FALL FROM PARADISE

Rudolf Steiner particularly highlighted a significant yet often overlooked transformation in how children perceive themselves and the world. This change, occurring around the age of nine, brings newfound confidence and competence, but it can also lead to feelings of fear and disconnectedness. As my youngest son approaches this age, he is shifting from a dreamy early childhood phase, where everything is unified and good, to a more conscious state, recognizing his distinctness from the people and things around him.

Between the ages of nine and ten, children begin to experience themselves as "I" for the first time—as separate individuals, different from their parents and peers, and essentially alone. This inner realization is sometimes triggered by their first encounter with death and the understanding that earthly life is fragile and temporary.