What's the Hurry?
Reclaiming childhood in an overscheduled world
A guide for parents, teachers and the community.
by Kathy Walker


Has anyone read this book?
In an intro to the book she writes

"Childhood is a time that is precious and wonderful for young children. However, increasingly, the valuing of childhood as a unique period within the lifespan, a time for exploration, investigation, playing and becoming used to life, is something at risk of becoming lost."

Chapter one is available on line and is worth a read.
It has some interesting snippets:

"We don't have time to let them play, or to have much free time, we have such a crowded pushed down curriculum. It's a lot more stressful on kids and us these days."

"Many teachers frequently comment that some children have no 'down time' any more. These children are so busy doing; they have less and less time for being a child."

"Children are no longer actually initiating their own creative play. The language of children is increasingly... "Show me how to do this, what do I have to do next?"


She finishes the chapter with six key messages about childhood - have a read... very closely aligned to our Discovery Time philosophy