our philosophy

The Essentials of Healthy Childhood

Childhood is a time for learning about the essentials~ 
about the heavenly world and the earthly,
about goodness, beauty and truth.

Childhood is a time to be loved and to love,
to express fear and to learn trust,
to be serious, to be calm,
and to celebrate with laughter and joy.

Children have the right to dream,
and to grow at their own pace.
They have the right to make mistakes
and the right to be forgiven.

Children have the right to be spared violence and hunger,
to have a home and protection,
and support for growing up healthy,
with good habits and sound nutrition.

Children need people to respect,
adults whose example and loving authority they follow.
They need a range of experience ~ tenderness and kindness,
boldness and courage, even mischief and misbehavior.

Children need a loving relationship with the earth~
with animals and with nature, 
with families and community.

Children need moments for devotion and space for curiosity,
protective boundaries and freedom to create,
and time to rest, to play, to work.

Children need to be introduced to a life of principles,
and given the freedom to discover their own.

The spirit of childhood calls for protection and nurture.
It is an essential part of every human being
and needs to be kept alive.

Alliance for Childhood
Partners working together for healthy childhood.