Honoring the Moment in Young Children’s Lives: Observation, Documentation, and Reflection

Re-envision the world through children’s eyes

Join author Ron Grady in a joyous meditation on the meaning of childhood and a philosophical reflection on why children matter and why the way in which we share the moments of their lives matters. Deftly weaving anthropology, sociology, psychology, and theories of education, Honoring the Moment in Young Children’s Lives invites us to remake our image of the child and truly appreciate children for who they are at this time.

Honor the moments you spend with young children with a deeper understanding of their perspective and whole selves and use the unique position of educator to translate children’s moments, both ordinary and extraordinary, for their families and communities. Take the next step in observing and documenting young children and embrace the role of researcher, an ethnographer with unique and privileged proximity to children who takes a close-up look and uses that deep knowledge to advocate for children’s needs and their right to live their lives engaged in deep inquiry and self-directed, meaningful play.

Ron Grady earned a master’s in early childhood education from the Erikson Institute in child development and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Stanford University. Ron has been working with children and families for nearly a decade in both research and applied contexts and is currently a teacher at NOLA Nature School in New Orleans, Louisiana. Ron also serves as a consulting editor for Young Children and is the author and illustrator of a children’s book due out in 2023 with Penguin/Paulsen. His writing has appeared in Young Children, Teaching Young Children, and Exchange.