This whole book reads with a great gentleness and quality that leaves the reader with a tangible sense of the care and devotion brought to this work and environment.  It goes far beyond ‘work’ into the realm of vocation and working with the spiritual world.

The concept of a ‘home away from home’ has been penetrated with a deep understanding of what forms this environment and the anthroposophical day nursery is built around the knowledge of an archetypal home, the development of the human being and an awareness of the individuals whose karma and destiny has, at this point in time, led them to be here.

Each aspect of the fourfold picture of the human being can also be found emulated in the home.  This knowledge has been clearly woven with great consciousness and from a deep understanding.  Along with an understanding of the vital importance of rhythm and healthy nutrition, their practices have penetrated into each of the sheaths – physical, etheric, astral and ego - not only of the child and the family’s involved but also into the task and consciousness of all of the co-workers.

  “As with everything that happens at Awhina, these children and their playmates had been met with loving care and penetrated practices meant to best support young children when they must be away from their own homes during the day.  The foundation of these penetrated practices lies in a fourfold understanding of the human being, which can also be applied to the development of a home,  This way of understanding the environment and activities of healthy home-life is what sets the unique tone and depth of anthroposophically-based child care.  It is not just the doing of certain things, but also the understanding that surrounds and deepens the doing.  The heart of this book is the description of this fourfoldness, both in the human being and in the environment of the home.”
       Foreword – Cynthia Aldinger

If one’s life path and circumstances has led to a position of being unable to fully care for one’s child/children full time in the home, as is a sad fact in today’s society, the anthroposophical day nursery approach to child care is a very special alternative.

The importance of the family is always held paramount and sacred, this archetype is honoured and respected and within the wisdom of this environment it is also an opportunity for the families involved to practically learn and be guided in the art of homemaking and child care.

  “I believe home in the true sense of the word is indeed the best place for children.  However, the home of today is not the home of yesteryear – the world is a vastly different place to that of the 1980s and before.  Parents of today need much greater support in their parenting and in the creating of their family culture.  The anthroposophical day nursery, in its holistic approach to homemaking and the care of the young child, carries the potential to do just this”
       Bernadette Raichle

Lastly and most importantly through this dedicated and committed approach, the unfolding of these children’s lives are given the best opportunity to incarnate and develop fully in order to be able to take up their life path as best as they are able and to be able to build a solid foundation towards reaching their full potential.

This book is an excellent guide for homemakers to be able to learn the archetypal knowledge of fourfold practices and its relationship to the developing human being and the weaving of a home.  It would greatly serve those parents seeking to create a home consciously founded on the spiritual aspects of life and to those who have chosen to dedicate their lives to caring for children and their families.

Trisha Glover