One of the things I try very hard to do with the girls is to make sure that they are able to get a good amount of outdoor time after school. This is one of the bigger challenges I face as a waldorf-inspired parent who is not using a waldorf school or homeschooling. The girls get home around 3:30 and they are tired, hungry and have homework. But if it fits into our afternoon - I try very hard to get them some free time outside to "shake off" their day.
As a waldorf parent and teacher, I do my best to foster a love of nature and appreciation of the natural, wild, untamed, deep rooted world around us in my own children and the children I care for in my nursery program. I know that they will be the ones left here after I am long gone... what I teach them now, they will teach their own children and carry into a future WAY beyond myself... and they are the only hope for our planet, the human race and the future. This is what I try to tell parents and caregivers... your job is SO extremely important... the ripple effects can truly change the world.
There were so many leaves and acorns in our garden. We raked, picked, shoveled and dug... we're getting ready to plant and the girls are getting excited. We have four square foot boxes and each girl is in charge of one. They will make sure their box is planted, tended to, weeded (not many weeds with square foot gardening), watered, picked and cared for each day.
The daycare children will help when the girls are at school by watering and caring for our garden as well. We also have a lot of other areas where we will be planting herbs, flowers, strawberries and lots of other fun things!
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this year is OUR YEAR for a lot of little green thumbs at Little Acorn Learning :) Wish us luck!
