The Tending Years
Reviews
Amazon Review
I just finished this book on audible. It was exactly what I needed right now. As a parent currently in the throes of “the tending years” it can feel overwhelming and feel like the things I am doing aren’t enough. This book helped remind me of the value of these years and what my child needs most from me. The piece on meal times resonated so much and I’m leaning into the connection nourishment my son is looking for during that time. It’s really shifted how dinner feels. Highly recommend this book.
Aisha Hauser
Lead Ministry Team
Church of the Larger Fellowship
The Tending Years is a glorious book that is a must have for parents, caregivers, and anyone with a toddler in their life. The author has weaved together the realities of this age along with the joys, gifts and opportunities for nurturing. The beauty is the way she uses Unitarian Universalist values as the container to hold and love the toddlers in our lives. I highly encourage families, religious educators, caregivers and anyone who has, or will have a toddler in their life to read this book, you will return to it over and over again.
Goodreads Review
Beautiful and insightful, a slightly different angle on understanding the behavior of preschoolers and a deeply compassionate and hopeful guide for how caregivers can enter into relationship with preschoolers as a spiritual practice and opportunity to learn and grow themselves.
About the
Book
Have you ever wondered why your toddler will only drink from a specific cup, or only eat if you turn mealtime into a game? Have you ever found yourself following along with—and maybe even enjoying—your child’s increasingly elaborate bedtime routines?
In The Tending Years: Understanding Your Child’s Earliest Rituals, J.L. Shattuck argues that these behaviors are not just habits but rituals—patterns of behavior young children naturally develop to
reassure themselves they are safe and loved. Shattuck draws on child development theory and more
than two decades of experience as a teacher, religious educator, and parent to explore the spiritual roots of this behavior. She demonstrates how adults and young children instinctively work together to support each other’s growth during this unique developmental period.
Unlike parenting books that ask you to change the way you interact with your child, this easy-to-read volume details the ways in which you’re already meeting your child’s needs and offers inspiration and support to help you through the preschool years and beyond.
Order your copy now!
