Our family chose Waldorf because we wanted Bodhi’s school to be like a second home that reflected our values: a love of nature, creativity and a strong connection with community (just to name a few). It was clear to us from the first time we visited The Waldorf School of DuPage just how wonderful a learning environment it is: the beautiful, warm and peaceful classrooms offering exploration and opportunity, the amazing abundance of and immersion in nature, and, of course, the caring and dedicated faculty. When teachers feel cared for and can enjoy doing their work, everyone who is a part of the school thrives—this is palpable at WSD!
For us, embracing Waldorf at home is about sharing with and including Bodhi in the activities we love most without having to get fancy or spend too much money. Some of these activities include cooking healthy, delicious meals, enjoying time in nature and playing and telling stories (we— his parents—met as Chicago actors, after all!). When we take our dog for walks around our neighborhood or at forest preserves, Bodhi enjoys bringing along his bucket to collect fallen leaves, nut shells and pinecones. He wants to know the names of the trees they each come from. Spotting mushrooms and toads is also a favorite hiking activity. We feel very lucky to live close to beautiful natural places like the Fox River, as canoeing is a multigenerational passion in our family. And this past summer we were fortunate enough to spend time at a nearby farm where Bodhi learned a lot about taking care of the plants and animals. He especially loved the baby goats (who wouldn’t?!)!
At home, Bodhi enjoys preparing food with us— especially when he can get his hands messy. We recently made one of our favorite fall meals: Lentil & Kale Salad (See link to recipe here: Lentil & Kale Salad Recipe-- We like to add roasted chicken and walnuts or pumpkin seeds!), and Bodhi was all about mixing and eating. Our mealtime tradition is to share what we are grateful for that day, and we love that Bodhi embraces this simple yet powerful practice with us. He recently started going from listing just one thing (like we, his parents, usually do) to listing up to five things… he’s upped the ante!
A while back, Clint taught Bodhi how to make “puppet hands” and it’s a pretty common occurrence to witness Bodhi break out his “finger puppets” and tell a story in the back seat on his drive to school. Since starting at Waldorf, we’ve noticed Bodhi telling even more stories than before and often involving objects around our house. It’s a true joy to witness his creativity blossoming.
All-in-all, we feel we’ve made a great choice in The Waldorf School of DuPage for our family. Bodhi is thriving and we find so much joy in watching him grow.
-Elsa + Clint