 I've always said that this obsession that adults have with the ABCs and discovering what children "want to be when they grow up" speaks volumes about how little we value our children as they are in this moment in their lives. I mean really, who cares?? Are we all so over the moon about our current careers and jobs that we just truly can't wait for our kids to be in the cubicles we now occupy? Christakis examines just this idea in her book The Importance of Being Little: What Preschoolers Really Need from Grownups. This week, our book club examines Chapter 2 called "Goldilocks Goes to Daycare" and as usual we tackle the big idea that each chapter presents. (To join the book club simply hop on over to the Artsy Startsy Facebook Page and/or join the Gentle Preschooling Group! We'd love to hear your ideas about these issues even if you aren't reading the book!) In this case, the big idea is that adults are starting in the wrong place when they go about planning our children's preschool curricula, books, and activities. We start with what seems to be most important to us ... as adults. Our preschool resources, books and plans often try to "explain in often mind-numbing detail, the mysterious industry of adulthood." And then we wonder why our children seem so bored in class! Academic Failure What frightens the author is how so many preschool aged children (even as young as two and three years old) are being labled as having disorders which might simply be a complete lack of interest in the subject matter being taught "at" them. Indeed, as Christakis notes, if a child is "failing" in preschool we need to be examining the lessons and instruction itself instead of holding our children back or assuming they are in someway inept or incapable. Is it right to be rushing to have our children diagnosed as being psychologically impaired before we even think to reexamine the curriculum itself? Why is it necessarily the child that is flawed and not the pedagogy we are feeding them? When children are unable to reach our predefined goals in preschool and beyond, we need to closely examine the programs of study. By doing so, we may be better able to identify some very real problems with our education and early care systems that have nothing whatsover to do with our kids. In this case, the author states that, ...academic failure in the preschool years should.. describe the failure to ignite the flame of inborn curiosity." After all, "what's the point of reciting the days of the week if you can't share something interesting you've done on one of those days?" The key question seems to be, why are we dumbing down curricula to ideas that seem very important to us but that really only matter to our adult worlds? As we all know, adults are overly obsessed with the idea of being on time to make more money. Is that really what we want our kids to care about? The day of the week that they have to rush into the office on time for a job they may or may not love? What do you want to do when you grow up and will you be on time to do it properly? Hmmm... this needs some examination and then some reexamination. Let's ask ourselves, why do we care so much about rushing our children into adulthood and why don't we care as much about what our child can create today in her own sweet time and in her own wondrous way? Wait! Mom, is this Book about a Woman??? So while I've been reading this book about preschool aged children for my own interest and for this lovely little book club, I have also been gathering books together for my little ones to read about rain, rain drops and the generally stormy weather of spring. (It's been a really lovely April reading theme actually)! Anyway, in our book basket was this little treasure called The Pink Umbrella. As we read the book cuddled up on the couch on a rainy afternoon, my daughter and I gradually began to realize that this book was not your typical kids' book. We began to discover that the main character wasn't an animal or a child - it was ... "Wait! Mom, is this book about a woman???" I had to confirm, it was! From my perspective, this wonderful book is a bit of a revolution in writing for children since it's subject matter is quite simply about a woman - a coffee shop owner beloved by her community - who hates the rain. Suddenly, various pink rain gear items begin to appear on the coat rack in her shop. They do not seem to belong to any of her patrons and they are all the perfect size for her! Wouldn't you know? The items are little tokens of affection left by a co-worker who hopes to entice her out into the rain. In fact, the story ends with the two falling in love under an umbrella. "What on earth is this?" I asked myself after closing the book. And then I answered: It's a book about falling in love that in no way "dumbs down" the experience for children or assumes that the reader needs to see through the lens of a child. It is a book written by an author who respects a preschooler enough to believe they could understand the idea of falling in love. That they could enjoy the mystery of courtship. That they might care about the adult world in a way that has nothing to do with the rudimentaries required to become some sort of "professional" when they "grow up." Wonder of wonders! 
8 Weeks in Spring
$96.00
The Seasonal Lessons are designed to help you spend more quality time with your little one exploring the arts and nature. All Seasons are digital purchases which provide lifetime access to a secure, members-only section of the Artsy Startsy web site.
This Season Includes:
2 Weeks in Summer
$24.00
The Seasonal Lessons are designed to help you spend more quality time with your little one exploring the arts and nature. All Seasons are digital purchases which provide lifetime access to a secure, members-only section of the Artsy Startsy web site.
This Season Includes:
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