A Natural Order of Priority for Maintaining our Human Potential.
Sleep – a comfortable, safe, quiet environment for the required length of time.
Food – adequate amounts of food, free from stimulants and artificial additives, containing the required nutrition.
Movement – a safe and suitable quality and size of space.
Free play – uninterrupted activity within a suitable free play environment.
Creative activity – self-confidence, enthusiasm, imagination.
Authentic social interaction
Intimacy
Devotional service to Highest Good.
Sharing, Caring and Creative Parenting.
The human capacity to engage in intimate exchanges is directly related to the above order of needs. Our loving relationships are initially founded upon bonding cues related to our primary needs originally presented as infant care. [see the list of 21 Bonding Cues described by Marnia Robinson in ‘Cupid’s Poisoned Arrow; North Atlantic Books, 2009:page 178.
The development of adult relationships is founded upon the individual’s biological makeup, inner emotional development, conscious development and other aspects of adult maturity and understanding
From a biological perspective our relationships are especially influenced by the two hormones – dopamine and oxytocin.
‘dopamine induces excitement and puts you into high gear. When stimulated with too much dopamine, your nerve cells decrease there sensitivity to it. What goes up must come down. Your mood changes. Typically you feel less alive – and very susceptible to suggestions that send up a dopamine flare.’
Thus the dopamine story involves extremes of high and then a low that leaves the person keen to engage in any activity that will stimulate the dopamine level to rise again and bring up feelings of excitement.
The contrasting the hormone Oxytocin has the opposite effect. ‘Not only does it induce a calm, warm mood that can increase tender feelings and openness, but also the more oxytocin produced, the more sensitive some nerve cells become to it (because they activate additional oxytocin receptors on themselves).What goes up stays up, or goes a bit higher – as does your sense of satisfaction.’
A knowledge and understanding of how these two hormones affect our interaction with those we love can be very helpful and encourage those bonding activities related to oxytocin production such as gentle physical interaction, eye contact, smiling and cuddling.
The order of development
The young baby first learns to move its limbs. In the womb some babies learn how to put their thumb in their mouth in order tosuckle on their thumb. This illustrates the primary importance of movement as key to our sense of wellbeing. Kinaesthetic and sensory experiences are thereby superior to abstract thinking processes especially during early development.
Movement
In order to engage in personal and self-directed interaction with our environment we have to relate to our physical body and sensory perceptions through body movement.
Sensory Perceptions
Our accommodation of perceptual skills with movement facilitates our ability to integrate sensory perceptual information.
Co-ordination.
Movement and sensory perception combined as mental activity in the brain and thereby facilitate co-ordination skills and personal interaction.
Pre-determined actions
Co-ordinated interaction with the environment facilitates co-ordination of thought and movement. This provides opportunity for exploration and experimentation and initiates social interaction.
Interaction
Personally motivated interaction supports communication skills and social development.
Investigation
Investigation supports inventive influences over the environment, discovery learning and self-directed learning.
All the above combine to develop positive behaviour patterns, personal preferences, and authentic aspects of sharing and caring.
A brief look at Steiner’s perception of child development
0-7 years. [Physical growth]
Steiner described the early years from birth to seven as predominantly a time of:-
Physical growth,
Co-ordination of movement,
Reception and accommodation of sensory perception.
The focus during these years is one of gratitude that can also initiate an innocent and natural love of God.
7-9 [Metamorphosis of Thinking]
He presents these years as the metamorphosis of conceptual thinking. The child’s inner world of Imagination becomes a key influence to the development of conceptual thinking and a notably disposition of happiness, balance and harmony prevails
9-12 [Metamorphosis of Feeling]
Steiner presents that the child now becomes aware of aloneness and the growing awareness of inner feelings is generally kept within him/herself. The child may feel exposed and vulnerable within a strange and often socially over demanding world. However, the will to love others is awakened and blossoms within these early years of pleasure, positivity and purity.
12-14 [Metamorphosis of Will]
The child now addresses a personal quest to succeed and do well within their worldly surroundings. This is supported by their growing ability to think of a situation from another person’s perspective. The developmental focus is on social interaction, social structures and an awakening of social responsibility. Creative endeavour and craft skills can now be developed from a personal inner sense of aesthetic appreciation.
13-15 [Synthesis of Thought]
The adolescent gains a sense of self worth through a confrontational attitude and associated struggles. The focus is on gaining knowledge of the self as an individual learning to co-ordinate the inner self with the outside world.
15-17 [Synthesis of Feeling]
The focus is to find and establish a natural and authentic presentation of the true self. The lower nature is revealed outwardly while the higher nature develops within inner feelings of a maturing personality and a love of life.
17-21 [Synthesis of Will]
The adolescent matures into adulthood. These years initiate genuine consideration of the three questions: Who am I? Where have I come from? Where am I going?