another thought on last day at padilla bay.
the interpretive center was packed with end of the year field trips. at one point a chaperon from another school poked her head into the small classroom area where children worked on drawing and playing with puppets to holler, and i mean holler, for a child engaged in an activity to the point that the world outside of her head was dulled and slightly forgotten.
which is a good thing, right?
the woman growled the girls name. it's the impatient tone of an adult on a schedule. i've growled like that before.
when it was time to gather up the greenwood tree kiddos a few of the adults decided to do so by singing the "follow me" song. as our voice lifted up, so did the heads of the adults and children looking at star fish and listening to eagle calls.
it was a beautiful sight. a beautiful sound. and another reminder for me that there is always time to add some more beauty into this world.
i want to sing more. growl less. i appreciate being around other folks who inspire me to do just that.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
what a caring community looks like
today was the final day of our spring season. the group was gathered at padilla bay where the eel grass grows and the mud can suck off your boots faster than a crab can scurry. the sun peeked out now and then, but mostly the rain showered us with various size of drops. not that the kids minded- most seemed to ditch the rain gear after the potluck anyway to run on the grass and into the sand with slick skin.
yes, it was a sweet gathering complete with thoughtful gifts for the board members and facilitators. it was another lovely opportunity to chat with friendly folks and my boys were blissed out on being in nature with their best buds.
until seren fell.
one minute he is running on the beach, a member of a swirling pack. the next his soft face is hitting a hard rock. right on his eye. i heard his wail and went running toward him.
seren is very expressive about his pain. and about his joy. so it's a good balance. but it can be hard to know exactly how badly he is injured because any injury elicits a BIG reaction. sure, it's the pain of it. it is also the injustice of it- how one minute is so much fun and then suddenly a slight shift takes all that away.
immediately, there were mamas swarming. one mama went to get my younger son from the beach. several mamas rushed to their cars for their first aid kits. a mama and papa soothed seren and peered at his injuries. even the kiddos stood by to offer love- and to see how much blood there was.
if you kid has to get hurt- and as i explained to seren everyone does get hurt in life and most of the time we don't know when it will happen- it's much more pleasant to have an injury happen in a supportive community. if i had been alone with my boys when that accident happened i...well, i don't even want to think about that.
we made it home quickly and seren settled into a comfy chair with his softest stuffed animals. the body starts to repair itself immediately but seren was still shaky, still worried, still hurting.
on top of that was the disappointment that such a great day ended so abruptly with serious pain. we nursed his wounds, made soup, snuggled deeper. and one of the things that helped him to feel much better was the folks who called to check in on seren as the day went on. and that made me feel better too.
if you're kid has to get hurt- it's nice to know he's got friends that will check up on him, send him love, wish him well.
yes, it was a sweet gathering complete with thoughtful gifts for the board members and facilitators. it was another lovely opportunity to chat with friendly folks and my boys were blissed out on being in nature with their best buds.
until seren fell.
one minute he is running on the beach, a member of a swirling pack. the next his soft face is hitting a hard rock. right on his eye. i heard his wail and went running toward him.
seren is very expressive about his pain. and about his joy. so it's a good balance. but it can be hard to know exactly how badly he is injured because any injury elicits a BIG reaction. sure, it's the pain of it. it is also the injustice of it- how one minute is so much fun and then suddenly a slight shift takes all that away.
immediately, there were mamas swarming. one mama went to get my younger son from the beach. several mamas rushed to their cars for their first aid kits. a mama and papa soothed seren and peered at his injuries. even the kiddos stood by to offer love- and to see how much blood there was.
if you kid has to get hurt- and as i explained to seren everyone does get hurt in life and most of the time we don't know when it will happen- it's much more pleasant to have an injury happen in a supportive community. if i had been alone with my boys when that accident happened i...well, i don't even want to think about that.
we made it home quickly and seren settled into a comfy chair with his softest stuffed animals. the body starts to repair itself immediately but seren was still shaky, still worried, still hurting.
on top of that was the disappointment that such a great day ended so abruptly with serious pain. we nursed his wounds, made soup, snuggled deeper. and one of the things that helped him to feel much better was the folks who called to check in on seren as the day went on. and that made me feel better too.
if you're kid has to get hurt- it's nice to know he's got friends that will check up on him, send him love, wish him well.
Monday, May 16, 2011
This week!
Parent Education Night
Greenwood Tree is a Waldorf-inspired cooperative in Skagit. We offer weekly programs and parent education nights.
Our next Parent Education Night will be Wednesday, May 18 at 6:30 at the Burlington Senior Center (1211 E. Greenleaf Ave Burlington WA).
Adrienne Doucette from Whatcom Waldorf School will present a talk titled, “Protecting the Young Child - a Waldorf Perspective' and will address the following questions: What does the young child really need to be healthy and happy? How can we support and encourage the child's natural development, accept him in each phase he goes through, and meet him there? What does a child need to be protected from out in the world, at home, and with others? This talk will look at these questions in regard to children from birth to seven years
The event is open to all and is free to GWT families with a suggested donation of $5 from the greater community. Children are welcome to attend but there will not be childcare provided in a separate space, so please bring a quiet activity for your children.
Greenwood Tree is a Waldorf-inspired cooperative in Skagit. We offer weekly programs and parent education nights.
Our next Parent Education Night will be Wednesday, May 18 at 6:30 at the Burlington Senior Center (1211 E. Greenleaf Ave Burlington WA).
Adrienne Doucette from Whatcom Waldorf School will present a talk titled, “Protecting the Young Child - a Waldorf Perspective' and will address the following questions: What does the young child really need to be healthy and happy? How can we support and encourage the child's natural development, accept him in each phase he goes through, and meet him there? What does a child need to be protected from out in the world, at home, and with others? This talk will look at these questions in regard to children from birth to seven years
The event is open to all and is free to GWT families with a suggested donation of $5 from the greater community. Children are welcome to attend but there will not be childcare provided in a separate space, so please bring a quiet activity for your children.
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