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Today's item comes from that venerable bastion of early childhood development, National Geographic. An article, "Bhutan's Enlightened Experiment" (March 2008) offered an intriguing insight into a country thoughtfully entering into the modern world. And, while this has nothing at all to do with early childhood education, I couldn't help but share this delightful concept:

"When King Jigme Singye Wangchuck ascended the throne in 1972, Bhutan suffered from some of the highest poverty, illiteracy, and infant-mortality rates in the world �" a legacy of the policy of isolation.... With the self-confidence of a ruler whose country has never been conquered, he has tried to dictate the terms of Bhutan's opening �" and in the process redefine the very meaning of development. The felicitous phrase he invented to describe his approach: Gross National Happiness.

"For many Bhutanese, this idea is not merely a marketing tool or a utopian philosophy. It is their blueprint for survival. Guided by the 'four pillars of Gross National Happiness' �" sustainable development, environmental protection, cultural preservation, and good governance �" Bhutan has pulled itself out of abject poverty without exploiting its natural resources.... Nearly three-quarters of the country is still forested with more than 25 percent designated as national parks and other protected areas �" among the highest percentages in the world. Rates of illiteracy and infant mortality have fallen dramatically, and the economy is booming."

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Many Beginnings Workshop training units focus in on topics relating to children's happiness. Check these resources out at the Exchange web site:

• Humor
• Imagination
• Building a Classroom Culture
• Block Play
• Art Experiences
• Music and Movement

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