rythim, cultivating your child's creativity and imagination, and enriching the mother child bond. For that content I still consider this to be a worthwhile read.

I hate the demonization of screen time to the point of the author asking parents not to let their children wear clothes depicting super heros to her Waldorf center because it affects the children's play. That stance left me feeling like the author is somewhat out of touch considering the current situation for a large portion of parents who may have little to no assistance with the burden of childcare. I worry so much about screen time myself but being a primary caregiver with no family nearby, it is often my only option so I can shower or get dinner on the table. I do my best to make sure the quality of my daughters screen time is as good as it can possibly be so I can at least feel good about that.

The author seems to be dismissive of resources for help that may or may not be available to parents. In this day and age things like Mothers Day Out isn't always an option. Family's don't typically stay together in tight units so they can help rear children. And in the U.S. I'm particular, parents get little to no parental leave and have no choice but to both work or starve. I found the seeming dismissal of those issues to be calloused.

Some of her suggestions for play activities in chapter 8 struck me as kind of ridiculous, such as keeping a wooden stump in your house so your little one can practice hammering nails. That sounds like a great option. *Insert sarcasm here* 🙄

Is this book useless? No, I found an abundance of lovely ideas and advice on helping my child develop their imagination and start their journey on the path to independence. Is this author out of touch with the plight of many parents who have no help and means to achieve some of her ideals? Absolutely. I hope they might revise this book one day or even write another book with some of the more current issues for parents in mind.

[Ariel Lovewell · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got soooo much out of this! Disclaimer, as expected for a Waldorf influenced book there are certainly some kind of kooky claims or philosophies behind the principles mixed in, but appreciated that the author didn’t always state it as a cultish fact. However, on an intuitive level, wow I resonate so much with many of the principles of this book about what is best for raising very young children. Storytelling, engagement with real world, art, and the importance of fantasy, imagination, creativity and imitation - how that plays in to properly engaging toddlers and young children, cultivating environment and routines in the home, lots of specific ideas. The more particular suggestions on toys and such might not be for everyone, but certainly appealed to my hippie self. :)

[Jade · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have got some great insights into how to bring up my children in a more positive way. I am glad that I read this book.

[Megan Seliger · Rating 3 out of 5]

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