You are Your Child's First Teacher

You are Your Child's First Teacher: What Parents Can Do with and for Their Children from Birth to Age Six, 3rd edition
by Rahima Bladwin Dancy
322 pp., Ten Speed Press, 2012

Somehow, when I starting my "Parenting Book" challenge - I didn't realize how much I would get out of each book. I know, that sounds absurd - why else would I read books except if I thought they were worth reading. But I didn't realize how intriguing and valuable the information would turn out to be.

The book I've been reading - for quite some time now - is "You Are Your Child's First Teacher" by Rahima Baldwin Dancy. I bought it thinking it would be another perspective to help me understand some of the educational philosophies I was interested in, such as Waldorf and Montessori, and it was, but it is also so much more. Every chapter has references to even more books to read - help me now!

Some of the ideas were perhaps a little out there for me, but in general, it really clicked!

My takeaways from the book:
1. Let your child be a child! Keep it unstructured until they are more mature.
2. Pay attention to your own emotions - the environment we create emotionally is of utmost importance.
3. Work toward a daily rhythm that works for the whole family.
4. Allow plenty of time for creative free play as well as musical and artistic play.
5. It's OK to have unstructured play time - good, in fact!
6. Limit over stimulation - read Simplicity Parenting (check) and Failure to Connect (on the list!)
7. Encourage the use of childlike toys that encourage imaginative play.
8. The keys to discipline are imitation and repetition - set limits and enforce them consistently.
9. Bring up your child in a warm, loving environment, this is the best thing we can do.
10. Love your child - they have a basic goodness that we should celebrate, enjoy it now!

There is so much more to this book - it goes in depth into so many ideas, down to the detail of toys and books that might be good for your child. I will definitely keep it as a reference - there are so many great ideas and suggestions. 4/5 stars!