The responses of two-year-olds starting at nursery may be very different. The unfamiliarity of the setting will evoke a wide range of behaviours. Some, being overwhelmed, may simply ‘go into their shell’; some are distressed by the moment of separation from mums; others are attracted by everything in turn as it comes to their attention and they flit from one activity or centre to another. The toddler, who…
By the time this edition of Early Days goes to print I will have celebrated 30 years of marriage with my wonderful husband, Pete. So perhaps it is fitting that “Professional Love” is the theme of this magazine. There have been times in those thirty years when loving and sticking together has been a decision and commitment rather than a…
I’ve been pondering why we love stories so much and why children love to have their favourites read over and over again, and as I pondered the words of the old hymn came into my mind. I don’t think I have ever really looked at the words, but they were there somewhere hidden away. Stories bind us together, stories help…
Rebecca Nye recently wrote a wonderful article about children’s spirituality and began with a wondering question about young children’s encounters with God: “What can we know of their spirituality? Perhaps playing a game of hide and seek is a good analogy here. What we are looking for is certainly already ‘there’ somewhere, but it can be hidden in so many…
We live in a time of overwhelming assessment. From the cradle to the grave, it seems we must be measured, tested, checked against standards…and probably found wanting. If this leaves us feeling uneasy and unhappy, then how much more is it impacting on the lives of our youngest children? In the last few weeks I have listened to inspirational talks…
Becoming a parent is one thing that changes our lives forever and some days it all just seems to be too much. Wherever we look there is advice coming from every direction. And what is right one week may not be the right thing to do next week! Then we are to build “partnerships” with parents in our work as…
After our very first visit to the New Wine Summer camp as a new Christian family, the car journey home was full of singing. Captain Alan Price had made an impression that would never be forgotten as we heartily sang “It’s an adventure following Jesus. It’s an adventure learning from him”. Those days were our first introduction to life in…
Train up a child… This is such a well known verse and is perhaps the aim of many of our Christian nurseries and preschools around the country. I love the photo of the two boys running off as there, just ahead, is a corner. We cannot see what is just around there. There is a mystery that we cannot solve!…
