Imitation: The Secret to Parenting Young Children

Posted by Donna Simmons

Everyone knows that young children do what they see, not what they are told to do. Yet many parents spend fruitless hours trying to talk their little ones into better behavior. How much more in tune with your child’s developmental…

Reading Aloud

Posted by Donna Simmons

Reading aloud is not simply a pleasant activity for bedtime, nor is it only for younger children: reading aloud, done properly, is the basis for literacy and the bedrock of an education aiming at excellence in reading and composition. Christopherus…

Five Tips to help with parenting and homeschooling neurodivergent children

Posted by Donna Simmons

Whether your child has a condition such as autism or displays such behaviors because of environmental factors, changing your life to be less stimulating, quieter and permeated with regular rhythms can help. Few parents and very few doctors and therapists…

4 Important Articles on Health

Posted by Donna Simmons

These articles are all written by Master Waldorf teachers and give great insights into the health-bringing basis of Waldorf educations. Supporting the Development of the Hand, Ingun Schneider Hand Movements Sculpt Intelligence, Arthur Auer Educating the Will Part I, Michael…

Homelife, The Basis for Homeschooling (5 Tips Episode #1)

Posted by Donna Simmons

If we are homeschoolers, then our home, and being at home, is what is most important. The home is the vessel, the chalice, the place where karmic relationships between the members of the household unfold. Donna gives five tips on…

Christopherus Geography

Posted by Donna Simmons

Geography is a wonderful homeschooling topic and at Christopherus, we follow the Waldorf path of gradually unfolding from home in fourth grade out to encompassing the world by eighth grade. Here is a grade by grade description of how we…

From Form Drawing to Geometry

Posted by Donna Simmons

As I now (summer 2025)  head toward completing our Christopherus curriculum (parts of 8th grade are available here) I am in the wonderful and privileged position of being able to look back over the grades and seeing how they connect…

Children and Angels

Posted by Donna Simmons

God is Listening One of the most powerful examples parents can set for their children is to let them witness them as reverent people who pray and who actively relates to the spiritual worlds. We live in dark times and…

Child Development

Posted by Donna Simmons

In order to make the Christopherus curriculum one’s own and to work with its healing depths, one needs to have more than a passing familiarity with child development.

Introduction to Anthroposophy

Posted by Donna Simmons

Although teachers in Waldorf schools should be working out of anthroposophy, no homeschooler is, of course obliged to walk this path. However, if one wants to understand the depths of this uniquely universal education, one which is, at heart a…

Christopherus math through the grades

Posted by Donna Simmons

A holistic math curriculum At Christopherus we are proud to provide a math curriculum  based on the holistic reality of numbers and operations, grounded in the child’s own experience and deepened from grade to grade. From collecting nuts to memorizing…

a story of St Nicholas

Posted by Donna Simmons

St Nicholas’ day has passed (6 December) but this is a lovely story to share with your children. It was written by a Christian Community (the church inspired by the work of Steiner) priest. May it be received with love…

Your Child and Tests

Posted by Donna Simmons

The Christopherus curriculum definitely includes tests–but the right tests, given in the right way at the right time. Listen here for a discussion of this topic plus what to do if tests are required where you live. Here is the…

The Spiritual Reality of Truth

Posted by Donna Simmons

In this 20 minute talk I explore (briefly!!) the spiritual reality of truth; the un-truth of political movements inspired by postmodernism; and the paradox of the individual yet universality of the striving toward truth as a spiritual deed. I begin…

My Story is Your Story, Your Story is My Story

Posted by Donna Simmons

Perhaps the most important aspects of anthroposophy, the foundation of Waldorf education, are its universalism on the one hand, and its utter respect for the individual on the other. The weaving between these two can seem like a paradox–but therein…

Children and Computers

Posted by Donna Simmons

Here is a talk–a rather long talk of about 30 minutes–I have recorded on the subject of why computers are not good for children. If one asks ‘is there a need for computers, called for by the universal and therapeutic…

A Goethean ‘Sense-Walk’

Posted by Donna Simmons

Our new self-study course is all about looking at the world from new perspectives; nurturing one’s senses and observations; delving into one’s ‘stuckness’ so one can become the homeschooling parent one wants to be. Through self development exercises, artistic work…

Michaelmas thoughts

Posted by Donna Simmons

Starting on 29 September, Michaelmas Day, we can live into the reality of the four-week period of Michaelmas, a time to gather inner courage as we face the darkening days ahead. In a time when many can feel that life…

Feedback Regarding Computer Use in Waldorf Schools

Posted by Donna Simmons

Last month I wrote an impassioned plea to Waldorf teachers to please stop and consider other ways to work with their classes during this time of shut-down and  distancing regulations. I got quite a lot of feedback, some of which…

A Plea to Waldorf Teachers

Posted by Donna Simmons

a Michael imagination by David Newbatt Dear Waldorf Teachers, I am writing to you as a colleague and friend, a former Waldorf student, teacher and parent, and present Waldorf educator mainly focused on homeschoolers. I write because I am shocked…

The Positive Side of Lockdown!

Posted by Donna Simmons

Well bless my boots–I’m actually going to write about the positive side of the lockdown situation we are in (and not about whether it contributes to containing COVID). What I’m interested in is the fact that a number of folks…

Concerns About Forest Kindergartens

Posted by Donna Simmons

I have worked with children, largely on the land (city farms, youth projects, farm visits–all sorts of outdoor adventures and play) for more than 35 years. Ten years ago, had you asked me if children could be outdoors too much…

Homeschooling in Extraordinary Circumstances

Posted by Donna Simmons

Over the years I have often heard people worry that they cannot homeschool because of extraordinary circumstances–illness or death in the family, a natural disaster, divorce, job loss and so on. Homeschooling is about the reality of human relationships–and to…

Homeschoolers First and Foremost!

Posted by Donna Simmons

I am coming to the end of creating our new (summer 2019) sixth grade curriculum and a few things have happened recently which have helped me recommit to homeschooling as homeschooling–as opposed to trying to create Waldorf school at home….

Geometry in 6th Grade

Posted by Donna Simmons

I am presently (late February 2019) working on the geometry section of our sixth grade syllabus. Thought folks might be interested in a peek…Here is an excerpt from its opening: In a Waldorf school, geometry holds a special place in…

The Wholeness of Waldorf Education

Posted by Donna Simmons

I am currently working on our Christopherus sixth grade syllabus (available mid-July 2019). This is the first new syllabus I have written in years. There are a number of reasons for this and one reason is that the Waldorf middle…

The Beauty of Astronomy

Posted by Donna Simmons

The following is the introduction to the Teacher’s Guide for our new publication, A Year of Astronomy, available to purchase mid January 2019. On the one hand, astronomy is such an obvious and simple subject to study—all one needs to…

A Quick Autumn Craft

Posted by Donna Simmons

I rarely put craft ideas on to my blog—there are so many other folks out there who are so creative and ‘crafty’ I generally leave it to them—but this craft has always been one of my favorites. It is so…

A Few Tips for Staying Sane During Breaks from Homeschool

Posted by Donna Simmons

Following on from my exuberant plea to let children be children I do of course realize that many parents find the near-chaos (and sometimes, downright chaos) of the summer months to be, well, unsettling, to say the least. What happens…

No School During the Summer!

Posted by Donna Simmons

That’s right—‘school’s out for summer’—including homeschool! (Alice Cooper eat your heart out– I bet most of you are too young to get the reference…sigh…!) Here in the US we are blessed with the phenomena of a wonderful loooong summer break…

Empathy and the teen

Posted by Donna Simmons

Just going through old blog posts and deleting dated or no longer relevant posts…and stumbled upon this goodie. I read it and was pleased to see that I still agree with what I originally wrote below! The following is an…

Candlemas

Posted by Donna Simmons

Here is a rather old post from – yikes!! – 10 years ago about the festival of Candlemas. I have been more focused on videos and talks than on my blog – I save my writing for the creation of…

When Violence Touches Children

Posted by Donna Simmons

Dear friends, I am reprinting part of an article from the wonderful Waldorf Today newsletter about the death of a Waldorf teacher recently in a drive-by shooting in Chicago. Following this I have reprinted an excellent article written by Susan…

Unlined paper, handwriting and the development of inner freedom

Posted by Donna Simmons

By Donna Simmons Waldorf education, because it has been developed out of a profound understanding of how human beings develop, is at essence a healing art of education. We all come to this earth with challenges and flaws—physical, mental, emotional…

The Christopherus Geography Curriculum

Posted by Donna Simmons

by Donna Simmons   From one point of view, you could say that a study of geography is the heart of the Waldorf curriculum—it is the discipline that connects and enlivens much of the rest of the curriculum. History, science…

Art and Crafts as a Foundation to the Healing of the Human Being

Posted by Donna Simmons

An excerpt from our Second Grade Syllabus new second edition by Donna Simmons.    He who works with his hands is a laborer; He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman; He who works with his…

The Tyranny of the Main Lesson Book

Posted by Donna Simmons

by Donna Simmons One characteristic of Waldorf education is its focus on the creation of main lesson books throughout all 12 grades. Every day, in every grade, during the first 2 hours of the morning, each class is focused on…

Five Things Every Waldorf Homeschooler Should Stop and Consider…

Posted by Donna Simmons

By Donna Simmons I think there must be times in every homeschooler’s life when she (or he) wishes that she could just put the children on the couch and freeze them there for a year or two while she catches…

The Goal of Waldorf Education

Posted by Donna Simmons

By Donna Simmons   Greetings All, One of the most important and attractive elements of the Waldorf curriculum is the way children are led through an exploration of subject matter in an ever-deepening way. In accordance with her stage of…

Keep Calm and Homeschool On

Posted by Donna Simmons

by Barbara Benson Guidelines for homeschooling multiple ages of children   One of the most frequently asked consulting questions I receive is how to homeschool multiple ages of children and keep one’s sanity! It is a challenge and I remember…

Rhythms of Learning

Posted by Donna Simmons

In Waldorf inspired homeschooling we talk about establishing a good daily weekly, monthly and seasonal rhythm. What do we really mean when we say rhythm? In Donna’s Waldorf Curriculum Overview, Chapter 7, she discusses the daily rhythm of ” active…

Working Moms and Homeschooling

Posted by Donna Simmons

  In truth, every mom is a working mom. The job of taking care of a family is a large one. For those of us who add on paid employment, either outside the home or at home, the task of…

Transitioning from School to Homeschooling

Posted by Donna Simmons

Taking your child out of public school or a private school in order to homeschool is a major life decision for the family. In my experience as a consultant, this decision can often occur in early elementary, middle school, or…

TAKING STOCK- A Midwinter Evaluation of Your Homeschooling

Posted by Donna Simmons

January or early February is a good time of year for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere to take stock of where we are with our homeschooling. Here are a few suggestions to keep your homeschooling rhythm on track:…

Managing Multiple Main Lessons

Posted by Donna Simmons

(written by Barbara Benson) It takes organization, dedication and some flexibility to homeschool multiple children. The simple fact is that you are not going to be able to follow each syllabus thoroughly with each child. As a parent of five…

Transitioning to High School

Posted by Donna Simmons

The following was written by Barbara Benson, mother of 5 children, all homeschooled with Christopherus and other materials through high school. The Waldorf inspired curriculum at Christopherus is largely focused on grades 1-8, those years when a homeschooling parent is…

Role of Non-Teaching Spouse

Posted by Donna Simmons

  Many couples that do Waldorf inspired homeschooling share similar values on education and adopting a Waldorf inspired rhythm to homeschooling. There are times, however, when one person "discovers" Waldorf and is determined to augment it into the family lifestyle,…

The Rhythms of Reverence in Homeschooling Daily Life

Posted by Donna Simmons

By Barbara Benson The Rhythms of Reverence in Homeschooling Daily Life Why is it important to instill a sense of reverence into our homeschooling daily life?  Reverence is a fundamental ” mood of the soul”, a sense of love and…

What is a Trained Waldorf Teacher?

Posted by Donna Simmons

For the first time in 12 years of business, my lack of having a certificate from a Waldorf teacher training institute has been queried. How interesting this whole question is to me! First, thank you to the homeschooling mother who…

Summer Learning

Posted by Donna Simmons

This article first appeared in the Homeschool Journey newsletter, July 2004 About a week after I wrote the last newsletter, I realized that what I had written was potentially open for misinterpretation. I had written that although we do not formally “do school” during…

Immunization… a parent’s decision (or not)

Posted by Donna Simmons

I’m more then disappointed with California’s recent passage of bill SB277.  The law takes away the basic parental right of deciding what is right for their child if that child is enrolled in a public or private school. For now…

Thinking About Toys

Posted by Donna Simmons

Although most young children – and many older ones – will be attracted to flashing, noisy toys, with care and forethought, one can create a family culture whereby the values of what is true, beautiful and good are embodied in…

A Doll for Every Child

Posted by Donna Simmons

It is a wonderful thing for every child, boy or girl, to have a doll. As a sleeping companion, confidante and general companion, the doll should be soft and warm. Most “Waldorf dolls” are stuffed with real wool because wool…

Books for Three Year Olds

Posted by Donna Simmons

The following is a very common question which, over the years, I have answered many times. We have reprinted it here to help others. Question: Do you have any book recommendations for three year olds? And what are the types…

The Frustrated Two Year Old

Posted by Donna Simmons

The agony of the frustrated two year old! A very popular topic for discussion over the years on my old forum, with clients….at conferences. Here are some thoughts. And don’t forget to look at our early years book The Journey…

Relating to Anthroposophy

Posted by Donna Simmons

By Donna Simmons At some point in one’s early explorations of Waldorf education, one will surely come across a host of unfamiliar terms and concepts relating to anthroposophy. My intention in this short piece is to take a brief look…

Beginning a Sucessful Homeschooling Year

Posted by Donna Simmons

The first month of homeschooling, especially for new homeschoolers, can be challenging. Sometimes the carefully laid out plans of summer seem to go awry in the face of actually teaching the main lesson material to your children. Here are a…

Knitting Project – Cabled Headband

Posted by Donna Simmons

Here is a sweet little knitting project from Lisa Ashley of Ewetopia Fiber Shop, which she co-owns with her daughter Kathryn, here in Viroqua, Wisconsin. The warm and lovely Ewetopia shop has become quite the social hub for knitters of…

September Boom and Bust

Posted by Donna Simmons

September Boom and Bust If you’re like most homeschoolers, you started your new homeschooling year well organized, with clear goals and with great enthusiasm. You had all your lessons well planned, with interesting and engaging projects to do to keep the work…

Keynotes for Each Grade

Posted by Donna Simmons

One thing that I have noticed over the years of working with parents interested in Waldorf education is that often people forget to look much beyond the grade/age that their children are currently at. This causes much confusion and sometimes…

What is the Fate of the Next Generation?

Posted by Donna Simmons

Here's a sobering article from the New York Times about our new generation of tech and media junkies. Why is this so surprising to so many people? I suppose the faint silver glimmer in this very dark cloud is that…

Death in the family

Posted by Donna Simmons

 The following was kindly written for me by my friend, Marianne Dietzel. Marianne lost her eldest child in a car accident in 1996 and has, along with her husband and two sons, been on a long journey of healing. One…

Second Grade Speech and Poetry

Posted by Donna Simmons

The following is an excerpt from our Christopherus Second Grade Syllabus, from the language arts section. I am very proud of our curriculum materials but I have to say that I am especially proud of the language arts section of all our…

Devising a Schedule that Works

Posted by Donna Simmons

One of the things that I take great pains to emphasize throughout our Christopherus publications is advise on how to teach and how to organize one’s lessons. Drawing from my background as a Waldorf teacher and homeschooling mother, I try…

Trusting the Child?

Posted by Donna Simmons

In my recent blog where I wrote about our middle grades curriculum, I referred to Waldorf Unschooling. What follows is from a discussion on our (now closed 2014) discussion forum where a member asked a question she entitled "Waldorf vs…

Musings on School Readiness and Older Children

Posted by Donna Simmons

It’s that time of year again…parents agonizing about whether their six year old should start first grade or stay in kindergarten….Such a big decision. Steiner’s entire picture of the development of the human being rests on an understanding of the seven…

Drowning in Dialogue

Posted by Donna Simmons

Just the other day I was in our local co-op (center of life here in our small Midwest town – especially now when there are two feet of snow on the ground) bobbing about doing my shopping when I became…

Curative Education: A Review

Posted by Donna Simmons

Here is a review written by Carrie Dentler, enthusiastic Waldorf at Home forum moderator. Carrie, as a pediatric intensive care therapist, has an on-going interest in the health bringing basis of Waldorf education, including that focused specifically on children with…

Follow Up to Teens and Texting

Posted by Donna Simmons

Thank you to all who responded to my earlier blog on Teens and Texting. I think this is a huge topic – one which I will return to again and again. And if you haven’t responded to my original blog…

The Peace of Mary

Posted by Donna Simmons

This year for the first time I was able to participate in the celebration of Epiphany at my Church (The Christian Community – the Church inspired by the work of Rudolf Steiner). I was privileged to participate in the most…

A Job for Samuel

Posted by Donna Simmons

Sometimes it can be so easy for parents of young children to forget how simple it actually is to keep them engaged and pleasant to be with. During Advent I was at my Church helping before the Advent spiral. Some…

Imagination and Discipline

Posted by Donna Simmons

by Donna Simmons Today I had an opportunity to remember how one needs to develop one’s own imagination so as to deal creatively with a potential discipline problem with young children. What happened was both typical and easily dealt with…

Protecting the Heart of the Home

Posted by Donna Simmons

When our children are little, it can be reasonably easy to create the kinds of rhythms and forms in our homelife which support their growth and which nurture our family relationships. Having sit-down meals together, saying a verse or blessing…

The Wonder of the County Fair

Posted by Donna Simmons

This weekend is the Vernon County fair, held at the old fair grounds on what was obviously, once upon a time, the edge of town but has now been swallowed up by our little strip mall (and admittedly corn fields…

Preparing for a New Academic Year

Posted by Donna Simmons

It can feel like an overwhelming task to consider planning a new academic year of homeschooling for one child let along multiple age children. When Donna asked me to do a guest blog on this topic I asked her to…

The Darkness of The Dark Knight

Posted by Donna Simmons

Last night I watched The Dark Knight with my 16 year old son. He had seen it in the movies a year ago and raved about it ever since and wanted to watch it with me. So we did. So this…

Is Childcare as Good as Mama-care?

Posted by Donna Simmons

Every once in awhile I have one of those “Emperor’s New Clothes” moments – you know what I mean. In this story, the emperor is gullible and gets taken in by two con-men who claim to make him the most…

Revisiting Jean Liedloff and the Continuum Concept

Posted by Donna Simmons

The very first book that I read that set me off and running on the road to “natural parenting” was Jean Liedloff’s The Continuum Concept. Having devoured Ina May Gaskin’s Spiritual Midwifery and militantly given birth to my first son…

Destructive Children Come to Play

Posted by Donna Simmons

We had a great thread on the Waldorf at Home on line discussion group recently, started by a member who needed help managing when neighborhood children would come to play – and would trash her house! The following is an…

Boundaries

Posted by Donna Simmons

One of the biggest challenges of life is the struggle to understand boundaries. Everywhere we meet another person, every social encounter we have, we meet boundaries. What is my boundary – what am I comfortable with? What is your boundary…

A Change of Clothes

Posted by Donna Simmons

Recently, in church, I sat considering why it is that some parents do not insist that their children dress nicely for church. Obviously, there are issues with getting up late, avoiding an argument and so on….but I wonder if perhaps…

The Need to be a Cling-On

Posted by Donna Simmons

One of the most important reasons for parents to create a lifestyle which values slow over fast is that it supports good health. Cooking meals from scratch, growing one’s own vegetables or taking the time to visit a farm or…

Encouraging Inner Listening

Posted by Donna Simmons

A few weeks ago my 15 year old son, my husband and I watched an Alfred Hitchcock film together ( Shadow of a Doubt) Not a great film but something really made me sit up and take notice. There was a scene…

Keeping Sane Over the Holidays

Posted by Donna Simmons

The Holiday Season is a time of joy for most people – and surely people with children are most joyous of all, as children’s excitement mounts and the countdown to the Great Day begins…. But the Holidays can also be…

Painting in Peace

Posted by Donna Simmons

I have a love-hate relationship with wet-on-wet painting. As a child in my Waldorf school, I can clearly remember the quiet excitement of Painting Day – getting the jars of water ready, passing out the board, putting on aprons, squeezing…

Empathy and Adolescents

Posted by Donna Simmons

The following is an excerpt from the magnificent book Loving the Stranger: Studies in Adolescence, Empathy and the Human Heart edited by Michael Luxford. This book comes out of the work of the Camphill Communities (curative communties where people of…

Early Years Rant 3

Posted by Donna Simmons

(So if this was a movie, I’d entitle it Early Years: The Rant Continues……!) Do have a read through my original piece on this topic and then the follow-up. There have been many wonderful contributions by readers as well – which I…

The Gesture of Giving and the Gesture of Taking

Posted by Donna Simmons

Yesterday was Halloween, one of my favorite days of the year. I love the sight of children roaming freely through my town, (even if their parents walk behind or with them or, with older ones, drive along slowly near their…

Follow-Up – Early Years Rant

Posted by Donna Simmons

Well, well, well – I have been bowled over by the responses to the Early Years Rant I wrote last month. It seems I have hit a chord. I am honored to be able to hold a safe space for…

A Home For Teens

Posted by Donna Simmons

Having started a conversation her on my blog about the importance of being at home with ones little children (see Early Years Rant), I am now going to throw a another gauntlet down: this one has to do with teens…

On Michaelmas

Posted by Donna Simmons

We are approaching Michaelmas, a very important festival from an anthroposophical standpoint and one which can be understood to speak to people from all religions. Michael is the “time spirit” of our age, He who brings an impulse both of…

Early Years Rant

Posted by Donna Simmons

Every once in a while a thread on my discussion forum hits me in such a way that I let lose with what basically amounts to a rant…. Most of my “sensitive spots” have to do with issues having to do with societal …

Dealing with Anger

Posted by Donna Simmons

 Following on from my last blog entry about inner work and personal development, here is an excerpt from a series of threads on my on-line discussion forum dealing with issues like forgiveness, slowing down, ensouling the home and so on. And…

Unending Personal Development

Posted by Donna Simmons

There are three things which Rudolf Steiner said were necessary prerequisites for someone to be a Waldorf teacher: 1) knowledge of anthroposophical child development; 2) knowledge of the particular children in the class; and 3) a commitment to personal development….

From Chaos to Form

Posted by Donna Simmons

This is a rather short reworked post from my Waldorf at Home discussion forum. An exhausted forum member wrote in, asking for help with transitioning her 7 year old daughter from total unschooling to a more Waldorf – ie formed…

Good Test, Bad Test

Posted by Donna Simmons

I like tests. I really do. I enjoyed them as a child in the Waldorf school I attended, I enjoyed giving them to my homeschooled sons and I enjoy giving them to my students. I enjoy creating tests and I…

Help with Painting

Posted by Donna Simmons

At the bottom of this post you can see that I wrote it more than 10 years ago. At that time the Third Grade Syllabus was new—it has since been joined by grades 4, 5 and, summer 2019, 6. In…

Understanding the Temperaments

Posted by Donna Simmons

 I am full of the temperaments at the moment because in writing our Christopherus second and third grade curriculum, I decided to include several sections on the temperaments. So in the second grade curriculum people will find an essay by Steiner…

When A Child Kills A Pet

Posted by Donna Simmons

By Donna Simmons (2008) (this is a post from our discussion forum. The thread was from a distressed forum member whose 3 year old son killed their pet rabbit. She was concerned that he did not seem to show any…

Daddy Central

Posted by Donna Simmons

Here’s a post from my old yahoo group on a popular question : how to cope with the chaos that Daddy’s daily arrival home wrecks on the peaceful pre-bedtime routine?! How to honor Dad’s need to see his children -…

A Question of Control

Posted by Donna Simmons

Here’s a somewhat reworked piece that I wrote on my forum in response to a member wondering whether she was being too controlling of her children. She has three little girls – a pair of twins and another child, all…

Helping Little Ones with Manners

Posted by Donna Simmons

Here’s another reworked post from our Waldorf at Home discussion forum…. If this is a topic which interests you, do consider purchasing my talks on Good Manners and on Talking Pictorially to Young Children for more practical help with this!…

The “S” Question

Posted by Donna Simmons

(This is from a thread from my discussion forum on that great homeschooling nemesis – the Question of Socialization! No matter what form of homeschooling one works with, the spectre of a poorly socialized child will haunt even the most confident…

Caring for a Cat

Posted by Donna Simmons

(I am now starting to put selected posts which I have written on my discussion forum here on my blog… I can’t re-print the whole conversation which we have, but just a few snippets here and there which I think…

A Bit of Benign Neglect

Posted by Donna Simmons

Sometimes parenting can get so intense that one comes to a realization that something has gone wrong, that all is not quite right. One can become aware of feeling suffocated, that one’s sense of autonomy and one’s center has been…

New Year’s Resolutions

Posted by Donna Simmons

Happy New Year to all of you! Let us hope and pray that 2008 will be a decisive year of steps toward healing the often overwhelming pain and darkness in our world. Here at Christopherus, we like to think that one…

An Advent Reflection

Posted by Donna Simmons

I thought some of you might enjoy reflecting on this quote about Advent from The Rhythm of the Christian Year: Renewing the Religious Cycle of Festivals by Emil Bock, one of the founders of the Christian Community, the Church inspired…

So How Do You Manage All Day at Home?

Posted by Donna Simmons

Following on from my last blog which I wrote earlier today I want to help parents think through how they actually can mange to be at home all day with tiny children if they too believe that this is what…

From two to three – early ed for tinies

Posted by Donna Simmons

A few weeks ago I gave a talk to parents in our community about early years parenting. Most of the parents attending had their children part time at one of the local Waldorf-inspired  in-home nursery or day-care providers here. The…

A Change of Clothes

Posted by Donna Simmons

Earlier today I had a conversation with a client about Daena Ross’ cd on the Twelve Senses (read my review here). This is an enormously important topic with important ramifications for the health of our children – and we will…

Reading and Telling Stories

Posted by Donna Simmons

Everything Comes from the Teacher One of the hallmarks of Waldorf education is the practice that teachers have of telling stories to their class. Lessons are not a series of points from the teacher’s notes, or passages from a text…

Educating for Excellence

Posted by Donna Simmons

Sometimes I get the feeling that people forget to look beyond the “fluffy pink” beginnings of Waldorf and do not know much of where the education they are working with is aiming. Sometimes the Waldorf bubble encapsulates the parent as…

Fall Festivals

Posted by Donna Simmons

If you work with the “Waldorf calendar” of festivals, then you know that these next few months are busy ones. Michaelmas, Martinmas, Advent…. Succos, harvest festivals, Channukah, Solstice, and Christmas, are all on the way. We are currently having an…

Team Sports – what age?

Posted by Donna Simmons

It can be challenging sometimes to decide when it is appropriate to allow children to engage in organized sport – does one say yes when the child shows interest or are there some guiding principles to keep in mind? For those…

Review: Living into Dying

Posted by Donna Simmons

Every once in a while one reads a book which feels, from the first page through the last, as if one has been handed a great gift. One feels honored that the author has shared her story, has even bared…

Sword and Gun Play

Posted by Donna Simmons

(The first part of this entry is a re-worked post from my old yahoo group… I then went on to discuss gun play….)  I think the key to a lot of the questions around sword play is “can my child rise…

Birthday Loveliness

Posted by Donna Simmons

A couple of weeks ago I celebrated my 45th birthday (huzzah – Happy Birthday to me!). My 14 year old wanted precise instructions for what I wanted for my birthday. He also took it upon himself to coordinate his brother…

Museum Baby

Posted by Donna Simmons

A few weeks ago my husband Paul and I went to New York for a family visit. I am a native New Yorker but my mother now lives across the bridge in New Jersey. Whilst in NYC Paul and I…

Self Development as a Parent

Posted by Donna Simmons

Steiner said there were three absolutes which every teacher must undertake as part of his essential task of being a teacher: to understand child development; to strive to understand the particular children one is working with; and to work on…

Planning For Next Year

Posted by Donna Simmons

So…. I thought I’d give you all a few tips on planning for the next year (and all you Southern Hemisphere readers you’ll just have to come back to this blog entry later in the year!). One of my main…