Recently, J has been saying, "My heart tells me I want to hear an Enki story". (She is referring to the 1st grade fairy tales) and Prime will on occasion w/o me prompting, ask to do (Enki) circle. I think this is in part because when I did Kindergarten with him alone (before J came and joined us), we always started with circle and he is accustomed to it and likes it. They both do enjoy movements and the songs as it comes to them quite easily. Of course, their favorite activity is free play and how absorbed they can be in their play really amazes me. Needless to say, I have been more than happy to oblige them with their requests.
Anyway, my guess is that since J is enjoying the fairy tales now perhaps it means (emotional) she is a 1st grader developmentally as fairy tales speaks to children in that grade level deeply. J is a precocious child in many ways so to think she is a 1st grader at 7 1/2 years old developmentally really surprises me. Though in Waldorf school, are 7 year old children 1st graders? Her academic skills are definitely on or above par with a 2nd grader. It also seems to me she has been having "trickster energy" for some time now. But when I read the trickster stories to her like Brer rabbit or Aesop's fable, it appeals to Prime more than J so that confuses me. I have also read J some Christopherous 2nd grade saint stories and I can tell it is not where she is developmentally assuming I buy in the mirror the child talk. She likes them (as they are fairly short) but I don't think the stories speak deeply to her.
I am glad J is enjoying the Enki style fairy tales more now as before she didn't really care for them, I think, in part, due to the length of the story. But now, the length of the story clearly doesn't bother her as much as she is more patient and willing to listen them.
As for Prime, he's been listening to Enki 1st grade stories right along with J. I don't think they speak to him deeply but he will listen though a few I read, when asked, he tells me he found them to be "spooky", esp. the stories with witches and ghosts. So I'll definitely keep in mind in selecting fairy tales in the future for him to hear.
My tentative plan is to continue with the 1st grade fairy tales as long as J asks for them or until Prime is close to 7 yrs old which won't be for another year as he just turned 6. I'll be interested to see at what age the fairy tales would start to "mirror" Prime developmentally.
Anyone has recommendation on where I can read more on children's developmental age?
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