How We Spend Our Days
Dear Members of The Waldorf School of Santa Barbara Community,
Here is an update from Ms. Justine’s Lavender Rose preschool class:
What a week we had. We had so much fun splashing in puddles and then getting into cozy clothes and singing songs about love and joy. The children acted out the story and recited it to me on their own accord. It was sweet to see the children live into the characters and sing those songs. We painted their mailboxes and worked on their paper heart mobiles. We celebrated Brodie's birthday and had the sweetest Valentine's Day circle and tea party celebration. I loved seeing how much love went into the valentines they made for their classmates!
I want to share this podcast episode from “Simplicity Parenting” with you. In it, Kim John Payne guides parents through navigating meltdowns in a way where the child feels understood. I hope you enjoy!
Simplicity Parenting Podcast Link
I would also like to reiterate a phrase Payne commonly uses, which is “things don't get worked out when we're worked up.” This is a great reminder for us to make space for our child's feelings instead of immediately solving their issue and rushing them.
This week we will add new songs to our winter circle. I will perform a puppet show for the children called “Shingibuss and the Winter Wind.” We also will welcome back some students who have been away, so I anticipate the class dynamic shifting a little. I look forward to supporting the little ones as they navigate their social and emotional development. I remind them often that "they can do hard things" and "it's okay to be scared and brave at the same time," and I hope you too can give the children encouraging words and affirmations at home.
Thank you for creating a feast for the faculty on Thursday! What a treat! We felt so spoiled.
Thank you, Miss Justine!
Kim John Payne in his book Being At Your Best When Your Kids Are at Their Worst writes about a “sea of compassion” that “we come to primarily know when a life-altering event occurs within our family or to our friends and sometimes in response to a tragic world event.”
Some of us have felt that sea of compassion these last weeks in response to the fires in Los Angeles — or some other personal event. This sea of compassion can be tremendously clarifying. For a spell, the ego’s usual fixations—the various fears and resentments—drop and we experience a broken-open concern for all. Payne insightfully reminds us that “this vast, limitless, and deep space lives within us at all times,” and it is our duty to nurture intimacy with this clarifying compassion without waiting for “life’s big occurrences to take us there.”
Earlier in the book, Payne advises parents to “Filter Out the Adult World.”
What does such filtering look like? Here is Payne:
*Reduce the amount of screen time your child or teen is exposed to. This is important because too much inappropriate adult information enters our kids’ lives via screens.
*Cut back on the number of adult conversations you have in your child’s presence. This includes talk about scary world events, personal struggles, and open criticism of authority figures, such as your child’s teacher, politicians whose actions bother you, and most importantly, your own parenting partner.
*Try to make your comments about people and events thoughtful and child-friendly.
*Before you say anything in front of a child, ask yourself four questions:
1. Is it true?
2. Is it kind?
3. Is it necessary?
4. Will it help my child feel secure?
If the answer is no to any of these questions, try not to say anything. Discuss what’s on your mind later with an adult, who may want to hear it—because your child most likely does not and should not.
On a different note, we thank Sara Ojjeh and the many Parent Association representatives and volunteers for recently putting on a wonderful morning of pancakes, cappuccinos, books, and togetherness. This event — in service of WSSB and those affected by the fires — was truly heartening.
Finally, actor, musician, and author Jeff Bridges has been helping the 8th Grade with their play The Princess Bride. Mr. Bridges has helped the students with acting and stagecraft, and has shared stories of his years in the world of art. We are grateful for Mr. Bridges’s generosity.
Important Dates:
Thursday, February 20th at 7:30 p.m.: Jonathan Haidt’s Lecture (on the adverse effects of screen use on children) at the Arlington Theater.
Friday, February 21st: Re-registration packets due.
Thursday, February 27th and Friday, February 28th: 8th Grade Play, The Princess Bride (times forthcoming).
Monday-Friday, March 10-14: Parent-Teacher Conferences (early dismissal days: 12:45 p.m.)
Wednesday, March 19th at 5:30 p.m.: Spring Performance (more information forthcoming).
In gratitude,
The WSSB Admin Team
PS The First Thought of the Day is from Annie Dillard:
“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. What we do with this hour, and that one, is what we are doing.”
PPS The Second Thought of the Day is from Thich Nhat Hanh:
“Never in human history have we had so many means of communication—television, radio, telephone, fax, email, the worldwide web—yet we remain islands, with little real communication between family members, individuals in society, or nations. There are so many conflicts and wars. We have to find ways to open the doors of communication again. When we cannot communicate, we get sick, and we suffer and spill our suffering onto other people.”
