Beyond the Rainbow Bridge: Nurturing Our Children from Birth to Seven

This is an except from a discussion at: [...]Beyond The Rainbow Bridge, Nurturing Our Children From Birth to Age Seven is a beautiful book by Barbara Patterson and Pamela Bradley. First, it is a very concise book compared to a lot of parenting books. The authors cut right to the chase and get to what really matters without a lot of fluff and fancy philosophical BS. Although their approach to parenting is heavily influenced by the work of Rudolph Steiner, the way that they share information on development, discipline, play, and health is palatable for any parent whether interested in Waldorf or not. (Sheesh, I am sound like I am doing a book review over here. Not my intention).Ok - on with why this book is such inspiring to me and how it has influenced my mothering!The authors have a 13 page section on play and honestly, it is some of the best information I have ever read on the topic. In a few short paragraphs, I clearly understood why a doll is so vital to the development of both boys and girls and how "doll play" evolves as the child grows older. I also learned what a poor choice toy boxes and contained types of toy storage systems are. It is important that children learn the value of caring for their toys and play things. A toy box encourages fast, careless clean up whereas a shelf or cube with small baskets or nothing at all encourages children to place individual items in their place with more care. Although children under two and a half are too young to express it, the majority of children enjoy knowing that their personal items are in the same location each day. It is soothing to their mind to understand that their doll is in the cradle and their blocks are on the shelf. A toy box is confusing for them as they do not know where in the box a certain play item may be.The authors' section on creative discipline is so thought provoking. They do not come at you with a hard and firm "this is what you must do or your child will be a delinquent" approach. In fact, Barbara Patterson states that "what may seem normal or acceptable in society today is not necessarily what is healthy for families and children." I absolutely love that idea because it seems like most books on discipline are geared towards such unhealthy approaches.For the rest of my discussion on how this book inspired my parenting, see: [...]

I loved this book! My son is only four months old and I read this on maternity leave. We are interested in sending him to a Waldorf School when he is a little older and I was told this was a good primer. This book ended up being so much more than an intro to Waldorf Schools. Even if we do not send him to a Waldorf School, I learned a lot about child development and activities to play with him. The book has instructions on how to sew little dolls, setting a routine for your child, how to handle their aggression and teaching them how to help with chores. This is a book I could see myself reading again and again throughout the years.

I find this book great for both beginners who are interested in Waldorf education or raising children by nurturing, creating a healthy home rhythm and warm family (trying to keep harmony while remembering that it’s not always so beautiful as we want it to be) and for parents who already into Waldorf style of living.I came back to this book for reminding myself what to do when it not clear to me, I can find good guidance for books for adults and for children (age appropriate)Definitely recommend for everyone

Good but didn't get into the nitty gritty of the day to day stuff that I was after and later found in Heaven On Earth by Oppenheimer. I would recommend Heaven on Earth if you're wanting more practical info included. Was an interesting read still but it's the kind of book I would have preferred to borrow from the library than I need on my shelf.

After reading a few books on Waldorf education, I found Beyond The Rainbow Bridge... I was looking for some practical help in recreating Waldorf style education at home, since we live too far from a Waldorf Kindergarden. This book is clear, practical, and opened a window on my daughter's present and near-future development. Life is a wonderful world of discoveries and adventures for a child, and I want to help my daughter to take her first steps in this world of wonder. And I believe I can with the help of this precious book. I only wish my parents had the opportunity to read it when I was little!

I am an American living in Asia. My 4 year old attends a Bilingual local school. She can write the script of the local language and the English language. She is beginning to read. She is a happy, happy child. Her school day is 8:30 AM to 4:15 PM. The teachers are loving and compassionate beyond any expectation I might have in America.Yet when I read this book and several others on Waldorf, I know their is a higher level that education can move from. Dumping data into the head of a four year old is simple and requires low level teaching skills. What Waldorf does is holistic. This book give concrete examples of the dimensions of child development and how to implement education in a way to optimize the entire human being via the learning process. If one has any clue of the nature of the human entity, this book will inspire.

We also have Heaven on Earth - but for some reason this one was an easier and inviting read. I love the concepts and open ended ness applying Steiners principles to guiding our children.

This book is a must read for all parents and care givers... the way of looking at the world through the eyes of a young child that is painted in this book is life changing. I believe that if everyone read this book and headed its advice the world would be a much better place for it!