What Is This Childhood?: Finding the Spirit of Early Childhood in Language and Creative Living with Our Families

"This booksuccinctly explores the consciousness of the young child through a weaving ofjournal entries (made as a teacher, a young mother, and later, a grandmother), observations and musings, as well as practical activities from my parentingworkshops. It is a journey through the child's world, trails marked by theirown words. Their speech, as it naturally unfolds, leads the child toself-consciousness and critical thinking. But not too fast! Stay to savor softgrass brushing bare feet, the skid of sneakers on hot sidewalks, even the'gentleness of a mosquito' as she bites. Find a partner to try out thepractices and a quiet moment to journal. I hope this book will serve asinvitation to look through a child's eyes and to hear with heart--it's nomistake that the word heart has ear inside." (introduction)

What Is This Childhood? explores the consciousness of theyoung child through language development, often in their own words. The child'searly utterances reveal a unity of word and experience and of experience andmeaning. Children live more fully in perception than conception. Yet, speech asit unfolds eventually leads the child to abstraction, self-consciousness, andcritical thinking.

This journey into childhood will deepen the quality of our attention andpresence in each moment, enlivening our speech and interactions and therebypreserving our children's sense of wonder and spiritual connection.