The Principles of DawnTalk
Honoring the Rights of Children
DawnTalk models the Democratic principles of social equality and respect for the rights of an individual within a community. Even though children are not equal with adults in knowledge and experience, they are our social equals and are entitled to equal rights within our community.
Making choices cultivates individuality and self-reliance. Only while making choices can children exercise their human faculties of perception, judgment, discriminative feeling, mental activity and even moral preference. The guidelines for “DawnTalkTM cultivate individuality and self-reliance by offering children choices that honor their needs and their innocence.
Punishment and value judgments “discourage” children. A loss encourage is a loss of dignity and self-respect. DawnTalkTM replace ineffective traditional autocratic childcare (preaching, moralizing, accusing, ridiculing, belittling, evaluating, labeling, threatening, and punishing) with non-punitive and non-judgmental guidelines.
DawnTalkTM preserves a child’s dignity as well as protecting their delicate egos. The guidelines encourage a child’s efforts and accomplishments. Adults acknowledge what a child has done instead of how they have done it. The children are allowed to solve the problems they can and are encouraged to do more for themselves. This practice develops self-reliance while building self-esteem.
One of the most powerful desires of a child is to belong. DawnTalkTM teaches children preferred manners and customs. They learn friendly communication skills that are sensitive to democratic rights. They also learn altruistic forms of behavior such as, helping, sharing and giving, through modeled interactions with others. These skills enable children to build the friendships they desire.
Many children grew-up in the shade of a lovely plum tree in my backyard. As the tree moved through the seasons the children beneath the tree played and laughed and learned some important lessons in life. The tree became a gathering place where life took on a special magic. My hope is to share some of that magic with you.
Sincerely, Dawn Fry
