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The Hurried Child
March 7, 2011
Be careful what you teach, it might interfere with what they are learning.
-Magda Gerber (magdagerber.org)
-Magda Gerber (magdagerber.org)
"Hurried children are forced to take on the physical, psychological, and social trappings of adulthood before they are prepared to deal with them. We dress our children in miniature adult costumes (often with designer labels), we expose our children to gratuitous sex and violence, and we expect them to cope with an increasingly bewildering social environment — divorce, single parenthood, homosexuality. Through all of these pressures, the child senses that it is important for him or her to cope without admitting the confusion and pain that accompany such changes. Like adults, they are made to feel they must be survivors, and surviving means adjusting — even if the survivor is only four or six or eight years old. This pressure to cope without cracking is a stress in itself, the effects of which must be tallied with all the other effects of hurrying our children."
Exchange has packaged five of its play resources into a single "Play Tool Kit" and is offering the entire set at a discount - separately these resources would cost $104.95, but we are offering the entire Tool Kit for only $84. Resources in the kit include:
- Advocating For Play
- Beginnings Workshop Book - Play
- Big Body Play
- Promoting the Value of Play CD Book
- The Play's the Thing
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ExchangeEveryDay is the official electronic newsletter for Exchange Press. It is delivered five days a week containing news stories, success stories, solutions, trend reports, and much more.
Introducing Scholastic Big Day for PreK, a new, proven-effective, comprehensive program that embraces children's natural curiosity and prepares children for success in school and life!
Why manage 40 separate bottles of sunscreen every day? Save time and money with Rocky Mountain Sunscreen’s quart and gallon pump dispensers.
Comments (16)
Displaying 5 of 16 Comments [ View all ]United States
I have been a long-time subscriber and frequently encourage others to receive your daily emails and subscribe to your periodical.
As a respected early childhood professional and as a lesbian mother, I am offended, appalled, and deeply saddened that you would include "homosexuality" amongst an "increasingly bewildering social environment."
I expect Child Care Exchange to honor diversity through respectful communications, by thoroughly evaluating material presented for a myriad of potential offenses including discrimination and slanderous material.
There is a multitude of research defining the critical elements that support children's healthy development. Diverse families raise healthy children everyday, and I would hope that Child Care Exchange recognizes all families' efforts to raise healthy and resilient children.
In order to continue to subscribe and encourage others to sign up for your magazine and emails, I need to see a sincere apology from Child Care Exhange sent to all of the subscribers of this Daily email publication. Heather
Seven Corners Children\'s Center
Falls Church, VA, United States
I had the privilege of meeting David Elkind at a presentation he was giving on The Hurried Child in the early 80's. I was new to the profession of early childhood. His presentation was such an influence on my teaching career. I have read and re-read his book on numerous occassions during my life. I used it as a parent and with the children I taught. He definitely had it right then and especially today. I believe The Hurried Child was one of the best books on parenting and early childhood I ever read. After 35 years in the field, I still feel he's the best!
St Louis, MO, United States
I have great respect for Dr. Elkind - had the pleasure of hearing him lecture - wow - and agree that we "hurry" our children. BUUUUUT, I find it questionable to place homosexuality in the same sentence, and by implication, same context, as divorce and single parenthood.
CPE Riverview
Verdun, Quebec, Canada
I must take umbrage at the quote taken from "The Hurried Child" by David Elkind. I appreciate that children are exposed to many societal pressures - however - society continues to change. Change often brings confusion and sometimes pain. It is part of the growing process for all human beings. What does not change is the love and nurturing of a child's parent or parents regardless of their marital status or sexual orientation.
Tolland, CT, United States
As the other commenters have noted, it saddens me to think that some early childhood professionals believe that "non-traditional" families create stress for young children. I wholeheartedly believe that children deserve a slower, more peaceful childhood- and to be shielded from gratuitous sex and violence. But having a single parent, having two homosexual parents, or even living with loving non-parent guardians is not, in and of itself, a negative experience. The Hurried Child was written a long time ago, so perhaps we can pardon Elkind for his narrow thinking and find the wisdom in his other observations. But there is no excuse for this email to have been sent in 2011 without any editorial note. I love the daily Exchange emails, and I frequently share them with my staff and the families in my programs. Today's email was a disturbing way to start my day.
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