The Power To Act From Real Choice

power to act from real choice

My husband likes to stop and indulge in an Italian dessert at our local gelato shop. On any given day there may be thirty different varieties of gelato on display. New and untried flavors, such as mango/lime, are frequent. My husband usually asks to taste five or six flavors before deciding on two scoops. “How […]


The Transformation of the Possessive Instinct

Transformation of the possessive

For the child under the age of seven years another indicator of on-track development is the sublimation of the possessive instinct. This transformation of the possessive instinct occurs when the child is given an environment where he or she has the right to use the materials as long as he or she wishes, while respecting […]


Love Of Silence And Working Alone

love of silence

The nature of the young child following natural and normal development is one that loves silence and working alone. Until children enter into a different stage of development, around the time that they lose their first tooth, this love of silence and working alone remains. The desire to be out in the community and working […]


Attachment To Reality

curing the gimmees

The almost four-year-old boy visiting my classroom was wonderfully verbal. He had just given me a detailed explanation about his family’s move into their new home. “What’s your name?” I asked. “Batman,” he answered. “And what is your name when you’re not Batman?” I asked. “Bruce Wayne,” he said. His mother chuckled. “Isn’t that cute? […]


The Child’s Spontaneous Concentration

spontaneous concentration

In the young child there are observable characteristics of behavior that help us know that a child is following normal development.  These characteristics follow: love of order, love of work, deep spontaneous concentration, attachment to reality, love of silence and working alone, sublimation of the possessive instinct, power to act from real choice not just […]


The Child’s Love Of Work

Love of Work

The young child’s love of work, or being involved in meaningful activity, is an inborn trait.  With proper nourishment this love survives a lifetime.  Even in utero the child is involved what can only be classified as work—growing and moving in a confined environment. Movement defines a child’s activity from the first kick in the […]


Understanding A Child’s Love Of Order

Understanding love of order

As parents and teachers we are concerned about doing the right things with our children. When our children go through difficult periods, we can spend nights tossing and turning about what can be the matter. As our tools can be friend or foe, depending on how we use them, it can be helpful if we […]


Learning the Gift of Gab

Learning the gift of gab

Language occurs in two basic ways. Receptive language is what we understand. Expressive language is what we can say. For most of us our receptive language is larger than our expressive language. A twelve-month-old can follow simple directions but can’t talk. At the doctor’s office, we can understand the doctor’s explanation of our diagnosis and […]


Profanity: A Sign of Limited Ability

profanity a sign of limited ability

A visit to an elementary school opened my eyes to something that would never have happened a few years ago at a “good” school. Profanity from the children. This R-rated classroom wouldn’t have been allowed even a PG-13 rating. I’m amazed as a classroom observer how the children act as if I’m invisible. The children […]


FREE SERIES: Empowering Kids Now

free series empowering kids now

It’s not easy being a kid in today’s world. There’s a lot of pressure, social and academic. Some kids get bullied, or are bullies. Some kids have anxiety or depression. What if you could make a difference by learning cutting edge solutions to empower the kids in your family or community to feel happy, healthy, […]