December 2009
A talk was given at the ‘The North London Rudolf Steiner School’
on the 7th of December
 ‘Creating Harmony in Family Life’
Lourdes has a beautiful way of talking, really getting into the essence of parenting and childhood – she takes the mundane and moves it into the spiritual realm allowing us to look deeper into ourselves for the answers to our own problems.
She began by looking at the word ‘harmony’ and reflecting on its musical meaning – the discordant evolving into the accord, and how in symphonies there is often a tension which is then resolved. The same is true for our own lives, and we often need the tension to focus ourselves and move towards our own resolution.
Life is a journey and through it we gain perspective on what has happened in our lives – Lourdes stressed the importance of being open to the possibility that tomorrow will be different, especially when we are going through hard times, as it is being open to the possibility of change that actually brings that change about.
She talked about surrender, finding the middle way and healing our past to heal our future – a transformation of the soul.
But to the practicalities – how do we cope when we have no time for ourselves, when our children are draining us of every ounce of our energy, when we can’t even make a phone call in peace!  Lourdes explained that children generally feel uncomfortable and distressed when we move our attention to ‘head work’, that could be the computer, a phone call, anything that switches us into thinking mode.  They need us to be present, not just physically, so to try and strengthen our centres by working manually, meditating, being at peace, being in nature, are all ways we can create harmony in our households.  Taking time to meditate for a few minutes in the morning or before we go to bed, remembering our child when they are sleeping and not expecting the child to change the situation are all ways of reducing the discordant days and replacing them with harmonious ones. 

Catherine E.

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Review 2007-8

From September 2007 to September 2008 we were able to meet in parenting-learning groups 18 times; and together with individual conversations about 200 people have participated this year. They have chosen to be involved and contribute to this adventure. We have noticed that participants tell others about their experiences of parenting; thus providing a network of support. Although we live in times of uncertainty, we have witnessed that we also live in times that open new possibilities. Creating ‘spaces for consciousness’, we can strengthen ourselves, and feel more able to shift to our situations.

For this purpose our workshops travelled to:

10 -11 Nov. - Alcañiz (Teruel) A 4 hours journey from Barcelona in Spain. On the way the view of olive trees was impressive with their very expressive gestures- almost soul gestures. About 40 people made their way to the workshop “Relationships and Boundaries”. We are planning the third event for the families in Alcañiz at the end of November-08.
See: report Nov.06 and report Nov.07

20 Oct.- Kings Langley. This time the green England! And a delightful space to be working – the Waldorf Kindergarten, with the theme “Creative Discipline- Part II”. See: reflections from Oona.

17 May- La Garriga. Back in Barcelona, meeting again parents from La Figuera de San Malus’ Kindergarten. During the workshop we had a lively conversation about “today’s life and children’s needs”.

In Barcelona there have been 8 workshops throughout the year during my three visits there. At the Rosa d’Abril’s Kindergarten the new participants and the not so new worked together to explore how to increase the “Well being in childhood”.

London. In Temple Lodge – Hammersmith. In its peaceful and nourishing space we have met 6 times this year.
Also in Steiner House, although the house was being decorated we still ran 6 courses there. This term we will have a beautiful space since they have finished the building work.

Reflections from Oona about
the Workshops in Kings Langley
In 2006-2008 we organised three workshops in Kings Langley, one in a private home, and two in the warm embrace of the kindergarten "mushroom" building at the Rudolf Steiner School. People came from the school community, London and from as far away as Kent, all with hope in their hearts that one day spent together can indeed help in the vast task of parenting.

In the second workshop, towards midday, the room darkened, and darkened, and the clouds opened and emptied their contents in deafening torrents. I wondered, as organiser, what we should do: Gasp? Turn on the lights? Move closer? Even stop? But Lourdes continued to speak calmly as if the rainstorm was part of the plan. Before long we emerged unscathed from the torrent. And are there not in family life torrents of things to do, behaviours to address, toys to tidy up, crumbs to sweep? Is it better to gasp and point the spotlight and call attention to the problem, or move calmly through the torrents with a deeper understanding of how children need us to be? We may not be able to learn everything about parenting and child development in one day. But if we come home calmer, quieter, less reactive and more thoughtful, then we have done the whole family a favour.

The content of these workshops helped us to have an experience of the kind of wakeful presence that children want us to have. We did exercises to stimulate our ability to observe. Cold we really observe a leaf without putting our interpretation on it? Could we build a picture together with flowers and petals, being sensitive to each other's contribution? Could we become aware of each other in space and feel what was comfortable, what was too close and what was too far away? With my son, who like all children, goes through periods of rapid change and development, observation has become my touchstone. If his behaviour does not seem quite in balance, I observe him outwardly and listen inwardly to his behaviour and life situation. Then I make adjustments to our life together. If his behaviour still seems out of balance I make further adjustments until his eyes are shiny again. And if I simply need reassurance that my son is well and happy, I observe him. I see his rosy complexion, his relaxed movements and the glow around his face. I see his shining eyes. And I know he is well.

Oona Alexander 13th September 2008

New projects and developments
Sessions in London. Our contribution to Westminster’s ’early years training’ has not taken place this year. We have focussed instead on the individual counselling service to parents which takes place in Forest Row. East Sussex. Also, from last February ‘A Time for Childhood’ is offering Biographical Counselling sessions in Hammersmith-London.
For an appointment contact 01342 826727

Biography Work. At the end of June a group engaged in biography work, deepening life questions such as understanding life phases; finding meaning in life events; and exploring the next steps in personal development. We would like to continue with this area of the work in the next months and are making a list of interested people.

The Creative Discipline booklet was put together last autumn and two new articles were written for that purpose. We also have new additions from parent’s contributions and are happy to add more experiences. Please contact Lourdes if you would like to share your experiences. To order a booklet please contact: lcallen@atimeforchildhood.com

Crystal Bed therapy. This is available from our practice in Forest Row from May. The crystals, the light, the colour and the music form a combination that benefits the body and the soul in that it relaxes and clears tensions and stress. See more: Crystal Bed

Barcelona’s programme
A new programme has been sent to parents in Barcelona recently which covers the whole school year. 6 workshops will take place there up until next May and parents are now able to anticipate in their dairies dates and themes.
We try to anticipate the dates in London as much as we can, normally a term in advance.

Testimonials. This will soon be a new section to our website which is presently in preparation to give a further opportunity for people to share their experiences. Your contributions are welcome!

Supporting us to support others
When people have benefited from the experience of this work, we often ask them to please pass these benefits on to others in whatever way they can. We need to increase the numbers in some of our workshops. Please tell others about your experience and encourage them to come even though ‘they may not be in a crisis’.
If you are happy in connection with our work and value it, please give a donation for the coming school year (any quantity will add up) to help us carry this work further: The donors will be contributing to meet the administration costs; web expenses; travelling; and supporting us to keep prices down and give concessions. We also need sponsors for our writing projects:
‘Love and learning in every day life with children’ and ‘Creative discipline’
We can only move these projects on when we have enough support for them.

Please make a small or large donation
Your contribution will make a difference!
You can donate during the workshops or by sending a cheque. Please, make cheques payable to “A Time for Childhood” and send to the address listed on our Web page. For this click Consultations

This year we would like to thank those friends and participants who kindly contributed with a money-gift during the last months. Also Saida, Alex, Ann, Jeronima, Anna Luisa, Georgina, Marta, Gina, Oona, Julie and Jude for their support this year and presence in different areas of the work i.e computer and web; corrections; translations; advertising, organising courses and supporting the decision making process.

We wish you a very good year ahead.

Lourdes Callen and Rainer Bauer

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March 2008

As we are approaching Easter the new tiny leaves in the trees are announcing a new hope for growth and development. In the workshops this term we also have experienced growth and development. Many are the concerns that people bring to the groups, from a world that surprises us with its complexity. The fact that we have chosen to explore the dilemmas of our time and how children are affected by them gives us a chance to grow.
We have learnt about ways of setting boundaries that encourage balance for the child. People have reported how family life has become more enjoyable and children happier. In the workshop: ‘Parenting the young child’ at Temple Lodge in London we explored the parenting journey of each participant through the early years. They came in touch with that which needs healing in their situations, as well as realizing the meaning and delight of having these children in their lives. In Barcelona, parents also worked hard and enjoyed the company of others as a way to strengthen their trust in their parenting.

During the last gathering of the term in Steiner House-London we dedicated our attention to children from 2-4 years, aiming to increase our understanding of this age. Children at this point often oppose and assert themselves in an attempt to find their own will and with this also awareness of ‘self’. Social misunderstanding has qualified this phase as ‘the terrible twos’, especially in England. But throughout this work we had a sense that this culture is slowly changing and we can begin to identify it also as ‘the joyful twos’. Children at this age need our understanding and then we witness how tantrums are less. Just the ones that are necessary remain to help bring about the development of the ego and the adaptation to limits.

‘Young Children’s Experience of Freedom’ is the title of an article that was written in January after my experiences in Brazil. Through the example of young children in a village, we can notice when freedom may become too much to bear for a child.
This article is now part of ‘the Creative Discipline booklet’ which you can order: lcallen@atimeforchildhood.com

Individual Consultations and Counselling
One to one meetings can be helpful for deepening the understanding of a personal situation and finding support and ideas for the next steps. I offer these sessions during my times in Barcelona and since February this service has been available for parents in London.  Though we always have the option of telephone conversations, we now also have the possibility of face to face meetings in London. This space can be used to explore your feelings and find clarity. At times, some healing work in a respectful and listening environment is helpful and can improve everyday life with children considerably. Children clearly benefit from the adult’s trust-building process.See: Consultations
At Temple Lodge in London
51,Queens Caroline Street, W6. Nearest tube: Hammersmith
For an appointment contact 01342 826727

Biography work for parents (Exploring Life Phases).
In July we will meet to explore life phases and how each phase contributes to our path. We will have an opportunity to look at our life and picture it as a whole. We will have time to deepen our usual conversations about the meaning of life and development. And we will find how this exploration may benefit our children.
For more information please ask for our leaflet or see: Programme

With gratitude
Lourdes Callen

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December 2007

Review

By the time the leaves have fallen off the trees this autumn time, we will have had the opportunity to work in 8 gatherings at venues in England (Kings Langley, London ) and Spain ( Barcelona , Alcañiz)

Many important questions to parents have been discussed and out of this work we have been blessed by many insights and discoveries. In the closing of our last workshop, we heard words of courage and hope for the future as well as renewed enthusiasm for meeting children.

Presentation on ‘The Art of Creative Discipline'in London on the 28 th October 2007

Gina Steen and Oona Alexander gave a talk and set up a stall for “A Time for Childhood” at the London event: “Helping children with challenging behaviour”.

They presented their experiences from workshops and from their own work at home with their children. Their message was:

• Responding to children in positive way does work.
• There is the possibility of an inner shift in the adult.
• We can set healthy boundaries by: working with the environment, moving away from punishment, containing our reactions and activating the educator in us.

The booklet: “The Art of Creative Discipline” that includes an article from Lourdes Callen and contributions from parents is now available in courses and can be ordered by e-mail: lcallen@atimeforchildhood.com

Conference for Families in Alcañiz - 10 and 11 November 2007

In Alcañiz, Aragón ( Spain ) the 8 th ” Conference for families” took place organised by Social Services and about 40 people participated. We contributed for the second time with the theme “Creating healthy boundaries”.

A participant at this conference writes:

“People experience calm throughout the course”

We see how we are as parents and people. Lourdes addresses us with gentleness, with kindness in her affirmations and with firmness in what she believes. She accompanies us towards a world that is not new, that is already there but that we do not visit frequently: the world of our feelings, of that which is right, and simple.

Little by little we relax and the feeling of being Ok with ourselves, kind of happy and satisfied grows. We think, “It is not so difficult; I can do it, because it depends on me and my effort. I DO NOT NEED TO BE AN EXPERT. I only need to look after myself and believe in the importance of my attitude towards life in order to be a positive influence on my son's present and future. Throughout the session Lourdes sets limits to our impulses of wanting quick answers to our questions. She sets limits to the times of debate.

As the time passes we look at each other and little by little our gesture changes. We look and smile as if wanting to say to the other “I am OK, I am calm”.

When it finishes we are eager to meet with our families once more.

Ah! Of course! This is what it is about! I have experienced it and it works.

This course for me was about my own learning and…now…I am off to my see my children…

Alcaniz, 11 Nobermber 2007, 23pm

October 2007

Forthcoming events

Autumn 2007

17 November Making children feel secure. Creating healthy boundaries

1 December Meeting point  (Morning only)
This is a new initiative that aims to create a supportive and nourishing environment  
for meeting other parents and continue the work participants started in workshops.  
Cost: Donations. The continuation of this 'Meeting point' idea will depend on the level of response we get. Please bring your friends!

Winter 2008

For information please go to: Programme

September 2007

Review 2006-2007

Since September 06 A Time for Childhood has run 30 groups reaching more than 300 people. The work has taken place mostly in London and Barcelona . It has also travelled to Alcaniz, Teruel in Spain ; and in England to the Waldorf Kindergartens of: Foss Way (Warwickshire), Kings Langley (Hertfordshire), Saint Michael (London), Spring Meadow (East Sussex); Including the Teachers training course in Emerson College .

These courses have reminded us and brought to our awareness the needs of children: Their need to be children, play, relate, and grow in a peaceful and rich environment with rhythm and joy. We also continued with the theme, ‘making children feel secure-creating health boundaries'. And have run 3 events for parents with children from 7 years on.

Developments

From April onwards the new office in our garden has given a peaceful space for this work. It has seen the preparation of the workshops taking place in May and June, as well as some telephone and face-to-face conversations. During the summer, it has also witnessed the preparation of advertising for the autumn and the writing work for the forthcoming book.

The Workshops for the Early Childhood Services Section of Westminster City Hall in London have run twice a term since January 2006. They are aimed at child-minders and people working in day-care centres with children up to 5 years. Nurturing relationships with children and creating a peaceful environment have been the main themes we offered; aiming to reflect on how this quality of peacefulness can be created in the child's modern life.

New projects

A number of articles have been written by parents in the last few years. These articles will be published in the forthcoming book called “A Time for Parenting - Love and learning in everyday life with children”. This work is coordinated by Lourdes Callen who will also contribute with her writing. At present, she is busy with this venture. This book describes everyday situations with children, and reflects on the search for new ways of parenting in tune with the times we are living. The 20 articles that form this project are touching on many key themes of our time. We will keep you informed!

The workshops that were offered to the social services in Alcaniz in Spain will continue this autumn (more information).

The group of parents that met in Barcelona to work with the question, How do we prepare for the adolescent time?, will continue in October with a biographical event that will take this theme further.

Gina will represent A Time for Childhood in an event in London centred on the theme of “Supporting children with Challenging Behaviour” www.innovate2educate.co.uk This will take place on the 28th of October – the same day Lourdes will be running the above course in Barcelona.

Network of Friends

In Barcelona , Rosa d'Abril's Kindergarten has continued to host our courses with the same enthusiasm as in the past years. In London , Steiner House hosted most of our courses, some took place in Temple Lodge , where we had the delight of running our courses in their beautiful newly built rooms.

A number of people have been supporting the work on editing and translating. For this a special thanks to Ann, Julie, Gina, Oona, Jeronima and Mojo. We thank Miriam y Nuria for their advice on administration matters, and my niece Saida and Alex from Barcelona whose abilities have become an important support in the caring of our Web.

Thanks to Danya, Oona and Annette who have organized workshops in their different venues (Kindergartens mentioned). Our thanks also go to friends and participants who contributed with donations last year; and those who actively tell others about this work and encourage networking, learning and community building.

How you can support us

You can do so by telling others, writing your experience and helping us to:

Fundraise – Fundraising events or individual donations are welcome!

This will continue to help us towards: research and writing projects and web expenses. More effort is needed to be able to keep the cost of workshops down. Generating more funds would allow us to open more possibilities for concessions in groups and individual conversations.

Please, consider a donation if you would like to be part of an initiative that supports parents and carers for the benefit of children.

You can donate during the workshops or by sending a cheque. Please, make cheques payable to “A Time for Childhood” and send to the address listed in this Web-consultations page.

We are looking forward to next year ' s work.

Warm wishes

Lourdes Callen and Rainer Bauer

July 2007

We are glad to let everybody know that we now have a title for our forthcoming book: A Time for Parenting – Love and learning in everyday life with children.

This book presents a collection of articles written by parents and coordinated by Lourdes Callen.

Forthcoming events- Autumn 2007

7 Oct. Understanding the first years of life

14 Oct. Understanding children from 7 to 14

20 Oct. Parenting with Inner calmness. (Creative Discipline series)

17 Nov. Making children feel secure. Creating healthy boundaries

For information please go to: Programme

In 2008

Early in the year: The joys and challenges of becoming three years old

Creative discipline These series will start again in the new year

Dates to be confirmed

Barcelona

Courses in Barcelona 27-28 Oct.

Alcaniz (Teruel, Spain) 3-4 Nov.

November 2006

Report from a workshop offered by Social Services in Spain on the 5 th November 2006

From the Social Services in Alcaniz ,Teruel (Spain) we initiated seven years ago a project called "Jornadas de Familia" (Working Days for Families). Our aim has been to help, support and offer guidance to parents, teachers and carers in the task of enhancing and getting to know childhood.

It was born as a project addressed to the whole population of our town but in the Social Services team we had especially in mind some of the families with social difficulties with whom we were working individually through the year. In its beginnings the working days started as practical workshops where participants who felt motivated by children could participate and solve the worries, problems and insecurities that arose in the day-to-day living with their children.

We found out about Lourdes Callen's work and visited the A Time for Childhood website. We also found out about Rudorf Steiner's Early Years Education and realised that this was what we were trying to do. That is, to offer: a time for childhood; awareness of the importance of the time to be children; and of allowing them to grow little by little.

We organized a workshop with the theme: 'Creating healthy boundaries' which took place on the 4 and 5 of November 2006. There we explored how to find a balance between extremes (an authoritarian approach on the one side and the lack of boundaries on the other); why children do not accept limits; how we can help children to feel more secure and respond to limits positively.

This workshop was free of charge for participants although they had to book a place. A total of 42 people participated which showed a high level of interest. Some of the comments were: “I have resolved many doubts and it has given me keys to improve the harmony in my home” , “It was very positive to come…”

From our service we would like to continue with this project. We are now planning and looking forward to the 8 th working day that will take place on the 10-11 Nov. 2007.

Pilar Gracia Fandos, 

Servicio Social de Base de Alcañiz. Teruel (Spain)