April: Greeting

​April: Greeting

Easter celebrations are fast approaching in our little Kinderhaus! One can't help noticing the word "East" in Easter which tells us which direction to look with hopefulness during this first full month of Spring. Despite the recurrent bouts of snowfall and frost, we are greeted by the dawn earlier than we were during the past few dark months and for that we are thankful! 

Listen carefully on your next stroll and you will hear the calls of the red wing, the goose, and the robin heralding the movement of tiny sprouts and insects between blades of grass and grain! If you visit a local farm this month, you might see little chicks hatching from eggs and on your visit to a neighbour's house, perhaps some purple crocuses are peeking up from the earth. All these beautiful first greetings are especially heart warming even as we may continue to don our winter jackets at the bus stop. 

The rain comes down sometimes as shards of ice but with each rainfall some of the snow is cleared from my front step just in time for visitors! 

And visitors are most welcome in our Kinderhaus during this month packed with interviews for candidates for our inaugural program! Invariably, I have been greeted by bright smiles and warm hand shakes each week as I meet with parents and students who have registered for the Fall.

These first moments of greeting are especially delightful for me as the Kinderhaus teacher. Rudolph Steiner, the father of Waldorf education, tells educators to "receive the children in reverence" and truly it is impossible to do otherwise as their unique personalities set foot in the space. 

To be reverent means to be in a state of awe and wonder. As children enter the space, their curiosity invariably overtakes any initial hesitation they may have about exploring each area of my home. I am truly in awe of  how each child brings a new energy into the Kinderhaus. 

In all cases, the children are drawn to Rosie, the guinea pig and have a chance to feed her a fat leaf of lettuce. Whether careful or confident, the way each child interacts with our little pet tells a tale of wonder. They greet our little friend with a bright light in their eyes - it is the dawning of a new relationship!