I am a parent of adult children and have been teaching and mentoring for more than thirty years. I began as an early childhood licensed care provider. I graduated from the two year teacher training at Rudolf Steiner College in California. I was hired by the Seattle Waldorf School to carry a class of students from grades 1 through 8 as class teacher, graduating 20 students in 2000. I went on to teach blocks of study in several Waldorf middle schools across the country, including original curricula. Human Fertility and Middle School Issues, as well as teaching blocks at home schools in Seattle.

Traditionally, indigenous cultures speak of the human being coming of age when crossing over from child to adult. There was no stage of development called “puberty” or “adolescence”.

Today, in a complex society, an educated and prepared adult community must provide conscious guidance for its youth to build balanced individuals and social life through age appropriate education, life experiences, ceremony and celebration. The budding adult needs acknowledgement, understanding, and love from adults in their lives. They need to belong to their community of peers.