You Are Your Child's First Teacher

“I feel strongly that we don’t need another authority or set of rules by which to raise children, and I remind parents that Steiner himself never had any children. But if we can enlarge our understanding of child and adult development to encompass the whole human being—body, mind, emotions, and spirit—then we will be better equipped to make our own decisions based on a combination of cognitive and intuitive knowledge.” (preface)

Some of the most important learning years happen before a child reaches school-age. But children are not little adults—they learn and grow in radically different ways at different ages, especially in the tender early years of life.

In You Are Your Child’s First Teacher, Rahima Baldwin Dancy explains the different stages of learning that children go through from birth to age six, giving parents and caregivers the wisdom and understanding to enrich the natural development of all children, in the right way at the right time. 

An instant classic and trusted companion for a new generation of parents, this revised and updated edition contains resources and additional information on discipline, early childhood programs, toilet training, using home life as curriculum, and more. From language and cognitive development to appropriate toys and nourishing your child’s artistic abilities, Dancy speaks up for a grounded, holistic approach to childrearing, one that helps children be children while we fulfill our important role as parents and first teachers.

“This is one of those rare books that gives every parent what they need to feel more confident to put in place deep foundations that will connect them to their children as they grow. You Are Your Child’s First Teacher is ageless and so very needed for the challenging and beautiful times we live in.”
—Kim John Payne, M.Ed., author of Simplicity Parenting, 
The Soul of Discipline and Emotionally Resilient Tweens and Teens