Mantles of Care
in Early Childhood
← Return to Care and Renewal Overview
Mantles of Care revisit daily health and hygiene practices with the wisdom of nature and reverence for the gifts of our human life.
Maintaining | Restoring | Harmonising
Body, Soul and Spirit
Mantles of Care work with bodily, daily, seasonal and spiritual rhythms to offer hygienic self-care that is age and developmentally appropriate for the human being.
Receiving Mantles of Care Provide the Child with Health-giving Forces of Rhythm, Warmth and Harmony.
Working alongside
Developing the Self Developing the World Mantles of Care programs are prepared in consultation with the educators to support each unique community. The program accompanies the rhythm that the children are held within. Together we work from the understanding of the children’s development through the lens of anthroposophy.
Rhythms of Three
Included in a session are activities for the child to harmonise their warmth, gather themselves into their centre and support their daily health and hygiene through care practices. A rhythm of three can support a deeper working and experiencing of the mantles.
Exploring Ways with Mantles of Care
To have a fresh set of eyes on the children, a visit is arranged to be present in the space to observe unobtrusively during a “class session”. Questions the Educator(s) are carrying regarding the children, space and interactions can be received prior to the observation.
Discussions occur following the session, at a suitable time, to be introduced to mantles of care suggestions that could be continued by the Educator and staff to integrate into their group. These are usually suggestions that will support the group as a whole whilst at the same time meeting the particular needs of some.
Mantles of Care with Children
At a point throughout the day, perhaps the initial arrival and free-play time, in a specified mantles of care space/tent, a mantle of care activity that has been determined in consultation with the Educator can be freely offered to interested children.
To begin with it could be a mantle of care activity that welcomes and warms children helping them to settle through the new transition back to or into their new class. Children’s rest after lunch could also be observed and further mantles of care introduced if needed to support a nourishing digestion time/ rest.
the Care Space
The Care Space within the home or classroom is an area that is set aside for regaining harmony. It is a place where mantles of care supports and equipment can reside so children can work towards developmentally appropriate self-regulation within your community of care culture. The children may come to the care space to care for themselves, their friends or their dolls. They can be further supported by the caregivers with offerings such as warm rose facecloths or footbaths and first aid.
The way that the space is created and respected by the adults supports the children to come towards it with reverence. Beauty and harmonising qualities are offered in a variety of truthful textures, weights, temperatures and other natural sensory experiences. It provides carefully chosen fabrics and additional warm clothes for children who may require it.
Suggestions can be offered on ways to bolster the etheric environment of “the classroom” and educators to be able to give life to the children. New ways of looking at children’s play, materials to be included for play, layout of the play space, the care space, children’s clothing can be discussed during this consultation.
Caring for the health of the caregiver.
Strengthening the wellbeing of the caregivers supports them in finding a place of uprightness and harmony to hold an environment that can nourish children.
Care & Renewal offerings to caregivers is often well received within the child’s Playgroup, Children’ Group or Kindergarten while the child is being cared for. Modelling care of ourselves and others.
Explore –
Lemon foot baths | Hand baths | Tinkle washing on hands or feet | Dry body brushing | Cool wash | Compress ..all come to a place of completeness with a herb tea and rest.
Mantles of Care Conversation hour
When the caregivers and their children have been a part of the mantles of care and care and renewal, it serves them well to have a conversation circle for questions that could support it being integrated at home in the child’s daily family life.
The conversations are held with the understanding of the incarnating child, and their growth and development from a threefold perspective.
WORKSHOPS
Independent workshops extend the content to better support transitions, preparing a family care basket, practical first aid, supporting sleep, the benefits of wrapping, and perceiving anew the clothes we provide for children.