Finding Joy in Parenting: Lessons from Waldorf Early Child Development Teacher

In this episode of Desert Wanderers, we sit down with Evelyn, a passionate educator and advocate for early childhood development, to discuss the intersection of faith and education. Evelyn shares her journey of founding her own childcare center, Joyful Noise. We explore her experiences with Waldorf education, the importance of community, and how to foster a nurturing environment for children. Join us as we explore the profound significance of seeing the divine in every person and the transformative power of kindness and understanding in our daily interactions.

Chapters:
(00:00) Desert Wanderers Intro
(1:02) Evelyn's Story
(07:20) After graduating from college, I wanted to work for a parish
(12:25) I think you have a real gift for people, which is attractive
(18:04) Sometimes we're so obsessed with productivity that we miss the journey
(19:36) How do you think your faith influenced your journey into early education
(22:31) Why should we not have plastic toys
(27:00) Montessori vs Waldorf
(37:50) Thoughts on allowance
(43:01) Winning the power struggle: From If to When
(44:06) Sometimes parenting advice seems targeted at older kids, not younger one
(45:07) Addressing Discipline and motivators for young children
(51:34) Helping kids understand sorry is the number one thing we do (52:30) Why you shouldn't make your kids say sorry
(55:50) The threenager
(56:31) Sibling confrontations (3,4,5 year olds)
(59:16) Waldorf and the four temperaments
(01:04:32) Waldorf education is all about child development. American education isn't
(01:09:36) Alternative to phones
(01:09:55) For families trying to get away from TV; there are different strategies
(01:13:53) So what would your advice be for someone who's already introduced tv
(01:21:04) How do you deal with sharing toys
(01:27:12) When it comes to parenting, what kind of self-awareness do we need
(01:34:19) One of my favorite things to say to children is: I hear you
(01:35) How to deal with an interrupting child
(01:41:50)The Burrito for Energetic Children
(01:49:56) The Being Good Jar: Make it easy to be good
(01:55:45) What are realistic expectations versus unrealistic expectations when discussing children's chores
(01:59) Sleep: Being good Juice
(02:09) Children in Nature
(02:32) Parting Advice for parents